Research for Job Proficiency

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Towards Justifying Enlistment Standards: Linking Input Characteristics to Job Performance
October 1, 1986
The Job Performance Measurement Project has broken new ground by embarking on the large-scale development and administration of hands-on job performance tests. In the next stage, this pioneering effort can go even futher in helping to rationalize the selection and classification process by evaluating the cost-effectiveness of enlistment standards. This paper outlines a process for such an evaluation.
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From Hands-On Measurement to Job Performance: The Issue of Generalizability
October 1, 1986
The generalization from hands-on test scores to performance in a military occupation specialty can be threatened by many potential sources of error within the measurement process. Such sources of error can include scoring inconsistencies by test administrators, testing over a long period, and diverse test content. This analysis estimates the influence of these factors on the hands-on scores for three Marine Corps specialties. Estimates of test reliability are discussed in light of the effect the measurement factors on the hands-on scores. Research designs to assess specific issues of reliability are proposed for the full-scale administration of hands-on tests to the Infantry occupational field.
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The Rand Cost-Performance Model for Setting Qualification Standards: Preliminary Comments
September 1, 1986
The Rand Corporation has developed a model to determine cost-effective qualification standards for military occupational specialties. Since this model may potentially have an impact on enlistment policy, it is important to fully understand its assumptions and procedures. The research memorandum examines key elements of the model, discusses the impact they have on the outcome of the model, and identifies issues that might benefit from further analysis.
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Validity of the ASVAB for Predicting Performance in Marine Corps Training Courses: Gender Differences
August 1, 1986
Females tend to have higher performance than males in clerical and food services training courses, when aptitude scores are held constant. To help account for the differences, educational level and interest in clerical-type activities are included in this analysis, along with aptitude composite scores. A recommendation is made about adjusting aptitude qualifying scores for females.
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Confirming Differences in Relative-Value Proficiency Marks
July 1, 1986
Knowing the magnitude of performance differences among individuals is critical in making personnel decisions in the Marine Corps. Recent research at the Center for Naval Analyses has focused on quantifying the magnitude of these performance differences. The purpose of this analysis was to cross-validate those results using hands-on measures of job performance and other published research findings.
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The Translation of Supervisory Ratings into Measurements of Relative Value
July 1, 1986
The goal of this study was to develop a procedure for determining the magnitude of the performance differences between different categories of enlisted personnel. The professional judgement of Marine Corps officers is used as the basis for building a scale that translates the current performance evaluation system into a measure of an individual's relative value to the service.
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Examining the Validity of Hands-On Tests as Measures of Job Performance
May 1, 1986
Having been designated as the benchmark for assessing on-the-job performance, hands-on tests need to be examined for the quality of their measurement. This analysis evaluates the measurement validity of hands-on tests based on the results of tests developed for three Marine Corps Military Occupational Specialties (MOS): Ground Radio Repair; Automotive Mechanic; and Infantry Rifleman.
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Summary Report: Manning the 600-Ship Navy
December 1, 1985
A series of projects designed to improve the Navy's ability to set manpower requirements and to develop cost-effective compensation policies to fill these requirements is summarized. The analyses included several efforts to improve the methodology used to define manpower requirements. A computer model was designed to help in the analysis of the impact of changes in the size of the fleet on requirements at the individual billet level. Development of methodologies to assess the potential for civilian substitution and to define test score and educational requirements for accessions was also completed. The impact of personal characteristics and Navy training on the performance of enlisted personnel was the subject of two separate research efforts. Finally, the effects of compensation policy on high-quality personnel and of sea pay on hard-to-fill sea-intensive billets were the subjects of two studies of retention behavior.
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On the Content and Measurement Validity of Hands-On Job Performance Tests
August 1, 1985
Hands-on tests of job performance have intrinsic validity because of their high fidelity to job behavior. However, they are susceptible to poor content and measurement validity. The purpose of this analysis is to examine the content and measurement validity of prototype hands-on tests developed for three Marine Corps specialties - Ground Radio Repair, Automotive Mechanic, and Infantry Rifleman.
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An Evaluation of Using Job Performance Tests to Validate ASVAB Qualification Standards
May 1, 1984
The the feasibility of validating ASVAB enlistment standards against job performance is evaluated. Hands-on and written proficiency tests were developed for three Marine Corps skills--Ground Radio Repair, Automotive Mechanic, and Infantry Rifleman--for use as measures of job performance. In addition, grades in skill training courses were also evaluated as possible measures of job performance. The ASVAB was shown to be a valid predictor of job performance. All three measures--hands-on tests, written tests, and training grades--were generally consistent measures of performance. A preliminary set of ASVAB qualification standards for assigning recruits to these three skills was computed using the hands-on and written tests as the criterion measure. The ASVAB standards derived from this analysis are similiar to the standards based on the traditional criterion measure of training-course grades. We conclude that validating ASVAB enlistment standards against job performance appears to be feasible. Although job performance tests can be used for this purpose, they are costly to develop and administer. Training grades, which are routinely available, may serve as a satisfactory and economical proxy for them in many skills.
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