When you are seeking an independent and unbiased test construction, validation, and accreditation service,
Vital Research will apply its breadth and depth of background and experience to help you achieve your goals.
Since 1982, Vital Research has been working with a variety of clients to construct, validate, and accredit:
- Knowledge tests
- Behaviorally-oriented instruments to assess quality
- Certification exams
- Select tests and assessment tools
- Develop normative and mastery tests
- Develop open-ended and closed-ended test and assessment items
- Match the correct item format to the purposes of the test and population needs
- Format tests and assessment tools
- Create item banks
- Calculate three distinct types of test reliability
- Carry out essential items analyses: difficulty, discrimination, and distractor analysis
- Construct valid tests and ensure test validity
- Administer tests and assessments
- Score open-ended, closed-ended, and practical tests
- Set pass points or cut scores for individual decision-making
- Develop and apply scientific standards of testing program quality (accreditation)*
* Note: Organizations seeking accreditation will be referred to independent psychometricians or test development firms, such as Prometric and SMT, if they do not meet accreditation standards 8-12.
Vital Research founders and project managers have served on national test certification boards, serve as scientific reviewers for the National Institutes of Health, serve on editorial boards of peer reviewed journals, belong to the American Educational Research Association, the National Council for Testing and Measurement, and the American Evaluation Association, and subscribe to their standards of test development and use.
New Publication
Courtney L. Malloy, Ph.D. and Gwen C. Uman, Ph.D. of Vital Research, LLC recently wrote a brief entitled "Measuring Competency: Understanding the Tradeoffs of Different Assessment Strategies." This brief discusses the various advantages and disadvantages associated with the assessment strategies used by certifying organizations. The authors assert that assessment is most effective when multiple measures are used; such use increases the likelihood that certifying organizations are making good decisions about the knowledge and skills of candidates.
Vital Research has brought its testing and psychometric expertise to many different fields of endeavor, including:
- Occupational Therapy Certificate in Gerontology
- Fitness Professional Certifications
- Nursing Home Resident Quality of Life
- Nursing Home Family Members Quality of Care and Life
- Long-Term Care Employee Quality of Work Life
- Affordable Housing for Seniors -- Quality of Life
- Adult Day Care Recipient Quality of Experience
- In-Home Respite Care Recipient Quality of Experience
- Assisted Living Resident Quality of Life
- Assisted Living Families Quality of Life
- Senior Independent Living Quality of Life
- Short Stay/Rehabilitation Quality of Care and Life
- Activity Based Alzheimer's Care Provider
- Credit Union Quality of Service
- Banking Quality of Service
- Utility Company Quality of Service