I__. - International Military Testing Association

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ASVAB, Description
Joint-Service Computerized Aptitude Testing
W. A. Sands*
Director, Testing Systems Department
Navy Personnel Research and Development Center
San Diego, California 921526800
INTRODUCTION
The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is used by all the U.S.
military services for both enlistment screening and classification into entry-level
training. The current battery includes ten tests. The eight power tests are: General
Science, Arithmetic Reasoning, Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension, Auto
and Shop Information, Mathematics Knowledge, Mechanical Comprehension, and
Electronics Information. The two speeded tests are: Numerical Operations and Coding
Speed. Administration of this conventional, paper-and-pencil test battery takes
between 3 and 3 l/2 hours.
The U.S Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM) administers
ASVAB under two Department of Defense testing programs. In the Enlistment
Testing Program, ASVAB is administered to over 800,000 applicants each year, in
approximately 70 Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) and 970 Mobile
Examining Team Sites (METS) nationwide. In the Student Testing Program, ASVAB is
administered to over l,OOO,OOO students annually, in over 15,000 schools.
CAT-ASVAB Program
Roles.. The U. S. Department of Defense initiated a Joint-Service research
program to develop a Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) version of the battery
(CAT-ASVAB) in FY 1979. At that time, the Department of the Navy was designated as
Executive Agent, with the Marine Corps as Lead Service. Subsequently, the Lead
Service responsibility was assigned to the Navy. The Navy Personnnel Research and
Development Center (NPRDC) was designated as the Lead R&D Laboratory. The Air
Force was assigned responsibility for the development of the large banks of test items
needed for CAT-ASVAB. The Army was assigned responsibility for the procurement,
deployment, and implementation of the full-scale operational testing system.
Q&ectives. The Joint-Service CAT-ASVAB Program has three objectives: (1)
develop a CAT version of the ASVAB, (2) develop a computer-based delivery system
that will support the new test battery, and (3) evaluate CAT-ASVAB as a potential
replacement for the paper-and-pencil version of the battery (P&P-ASVAB).
* The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author, are not official, and do not
necessarily represent those of the Navy Department.
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