VCCS Test Blueprint
Objectives
QR/SR-8 Items
QR/SR-5 Items
(Administered 01/07 to
present)
(Administered until 12/06)
Scientific Reasoning
Competence:
1. Generate an empirically
evidenced and logical
argument
2. Distinguish a scientific
argument from a nonscientific argument.
3. Reason by deduction,
induction and analogy.
4. Distinguish between causal
and correlational
relationships.
4, 8, 14, 15
6, 49, 52, 56, 57, 75
18, 22, 27, 28, 32, 33, 47, 48,
53
5, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 72, 73
2, 16, 17, 50, 54, 55, 56, 57,
58, 59, 60
10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 27, 28, 29,
39, 40, 50, 51, 63, 64, 65, 66,
76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81
12, 19, 30, 31, 51, 52
3, 25, 30, 31, 32, 33, 55, 74
2, 10, 11, 44, 62
70
3, 23, 24, 25, 40
66, 67, 71
5, 6, 7, 13, 26, 35, 36, 38, 39
4, 8, 19, 27, 28, 29, 53, 54, 62
34, 37, 41, 42, 43, 45, 61
7, 43, 68, 69, 82, 83
Quantitative Reasoning
Competence:
1. Use logical and
mathematical reasoning
within the context of various
disciplines.
2. Interpret and use
mathematical formulas.
3. Interpret mathematical
models such as graphs,
tables and schematics and
draw inferences from them.
4. Use arithmetic, algebraic,
geometric, and statistical
models to solve problems.
5. Estimate and consider
answers to mathematical
problems in order to
determine reasonableness.
46
6. Recognize and
communicate the appropriate
applications of mathematical
and statistical models
7. Represent mathematical
information numerically,
symbolically, and visually,
using graphs and charts.
VCCS faculty felt this
objective would require a
performance measure
VCCS faculty felt this
objective would require a
performance measure
Note #1: Items in bold type correspond to more than one
objective.
Note #2: The current VCCS version of the Quantitative/Scientific
Reasoning assessment instrument (NW8) consists of 65 original JMU
NW8 items and 18 VCCS developed items. When students complete the
93 item instrument online, the last 10 items are motivation items
provided to the VCCS in a separate file.
Note #3: The following are items JMU administers as part of the
standard instrument; however, during the original back
translation exercise, the VCCS faculty did not feel as though the
related JMU objective (Applied vs. Basic Science) was applicable
to the VCCS mission.
UNMAPPED NW8 items:
1 (“Applied research”)
2 (“Science and FDA”)
9, 15 (opposing scientific explanations – knowledge type of item)
16, 17, 18 (“Basic and Applied Research”)
20 (Hypothesis – definition)
21, 22, 23 (“Methods of Science are Appropriate or
Inappropriate”)
24 (“Interaction between Science and community”)
26 Experimental design -- definition
41 Experiment -- definition
42 (“Science and Society”)
44, 45, 46, 47, 48 (“Basic and Applied Research”)
58, 59, 60, 61 (“Science and Society”)