Selected items (13 to be exact) from a 50-item multiple-choice test given to an undergraduate organizational behavior class are presented in Table 13.4. Look through the test to get a sense of the item types and content and then proceed to the actual assignment outlined below. 

Assignment 

Part 1—Working alone or in small teams, perform an item analysis of the data at the end of Table 13.4. You will do this by going to http:// www.hr-software.net/cgi/ItemAnalysis.cgi. Once at the Web site, enter the data at the end of Table 13.4 in the boxes as appropriate and select “compute” (i.e., run the program). The results will come up on the screen. You should have access to a printer at this point because you cannot “save” the output (at least as far as we can tell). Once the output is printed, you are ready for Part 2 (the fun stuff). 

Part 2—Working alone, interpret the results of your item analysis. That is, go through each item and see what the statistics (e.g., proportion correct, biserial correlations, and point-biserial correlations) look like for each item and each response option for each item. Discuss if the item is “okay” (i.e., no recommended changes) or if changes are needed to improve the item. As you might guess, there should be very few (if any) questions that are without room for improvement. Perhaps a single option needs to be reworded or the stem needs wording changes. Perhaps the item as a whole is just too complex for an undergraduate class and should be thrown out. However, this option should be extremely rare given how difficult it is to come up with sufficient questions. Therefore, what you need to do is

(a) Discuss what should be done to improve the item/question (e.g., reword the stem, reword a distracter) and

(b) Discuss why you think that should be done, based on the information from the item analysis and your general understanding of good item writing and editing principles discussed in Module 12. Please annotate your item analysis printout directly and hand it in with your critique of the test.

Table 13.4

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Organizational Behavior Questions General Instructions: There are two parts to Exam I. In part I, there are 50 multiple- choice questions worth 1 point each (50 points, part I). In part II, you will complete 5 of 6 short-answer essay questions worth 5 points each (25 points, part II). Therefore, work at a steady pace and do not spend too much time on any given question. Multiple-Choice Instructions: Read each question carefully. Mark your answers on the answer sheet provided. Name: Date: 1. Joe doesn't like his job very much, but does it quite well. By contrast, Sam likes his job a great deal, but doesn't do it very well. To help explain the underlying reasons why this might occur at the individual level of analysis, an OB scientist would be most likely to conduct research that A. Attempts to prove Theory X and disprove Theory Y. *B. Measures Joe and Sam's individual behavior and attitudes. C. Examines the interpersonal dynamics between Joe and Sam. D. Focuses on the structure of the organization within which Joe and Sam work. 2. You are working as an assistant to an OB scientist on a research project. She is trying to find out when people are motivated by pay and when they are motivated by recognition. By examining the connection between motivation and incentives, she appears to be using which one of the following approaches in her research? A. The open-systems approach B. The human resources approach C. The Hawthorne approach *D. The contingency approach 3. A proponent of scientific management is most likely to be interested in A. Treating people in a humane way. B. Using the contingency approach. C. Conceiving of people using an open-systems perspective. *D. Learning ways to improve productivity on the job. 4. The Hawthorne studies were important because they A. Provided support for scientific management. B. Demonstrated that human behavior in organizational settings is highly predictable. *C. Called attention to the complex factors that influence behavior in organizational settings. D. Established that the study of human behavior was not particularly relevant in organizational settings. (9) 5. Suppose an OB scientist wants to learn how the employees of a certain company responded to a massive downsizing plan that was recently implemented. To find out, he or she conducts careful interviews with many of the different people involved and then summarizes the results in a narrative account describing all the details. This scientist appears to be using A. Participant observation. *B. The case method. C. Survey research.. D. The experimental method. (10) 6. Once we form a favorable impression of someone, we tend to see that person in favorable terms. This is known as A. The similar-to-me effect. B. The attribution effect. *C. The halo effect. D. A stereotype. (14) 7. Suppose an Army major inspects his troops' barracks on the average of once a month, although at no predetermined times. The major could be said to be using schedule of reinforcement. a A. Fixed ratio *B. Variable interval C. Fixed interval D. Variable ratio (22) 8. Personality exerts strong influences on behavior in A. Personal life more than in organizations. B. Organizations more than in personal life. C. Situations in which external forces encourage certain actions. *D. Situations where external pressures to behave a certain way are not strong. (25) 9. Compared to Maslow's need hierarchy theory, Alderfer's ERG theory *A. Is less restrictive. B. Is more poorly supported by existing research. C. Proposes a higher number of needs. D. All of the above. (27) 10. To help strengthen employee commitment to goals, an organization should A. Provide feedback about performance. B. Set very difficult goals. *C. Involve employees in the goal-setting process. D. Provide monetary incentives along with specific goals. (33) 11. Which of the following is not a technique typically used to assess people's satisfaction with their jobs? A. Critical incidents B. Interviews C. Questionnaires *D. Participant observation. (34) 12. According to Herzberg's two-factor motivator-hygiene theory, which of the following factors is most likely to be associated with job satisfaction? A. High pay B. Pleasant working conditions *C. Opportunities for promotion D. Social relations with coworkers (45) 13. We see a coworker totally screw up a major project. If we perceive that this is an unusual (unstable) behavior and that this event was due to external pressures (an external locus of control), we are likely to attribute our colleague's actions to *A. Bad luck. B. A difficult task.. C. A lack of effort. D. A lack of ability ANSWER KEY: NUMBER OF ITEMS: RESPONSES OFFSET BY: NUMBER OF ALTERNATIVES: RESPONSES: 01 2413334313144 02 4443212333411 03 2443334313144 044143344314123 05 2443331413431 06 2223234431131 07 4213133413422 08 4243332411122 09 2343233211133 102443332413432 11 2443234413431 12 2243322313432 2443232413431 13 3 4444444444444