Abstract

This report presents the application and assessment of Psychological Test - Differential

Aptitude Tests of the client - FA - by the group of students of psychology with the purpose of

learning to apply psychological tests on the clients for future. The results were conducted

carefully using the manual provided by the head of the project and the data of the client was

not disclosed to anyone other than the reporting group. The test results were assessed

carefully in order to provide correct results about the client as much as possible
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Differential Aptitude Tests

(DATs)

Name of Test

Differential Aptitude Tests

Author

George K. Bennett, Harold G. Seashore, Alexander G. Wesman.

Date of Publication

1947

Type of Test

Objective test

Total Time

2 hours and 58 minutes

Name of Participant

F. A.

Age

20 years

Gender

Female
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Introduction

Nature Of DAT

The Differential Aptitude Test (DAT) is a multiple aptitude battery designed to measure

junior and senior high school students and adults' ability to learn or succeed in certain areas.

The test is suitable for group administration and is primarily for use in educational and

vocational counselling, although it may be used in employee selection. The DAT contains

two levels, with two equivalent alternate forms for each level. Eight subtests measure

abilities. A score is provided for each subtest as well as for scholastic aptitude. Test

administration procedures are easy to follow, and test materials are durable and reusable. The

norming process for the edition was impressive, with about 170,000 students in the

standardization samples. Evidence for reliability and validity is reviewed. The fact that the

DAT has remained one of the most frequently used batteries is a tribute to its quality,

credibility, and utility. The new items and new norming data of the most recent edition have

improved the test while preserving psychometric quality. It would be worth pursuing

concurrent validity data on the DAT in a few broadly defined occupational areas.

Purpose Of DAT

In 1947, it was necessary to decide what aptitude the battery should measure. The attempt

was made to include tests in the battery each of which would be useful in many areas rather

than in only one or two, and each of which would provide a meaningful source readily

interpretable by informed Counsellors and Teachers. The most important goal was to satisfy

the needs of Counsellors and others who must make practical applications of test scores. The

Differential Aptitude Tests, or DAT for short, are a battery of tests designed to assess the

levels of a number of cognitive abilities and aptitudes. Measuring these cognitive abilities can

give an indication of an individual's aptitudes across a wide range of occupations.

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Batteries Of DAT

- Verbal Reasoning

- Numerical Ability

- Abstract Reasoning

- Clerical Speed and Accuracy

- Mechanical Reasoning Space Relations

- Spelling

- Language Usage

Verbal Reasoning

Verbal reasoning test evaluates one’s ability to reason with words, to understand and use

concepts expressed in words. It can predict academic performance as well as success in a

range of industries such as business, law, education, media and science.

Numerical Ability

Numerical ability test evaluates one’s ability to reason with numbers, to deal intelligently

with quantitative materials and ideas. It can predict one’s performance in school work but

especially for such fields as mathematics, chemistry, physics, and engineering. It is useful to

predict one’s potential for many jobs such as engineer, laboratory technician, statistician,

shipping clerk, carpenter, navigator, etc.

Abstract Reasoning

Abstract reasoning test predicts a non-verbal, non-numerical measure of reasoning power.

It measures one’s ability to see relationships among things or objects, patterns, diagrams, or

designs rather than among words and numbers. It is useful to predict one’s potential for

different fields like shop, drafting, and laboratory work also in mathematics, in electrical or

mechanical trouble-shooting, in computer programming etc.

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Clerical Speed And Accuracy

Clerical speed and accuracy test evaluates one’s quickness and accuracy in perceiving and

marking simple letter and number combinations. It predicts one’s potential for paper work in

school, and in offices, laboratories, stores, warehouses, or wherever records are made or filed

or checked.

Mechanical Reasoning

Mechanical reasoning test evaluates one’s comprehension of mechanical principles and

devices, and of the laws of everyday physics. It predicts one’s potential for many fields like

physical sciences, technical studies, manual training shop, mechanical repair work and a wide

variety of factory and engineering jobs.

Space Relations

Space Relations test measures one’s ability to visualize, to "think in three dimensions" or

picture mentally the shape, size, and position of objects when shown only a picture or pattern.

It predicts one’s potential for fields like drafting, shop courses, some kinds of mathematics,

and some art or design courses, carpentering, architecture, machinery, engineering, dentistry,

dress designing, and other works that require visualising solid forms or spaces.

Spelling

Spelling test measures the ease and speed with which one can spell common English

words. It can predict one’s potentials for fields like tutoring, journalism, data entry,

transcribing, proofreading, editing etc.

Language Usage

Language usage test provides a measure of how well one can distinguish between correct

and improper grammar, punctuation, and capitalization. It can predict grades in most high
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school and college courses and one’s potential for careers like writing, teaching, journalism,

customer service representative, translators etc.

Test Development

The original form of DAT was developed in 1947 to provide an integrated scientific and

well-standardized procedure for measuring the abilities of boys and girls in Grade 8 through

12 for the purpose of educational and vocational guidance. The differential aptitude test was

revised and re-standardized in 1962 and again in 1972. The 1962 revision of the test was

directed primarily at making the test easier to administer. The 1972 revision retained the

earlier changes and in addition substantially updated five of eight tests.

Principles Governing The Test Construction

Each Should Be An Independent Test

Because of varied situations in which guidance and personal selection take place, it was

determined that each of the abilities to be measured should be tested separately. While it is

intended that the whole battery be given for educational and vocational counselling, only part

of the battery is required or desired in other situations. Therefore, the tests were made so that

they could be given independently.

The Tests Should Measure Power

The purpose of measuring the person's particular ability is usually to discover the level at

which he/she can perform. A mathematician is one who can solve complex mathematical

problems; a person who can add two place numbers rapidly and accurately may be a skilled

clerk, but not necessarily a mathematician. For most purposes to which test results contribute,

the evaluation of an individual's power in the particular ability or skills is of primary concern.
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The Test Battery Should Yield A Profile

The eight separate scores yielded by DAT are convertible to percentile ranks and can be

plotted a profile chart to facilitate interpretation. Since the percentile rank for every test is

based on the same population, the points on the profile are comparable.

The Norms Should Be Adequate

The Norms are presented separately for boys and girls, to reflect sex differences, which

appear in some abilities measured by tests.

The Test Material Should Be Practical

The materials for DATs are designed with administrative convenience in mind e.g. the

format of the test booklets has changed over the years to accommodate changing needs.

The Tests Should Be Easy To Administer

The basic directions for taking each test are printed in the test booklet. They are to be read

aloud by the examiner and silently by the persons being tested. The two governing principles

in planning the administrative features of DAT were that the tests should be administrable by

teachers or industrial employment personnel with the minimum of special training, and that

the directions and illustrations should be clear to the persons taking the test.

Administration

Steps In Administering The Test

Introduction

Try to put the students at ease by explaining briefly why the tests are being administered.

This test may be done a day or so in advance. Students should be told not to be discouraged,

if some of the questions are too difficult.

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Before each test, state in a few simple words, what the particular test is about. Concise

statements, which illustrate the distinct nature of each of the eight tests, appear on the

individual report form and these may be used for this purpose.

Pencils

See that each student should have two soft lead pencils with erasers. The examiner should

have additional pencils on hand to meet any emergencies before the clerical speed and

accuracy test. It is especially important to check pencils on students' hands since this is a

speed test.

Answer Sheets and Booklets

Distribute the answer sheets, and then test booklets. Make certain that each student has

both answer sheets before distributing the booklets and make the following announcements:

“Do not open your booklet until I tell you to do so”.

The examiner should have a copy of the test booklet and answer sheet. Examiner should

give following instructions to the students at the very beginning of test:

“On the line beginning with the name at the top of the answer sheet, write your name, last

name first. Then fill in today's date”

“Be sure to make a heavy black mark filling the entire circle. Don't go outside the circle if

you make a mistake erase very carefully”

“You must mark all your answers with a lead pencil”

“You will write nothing in the booklet but will mark all your answers in the answer

sheets”.

Reading Directions

The examiner should read the directions aloud, from a copy of the booklet while the

student reads them silently. Each student must understand what he/she is to do before
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beginning the test. When the questions have been answered, read the final paragraph of

directions page for the test being given and add the following sentences:-

“You should keep in mind that you are to mark only one answer to each question, if you

mark more than one answer, you cannot receive the credit for that question”.

Timing

When all the directions have been read and the questions answered, say, in a clear voice,

“Turn the page and begin” and start timing. At the end of the time, say “Stop, please put

down your pencils”.

Timings for Each battery:

Battery Name Timing

Verbal Reasoning 30 minutes

Numerical Ability 30 minutes

Abstract Reasoning 25 minutes

Clerical Speed and Accuracy 03 minutes

Mechanical Reasoning 30 minutes

Space Relations 25 minutes

Spellings 10 minutes

Language Usage 25 minutes

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Subsequent Tests and Collection of Material

When one test has been completed, tell the students to turn the directions page for the next

test to be given in the booklet. At the end of each testing session, all answer sheets and

booklets are to be collected.

Testing Log

Immediately following each testing session, the examiner should prepare a memorandum,

giving pertinent information, such as group tested, room, date, timing, and any deviation

from regular procedures and further information, this might help in interpreting the test

results. A good practice is to provide each examiner with a form, which makes this recording

convenient.

Scoring Procedure

All answers either sheets designed for use with DATS can be scored by hand or machine.

If answer sheets are scored by hand, they must be scored with the aid of a key designed for

the form administered and for the type of answer sheet utilized. The score for each test is the

number of right answers, there is no correction for guessing.

Hand Scoring

When scoring is done by hand, it is necessary first to inspect the answer sheet to

determine whether the student marked two or more choices for any item. If two or more

choices have been marked, that item should be omitted from scoring.

The most efficient way to handle these multiple marked items is by drawing a horizontal

red line through all of the multiple responses to the item. When the scorer places the key over

the answer sheet the red marks will show through, and those items are then easily omitted

from the count.

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The scorer should make sure that the form marked by the student on the answer sheet

agrees with that printed scoring key being used. The key must be correctly placed over the

answer sheets and the scores record in appropriate places respectively.

Psychometric Properties of DAT

Reliability

Reliability is an important characteristic of any test, and it is critical for the test design in

individual guidance. One of the aims in constructing DAT was accordingly to secure scores

as reliable as possible without exceeding limits of testing time. The appropriate way of

determining the reliability is through an alternate form of test.

Validity

The DAT was designed for practical application in counselling, selection and placement.

Tests used in such situations must have technically satisfactory norms and level of reliability,

be easy to administer and a straightforward format. In addition to these requirements,

however, a test instrument can be of practical value only as far as it has been shown to be

valid in application.

Current Administration and Scoring

Administration

write a brief introduction of your client and then mention how the test was administered,

and what instructions were provided?

Behavioural Observation

What behaviours have you observed in your client while administering the test? e,g; The

client was a well dressed girl with a normal physique. She was focused most of the time and

put her pencil down everytime she was told to.

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Scoring

Maximum Possible Raw Score For Each Battery

The maximum possible raw scores that an individual can achieve in DAT are given below;

Battery Name Possible Raw Scores

Percentiles, Stanines And Rating

When a student takes a test the results produced are raw scores, these scores have very

little meaning unless you know how this score relates to the total possible score. Therefore,

percentiles and stanines are used to give meaning to these raw scores. A percentile score

indicates the percentage of candidates who fall below a particular raw score; for example if a

student score falls at the 90th percentile, it means their score is better than 90% of the

students upon which norms are based (not their fellow classmates), or they are in the top 10%

of students. Stanine scores are an alternative way of measuring a student’s comparative

ability in a particular area. Percentile scores can be used in conjunction with stanine scores as

outlined.

Percentiles Stanines Rating

96 - 99 9

89 - 95 8 HIGH

77 - 88 7

60 - 76 6

41 - 59 5 AVERAGE
24 - 40 4

12 - 23 3
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5 - 11 2 LOW
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Interpretation

The test analysis was interpreted quantitatively and qualitatively.

Quantitative Analysis

Scores and the respective percentile, stanine and rating obtained by the subject in each
battery of the test is presented in the following table;

Battery Name Scores Respective Respective Respective

Obtained
Percentile Stanine Rating

Explain what scores the client has obtained and in which category he/she falls. explain from
highest scored battery to the lowest score. e.g; The subject has scored higher than average in
2 of the 8 batteries - Abstract reasoning and Clerical speed and accuracy while she has
scored average in the other 6 batteries. Also, interpret what these scores indicates?

Qualitative Analysis

interpret the batteries individually. mentioning their raw score and interpretation.
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Verbal Reasoning Ability

Numerical Ability

Abstract Reasoning Ability

Clerical Speed And Accuracy

Mechanical Reasoning.

Space Relations

Spelling Ability

Language Usage

Discussion

Discuss the overall performance of the client and what aptitude she is better at or capable

of.

Conclusion

REFERENCES