C H A P T E R Principles of Test Selection and Administration

Chapter Outline  Reasons for testing  Testing terminology  Evaluation of test quality  Test selection  Test administration

Reasons for Testing  Assessment of athletic talent  Identification of physical abilities in need of improvement  Setting of realistic goals  Evaluation of progress

Testing Terminology  Test  Field test  Measurement  Evaluation  Pretest  Midtest  Formative evaluation  Posttest

Evaluation of Test Quality  Validity is the degree to which a test or test item measures what it is intended to measure; this is the most important characteristic of testing.  Reliability is a measure of the degree of consistency or repeatability of a test. A test must be reliable to be valid; highly variable results have little meaning.

Reliability Factors that produce measurement error include the following:  Instrasubject variability—lack of consistent performance by the person tested  Interrater reliability—the degree to which different raters agree  Failure of the test itself to provide consistent results  Intrarater variability—the lack of consistent scores by a given tester

Test Selection Factors  Metabolic specificity  Sport specificity  Experience and training status  Age and sex  Environmental factors

Test Administration  Staff should ensure health and safety of athletes.  Testers should be carefully selected and trained.  Tests should be well organized and administered efficiently.  Athletes should be properly prepared and instructed.

Aerobic Endurance Testing in the Heat  Use an indoor facility, or test during the morning or early evening.  Ask athletes to drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after exercise.  Watch for symptoms of heatstroke or heat exhaustion.  Discourage use of salt tablets.  Keep the athlete’s bodily stores of magnesium and potassium high.  Monitor athletes’ heart rates during and immediately following exercise.  Allow athletes to acclimatize to the heat by starting with shorter workouts.  Do not test on an unusually warm day.

Table 14.1 Temperature Limits at Various Ranges of Relative Humidity for Strenuous Exercise Testing Relative humidity (%)Temperature limit (°F)

T ests requiring high-skill movements, such as reaction and coordination tests, should be administered before tests that are likely to produce fatigue and confound the results of subsequent tests. 

Sequence of Tests  Nonfatiguing tests  Agility tests  Maximum power and strength tests  Sprint tests  Local muscular endurance tests  Fatiguing anaerobic capacity tests  Aerobic capacity tests

T he clarity and simplicity of instructions have a direct bearing on the reliability and objectivity of a test. 