The Otis Self-Administering Tests of Mental Ability were designed to efficiently measure students' general mental abilities through a group-administered, multiple-choice format. The results could help teachers group students homogenously and tailor class goals. The tests demonstrated reliability through parallel forms and validity through correlations with educational outcomes. However, many subjects were unable to complete the tests within the suggested time limits, and items were not always arranged properly in order of difficulty.

1. Otis self administer test
By Zunaira Tahir

2. Otis self administer mental ability test
• The Otis Self Administering Tests of Mental Ability were designed to
measure students' general school ability. The results of this
assessment could have been used to divide students in work groups
more effectively, create class structure, and create or modify class
goals. These applications speak to the influence of the "multiple-
track" plan popular at the time.

3. Title
Otis Self-Administering Tests of Mental Ability
Creator Otis, Arthur S.
Date 1922
Date Notes 1922, 1928, 1950, 1956
Content
Manual of directions and key, test booklets, interpretation charts, class record, IQ sc
ales, handwritten note on scoring formula, percentile graph
Publisher
World Book Company; Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc.
Edition
Revised; Intermediate (For Grades 4-
9) and Higher (For High Schools and Colleges) Examinations
Forms Forms A, B and D, C
Type paper and pencil test
Subject Achievement

4. History
• Otis (28 July 1886 – 1 January 1964) is best known for the
multiple choice intelligence tests he developed for the U.S.
Army. As a doctoral student under Lewis Terman in 1917 he
developed the group-administered tests titled the Army
Alpha (for literates) and the Army Beta (for illiterates)..

5. • Otis developed it to improve cost and time efficiency as
compared to one developed by Alfred Binet (1857–1911), which
was individually administered. Given in multiple-choice format
and administered in groups, 1.7 million World War I recruits took
the Army Alpha test.

6. • These examination are modeled after a group of test of mental ability
designed by the AUTHOR in January 1918, for use in a large
commercial establishment in Connecticut.
• In that test the principal of self-administration was embodied,
involving the single list of questions, the provision for answers in
single columns.

7. Test introduction
• It consisted of 75 items including ones measuring mathematic ability,
language competency, vocabulary, and basic science skills. The scales
came in two forms: The intermediate examination (grades 4-9) and
the higher examination (grades 7 - 12).
Parallel forms reliability was determined by comparing form A and
form B in the higher examination (grades 7 to 12) to one another,
yielding a score of .921. The Intermediate forms A and B (grades 4 to
9) were also compared, producing a score of .948.
Validity was determined by comparing scores on the test with
educational scholarships received by the students, yielding a score of
.55 for 11th grade, and .57 for 12th grade.

8. Used on
• Intelligence and Scholastic Aptitude
• Age Range:
• Both Children and Adults

9. Special features
• Self-administration
• In each of these examination provision is made for student to read for
himself on the first page of the examination booklet all the directions
needed for the examination.
• A single list have 75 items.
• Examinee give answer without any interruption.
• Then examiner distribute the blanks and give the signal to begin.
• And he may leave the class for this reason the tests have been called
“self-administering” test.

10. • Simplified scoring
• Placing the number of the answer in single column at the edge of each
page. This made easier the scoring of whole examination.
• Variety of test material
• Used of a Wide variety of types of questions instead of limited number.
• Flexible time limit
• Time limit of either 20 or 30 minutes
• 20 minutes for general survey purposes
• 30 minutes for more accurate measure

11. • Ease of figuring IQ
• A chart is provided by which checked the examinee IQ directly from
the score and age by locating the two point intersection.
• No arithmetical calculation of reference to tables is necessary.
• Interpretation chart
• A chart is provided which the scores of a class or school may be
plotted and the pupils divided into fast moving ,regular, and slow
moving groups merely drawing lines by lines on the chart.
• This charts is not used for score interpretation but to find distinct aid
and convenience.

12. Who, may administer the test
• Any teacher after a little preparation can satisfactorily administer
either the intermediate or higher examination.
• The teacher should not say any thing that is not prescribed, except to
make clear the meaning of what is on the first page of the
examination blank.

13. Direction for Administring
1. Who may Administring Examination:
Any teacher after a little prepration can satisfactorily administer either the
intermediate or higher Examination. Any teacher who is interested in mental
ability testing should welcome the opportunity to experience the taking of an
examination. Those administring examination should realize that it is very
important that condition be uniform through-out the school and must be same
in the school being tested.

14. • For this reason everything which need to be said in administring the
test , teacher should give instructions verbatim, reading if neceassary.
The teacher should say nothing that is not prescribed, exept to make
clear the meaning of what is on the first page of examination blank.

15. 2. When to Given Examination:
The best time to give an examination is probably at the opening of
school in the morning, although the time of the day does not have
serious effect on the scores.

16. Direction for Administring:
To administer either the intermediate or the higher examination begin by
adressing the students as follows:
We are going to give you this morning or afternoon some new and interesting
test. We will now pass the test paper and as soon as you receive the paper you
mat begin to read the first page and do as it directs . Time limits is 20 to 30
minutes. Then say ‘’turn the page and begin’’ and note the exact time.

17. Directions for scoring
The correct answers to the 75 items of both forms of intermediate and
higher examination are given in the margin of the manual. Place the
manual over examination paper so that approximate key is adjacent to
the answer given on the examination paper.
Place a check mark after each correct answer or cross after each
incorrect and omitted answer.

18. If a paper found in which examinee does not place the number in
parantheses but otherwise indicate the answer , the scorer should write in
the parentheses but deduct 1 point from total score for failure to follow the
directions.
If the examinee has failed to make all his letters like printed capitals, score
the paper as if all letters were printed capitals, but deduct one point.

19. Whenever an examinee has used an irregular method of taking the
examination score the paper but deduct one point for each general direction
not followed.
The total score( raw score) in the examination is the number of correct
answer. First count up the correct answer then verify the scores by counting
incorrect and omitted answers. Then enter the scores on the first page of
blank.

20. Raw score into Percentile and I.Q
Percentile:
Raw scores are then converted into the percentile according to the given
table in the manual. If a student exeeds 75 percent of individual of his
own age in score he is said to have percentile rank of 75.

21. I.Q:
A chart is provided by which I.Q of the examinee can be found directly
from the score and age by locating a point on the intersection of two
lines.

22. • A simple and easy way to obtain I.Q is to add 100 to score of
individual and subtract from this sum the score which is the norm of
his age. For example 15 year student in higher examination has 34
score but the norm of his age has 36, his I.Q is 34+100-36 = 98.

23. Interpretation of Results
Mental ability and Brightness:
There are two aspects of mental quality of an individual which must not
be confused.
A. One is mental ability which refer to innate mental quality which
increases with age.
B. Other is brightness refers to that constant quality which determines
the rate of growth of mental ability of an indiviual and the degree of
mental ability which he eventually reach.

24. • Mental ability is measure by individual’s score in the test. A measure
of his brightness is obtained by comparing his score with that of others
of his own age.

25. Application of Results
The chief administrative purposes for what mental ability test are given are:
1. The division of pupil of a grade or the student of class into more
homogeneous divisions.
2. The regarding of pupil so that pupil of each grade are more homogeneous
in mental ability then more easily taught together.
3. The division of pupil of school into groups which will progress at
different rates.

26. Psychometric Properties of Test
 Reliability:
By reliability it is meant the degree to which the scores of test are consistent in measuring .
Reliability is determined by means of correlation between different forms of the same test.
The coefficient of correlation were found between form A and B of both examination.
Higher examination, grade 7-12 Form A r = .921
Intermediate examination grade4-9 Form A r = .94

27. Validity:
There is no direct method of course to finding true validity of test. The
method of standardizaton is perhaps the best assurance to the validity of
test. The coefficient of correlation between the higher and the
intermediate examination averging about 100 cases each group covering
grade 7 to 9 was .842.
Grade 11, number of cases 240 r = .55

28. Drawbacks of Otis Self Administrating
Test
• When a 30 min. period is allowed for taking the Otis self-administering test
of mental ability nearly 40% of the subjects complete the test. When only
20 min. are allowed, this figure is reduced to 10%.
• The items are not properly arranged in order of difficulty for adult subjects,
Many supposedly comparable items in the various forms of the test are not
of equal difficulty.