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The current study reported the results of a meta-analytic investigation of the effects on test scores and test completion times of three aspects of writing test items: The number of answers in multiple-choice exams, the order of item difficulty, and the organization of items by content. The results of meta-analysis indicated that three-choice questions are slightly easier than four-choice questions (d = .90) and take significantly less time to complete (d = −.61). Exams beginning with easier items and then moving to more difficult items are slightly easier than exams with randomly ordered items (d = .11) or exams beginning with difficult items (d — .22). Exams in which the items are organized by content are slightly easier than exams containing randomly ordered items (d = .04). All of the above effect sizes are small.

Previous research has indicated that letters of recommendation are poor predictors of future performance, in part because characteristics of the letter writer and letter reader interfere with the objective analysis of the content of the letter. To help correct this problem, Peres and Garcia (1962) developed a technique for analyzing the content of letters of recommendation by identifying traits mentioned in each letter and placing the traits into one of five categories. It was the purpose of this paper to determine if the Peres and Garcia technique would be a valid method of predicting performance of psychology instructors and graduate students. The results of the two studies indicate that traits from letters of recommendation can be reliably classified into the five Peres and Garcia categories and that these traits are valid predictors of future performance (r's = .32 and .38).

To study the effectiveness of map style and map complexity on street map-following performance, drivers utilized one of six informal street maps to drive to a destination in an unfamiliar location. Using a 2 X 3 factorial design, 78 undergraduates were randomly assigned to one of six map design conditions: two levels of style (written verbatim or graphic illustration) and three levels of complexity. The low-complexity map contained a direct route, including relational (left-right) directions. The medium-complexity map contained a direct route, relational directions, five adjacent streets, and major mileage estimates. The high-complexity map contained a direct route, relational directions, 16 adjacent streets, major mileage estimates, and seven landmarks. Map style significantly affected driving time, as written verbatim maps resulted in less total driving time than graphic maps. Subjects with higher cognitive abilities (as measured by the Wonderlic Personnel Inventory) took less time to reach the final destination than did those with lower cognitive abilities. Neither the effects for map complexity nor the style by complexity interaction were significant. Also, male and female performance did not significantly differ.

Data were collected to determine if an additional menu sign, visible to restaurant customers as they waited in line to order food, would reduce both the amount of time taken to order food as well as the number of food-ordering errors. An A-B-A-B design was utilized in which ordering times and errors were recorded before the addition of a second menu sign, after the addition of the second sign, after the removal of the second sign, and after the reinstallation of the second menu sign. Results indicated that the additional menu sign led to a significant decrease in both ordering times and ordering errors. Without the second sign, customers took an average of 23.82 seconds to place an order and made an average of .26 errors. In the two sign intervention conditions, customers took an average of 6.48 seconds to order and made an average of .08 errors. The sign manipulation resulted in effect sizes of 1.18 for ordering times and .99 for ordering errors.