I__. - International Military Testing Association

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frequency and importance of supervisory tasks from a special administration of
the Leader Requirements Survey, collection and content analysis of critical
incidents, and interviews with MOS incumbents.
The resulting job domain included supervisory, common, and MOS-specific
tasks and behaviors. Army policy designates certain tasks as being part of
the job for corporals and sergeants; tasks at lower skill levels were included
in the domain because of the Army's policy that soldiers are responsible for
such tasks, and tasks at higher skill levels were included if there was
evidence that soldiers in fact performed such tasks.
Instrument Development 2
Information collected using the critical incident methodology was used
to construct a series of rating scales for each MOS, as well as scales that
were not specific to any one MOS but rather reflected Army-wide behaviors.
These scales were used to measure behaviors on all three components of the job
domain -- supervisory, common, and MOS-specific -- by means of ratings
collected from soldiers' supervisors. The 7-point rating scales were
behaviorally-anchored, that is, short descriptions of behaviors that
characterize the low, middle, and high points of each of the scales were
provided. Army-wide supervisory behaviors (e.g., Monitoring, Organizing
Missions and Operations) were addressed by 12 of the scales, 9 scales were
Army-wide and non-supervisory (or common, e.g., Following Regulations and
Orders, Physical Fitness), and for each MOS there were between 7 and 14 MOSspecific
dimensions.
For the task-based information, judgments were obtained from subject
matter experts (SMES) on several task parameters, including performance
difficulty, performance variability, and criticality. The task list for each
MOS was clustered into functional areas, and a second panel of SMEs selected
proportional systematic samples from the task population. These task samples
were subjected to formal reviews by the proponent.
At this point, the task-based instrument development process diverged
into four separate approaches: Job knowledge (written) tests, hands-on job
sample tests, role-play simulations, and written situational judgment tests.
Multiple-choice job knowledge test items were constructed for all of the MOSspecific
and common tasks selected for each MOS. These tests are
characterized by their orientation on task performance and by the extensive
use of graphics and job-relevant contextual information. For each MOS, a onehour
test of both common and MOS-specific tasks was prepared, comprising
approximately 120 items. Two scores were constructed, for common tasks and
*Details of instrument development are presented in J. P. Campbell (Ed.),
Buildina the Career Force, First Year Report (in preparation). Rating scales
development and Situational Judgment Test development were directed by W. C.
Borman and M. Hanson of Personnel Designs Research Institute, Inc. Role-play
development was directed by E. D. Pulakos of Human Resources Research
Organization and D. Whetzel of the American Institutes for Research.
Development of hands-on and job knowledge tests was directed by C. H. Campbell
and R. C. Campbell of Human Resources Research Organization, and D. C. Felker
of the American Institutes for Research.
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