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Are Tests Valid for Public Safety Jobs?

Number 4 in the Validity of Public Safety Assessments Series

The idea for this primer series germinated from a simple question – “Could you do an article looking at the validity of tests used in public safety assessment?” In response, I decided to do a series of articles aimed to inform, but also designed to keep things simple. The blogs in this series were intended to cover:

  1. What are the characteristics of a good test?
  2. What are some authoritative references human resource and assessment professionals can rely upon in evaluating the worthiness of tests?
  3. What is validity?
  4. Finally, trying to address the original question I was asked, are public safety assessments valid?

The first three blogs in the primer series have been published and are available by clicking the links above.

This is the fourth and final article in the series and is intended to answer the question regarding the validity of tests for public safety jobs. I define public safety jobs here as including police, fire, and emergency medical services (EMS). In addition, human resource professionals are usually interested in the use of tests in both entry level screening and for arriving at promotion decisions. (more…)

By |2017-08-16T11:12:41-04:00August 16th, 2017|Assessment, Validity|Comments Off on Are Tests Valid for Public Safety Jobs?
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What is Validity?

Number 3 in the Validity of Public Safety Assessments Series

The idea for this primer series germinated from a simple question – “Could you do an article looking at the validity of tests used in public safety assessment?” In response, I decided to do a series of articles aimed to inform, but also designed to keep things simple. The blogs in this series are intended to cover:

  1. What are the characteristics of a good test?
  2. What are some authoritative references human resource and assessment professionals can rely upon in evaluating the worthiness of tests?
  3. What is validity?
  4. Are public safety assessments good tests and are they valid?

The first two blogs in the primer series has been published and are available by clicking the links above.

This is the third in the series and is intended to provide a basic introduction into the various kinds of validity evidence. By validity evidence, I do not mean the obvious distinction between the big four of:

  1. Content
  2. Criterion-related
  3. Construct
  4. Transfer or Transportability

Understanding the distinctions between the four types of validity listed above is important. However, in this blog, I mean something different by types of validity evidence. As our ultimate purpose or goal is to respond to the question as to whether tests are valid for purposes of public sector assessment, we can consider the following five types of validity evidence as relevant:

  1. Local Validation Based on Criterion-Related Evidence
  2. Validity Generalization Evidence Based on Tests in General
  3. Validity Generalization Evidence Based on Specific Occupation
  4. Validity Generalization Evidence Based on Specific Test
  5. Other

(more…)

By |2017-07-25T16:23:29-04:00July 25th, 2017|Assessment, Validity|Comments Off on What is Validity?
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Out With The Old, In With The New Year (2017 Edition)

Traditionally, I have started the New Year with a blog that recaps the past and looks to the future in assessment.  This year we say good bye to 2016, and enter 2017.  Of course, the big news in the United States was the election of a new President.  I am not bold enough to claim I can predict how a new administration will impact public sector human resources.  However, I do believe that I can make a prediction regarding the three hot trends for next year, and, they are each a carryover from the past several years.

My habit has been to insert a statement concerning how difficult it is to predict the future. However, this year I was surprised to find that many of the topics I would select for future trends, were actually covered in my blogs over the past year. So, maybe I am getting better at prophecy with advancing age.

My predictions for future trends or hot topics over the coming year include:

  • Big Data and Predictive Analytics.
  • Emerging Technologies.
  • Police Performance.

(more…)

By |2017-01-04T10:33:25-04:00January 4th, 2017|Assessment, Interviews|Comments Off on Out With The Old, In With The New Year (2017 Edition)
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Improving the Interview, Part 2b: Managing the Panel Interview

In this blog, I will respond to what I see as practical questions that often arise in planning for a panel interview. I do apologize for the delay in the production of this third, and final, blog on the interview. Unfortunately, at times, real life intervenes.

I started this series by noting that no other selection device is as ubiquitous as the interview, while at the same time as misunderstood. Then, in Part 1, I discussed the individual selection interview. In Part 2, I discussed panel interview, including the availability from IPMA-HR of a product known as the Police Officer Structured Interview System or POSIS.

This month, in the third and final blog, I respond to what I see as some frequently encountered questions regarding the panel interview including:

  • Should I train raters?
  • Who should be on the panel?
  • How should I combine ratings to arrive at a final score?
  • What type of records should I keep?
  • How long should it take?

As a warning, a lot of my answers will involve a combination of “it depends” and “on your local rules or procedures.”

The Panel Interview

(more…)

By |2016-12-14T10:22:18-04:00December 14th, 2016|Interviews, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Improving the Interview, Part 2b: Managing the Panel Interview
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New Test Versions and Reading Lists Available (PSUP, PL, PDET, FCO)

Due to recent updates to the published source material for our series of Police Supervisor (PSUP), Police Lieutenant (PL), Fire Company Officer (FCO), and Police Detective (PDET), we have decided to update several of the test questions that appear in those test forms.  In addition, we have updated the reading lists belonging to each test to reflect the most current published source material.

To assist our customers in more easily recognizing which test version they are administering, we have reprinted the new tests under new names. The new tests correspond to the old ones and have undergone changes as follows:

If you’ve already distributed the reading lists for any of the older versions of these tests, then you do not need to take any further action to redistribute a new reading list. When you order your test, just make sure to order the test that matches the reading list you provided to your candidates. We will retain sufficient stock of the existing tests to accommodate those processes that have already begun.

At this point forward, we will be providing the updated reading lists for all new orders. If you’d like to request the new reading list, you may do so here: http://ipma-hr.org/assessment/support/readinglist.

Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns about this update.

For more information on each of these tests, please visit: http://ipma-hr.org/assessment/tests/police

By |2016-09-20T14:52:19-04:00September 16th, 2016|New Product, Reading List Update|Comments Off on New Test Versions and Reading Lists Available (PSUP, PL, PDET, FCO)
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Improving the Interview Part 2a: The Panel or Board Interview

In the last blog, we investigated possible improvements that could be made in the use of individual interviews in pre-employment or promotional screening.  This month we expand our discussion to include the panel or board interview, an approach used by many public sector organizations.

As is often the case, once I start on a topic I have trouble controlling myself and my word count quickly gets out of control (my students have learned that if you ask me a simple question it can easily turn into an hour-long response). So, I have divided this blog into a 2a and 2b. In 2a, which you are reading right now, I:

  • Delineate the major characteristics of the panel interview;
  • Offer a version of a panel interview checklist;
  • Discuss the need for structure and training;
  • Provide an overview of the IPMA-HR Police Structured Interview System (POSIS).

Then, in a soon-to-follow Part 2b, I will answer frequently asked or encountered questions regarding the panel interview. (more…)

By |2016-07-07T10:39:49-04:00July 7th, 2016|Assessment, Interviews, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Improving the Interview Part 2a: The Panel or Board Interview
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