Improving Black Student Achievement: Table V

TABLE V

Sources of Communication and Communication-Related

Biases in Tests and Assessment Procedures

Situational Bias Mismatches between examiner and examinee regarding the societal rules of language: e.g., sarcastic answers to obvious questions

(Examiner: What time does the clock say?

Examinee: Everybody knows clocks don't talk).

Directions Bias Test directions involve linguistic complexities unfamiliar to the examinee: e.g., "None of the following is true except..." is incorrectly interpreted as "All of the following is true except..."

Value Bias Examinee is required to exhibit a particular moral or ethical preference: e.g., One who is dishonest is

a) an offender; b) a politician; c) an officer; d) an ambassador

Linguistic Bias Test presumes that examinee is competent in standard English: e.g, Which sentence is ungrammatical?

a) They saw Rose; b)You done it wrong; c) My brother has never eaten; d) Don't use too much.

Format Bias Test procedures or requirements are inconsistent with examinee's cognitive and/or learning style: e.g., "Select the best answer to the following..."

Cultural Misinterpretations Examiner erroneously interprets cultural practices of examinee: e.g., a child who exhibits silence as a natural reaction to an unfamiliar adult examiner is diagnosed as nonverbal or a child who does not respond quickly to test items is labeled unknowledgeable.

(From Taylor, Orlando: Cross-Cultural Communication: An Essential Dimension of Effective Education. Mid-Atlantic Center for Race Equity, The American University: Washington, D.C., 1987.)

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Situational Bias	Mismatches between examiner and examinee regarding the societal rules of language: e.g., sarcastic answers to obvious questions
	(Examiner: What time does the clock say?
	Examinee: Everybody knows clocks don't talk).
Directions Bias	Test directions involve linguistic complexities unfamiliar to the examinee: e.g., "None of the following is true except..." is incorrectly interpreted as "All of the following is true except..."
Value Bias	Examinee is required to exhibit a particular moral or ethical preference: e.g., One who is dishonest is
Value Bias	a) an offender; b) a politician; c) an officer; d) an ambassador
Linguistic Bias	Test presumes that examinee is competent in standard English: e.g, Which sentence is ungrammatical?
Linguistic Bias	a) They saw Rose; b)You done it wrong; c) My brother has never eaten; d) Don't use too much.
Format Bias	Test procedures or requirements are inconsistent with examinee's cognitive and/or learning style: e.g., "Select the best answer to the following..."
Cultural Misinterpretations	Examiner erroneously interprets cultural practices of examinee: e.g., a child who exhibits silence as a natural reaction to an unfamiliar adult examiner is diagnosed as nonverbal or a child who does not respond quickly to test items is labeled unknowledgeable.