Mixed Deck — All CODESP Topics Flashcards

An analyst develops a new 100-item multiple-choice test for a clerical position and calculates a reliability coefficient of .55 using Cronbach's alpha. What is the most accurate interpretation of this result?

Answer: The test is not sufficiently reliable for making selection decisions, as scores contain a large amount of measurement error.

A reliability coefficient indicates the extent to which a test is free from random error. A coefficient of .55 is generally considered too low for a selection instrument. Professional standards typically require reliability coefficients of .70 or higher, and preferably .80 or higher, for tests used to make decisions about individuals. A low coefficient means the scores are inconsistent.

What does the standard error of measurement (SEM) primarily tell us?

Answer: The expected variation in an individual's scores across repeated administrations

SEM estimates how much an individual's observed score is likely to vary if the test were administered multiple times.

Which appraisal error occurs when a supervisor's rating of an employee is influenced by comparing that employee to the previous person rated?

Answer: Contrast effect

The contrast effect causes ratings to be distorted upward or downward depending on the performance level of the person rated immediately before.

Which of the following is NOT a standard component of a job specification?

Answer: Organizational chart position

Organizational chart placement is part of the job's structural context, not a job specification; specifications focus on the qualifications and physical requirements needed by the worker.

A student becomes physically aggressive. The paraeducator has not received crisis intervention training. The BEST action is to:

Answer: Ensure student and peer safety, remove others if possible, and immediately call for trained staff

Untrained staff should not attempt physical restraint; their role is to ensure safety and summon trained personnel.

A public agency is designing a structured oral exam for a supervisory position. Which type of question is most appropriate for assessing leadership judgment?

Answer: Situational questions presenting realistic supervisory dilemmas

Situational questions directly test how candidates apply supervisory judgment in realistic scenarios drawn from the job.

During a lesson, a student gives an incorrect answer. The paraeducator should FIRST:

Answer: Provide a corrective prompt or hint to help the student arrive at the correct answer

Error correction with prompting supports learning without simply giving away the answer or ignoring the mistake.

A public agency uses a rank-ordered eligible list and skips over a veteran to appoint a lower-ranked non-veteran. Under most state veterans' preference laws, this action is:

Answer: A violation of veterans' preference rights unless an exception applies

Veterans' preference statutes generally require agencies to document and justify passing over a veteran for a lower-ranked non-veteran.

A personnel agency uses a written exam for a public safety dispatcher role and finds the exam has significant adverse impact on female applicants. Which approach would best address this while maintaining job-relatedness?

Answer: Conduct a content validity study to confirm the exam measures critical dispatcher KSAOs and revise or replace items that are not job-related

Reviewing and revising the exam through content validity analysis ensures it measures only job-related KSAOs and may reduce unnecessary adverse impact while maintaining defensibility.

Which of the following best describes a 'talent pool' strategy in succession planning?

Answer: Identifying and developing a group of high-potential employees who could be prepared to fill multiple critical roles rather than grooming one person for each specific position

A talent pool approach develops a cohort of high-potential employees with broad competencies, providing flexibility to fill various critical roles rather than locking in one designated successor per position.

Which of the following best describes the 'expectancy chart' as a tool used in communicating final selection decision validity to stakeholders?

Answer: A chart showing the probability that candidates in various score ranges will be successful on the job

An expectancy chart displays, for each score interval, the likelihood that candidates in that range will achieve satisfactory job performance, making validity evidence intuitive for decision-makers.

An office orders supplies on a quarterly basis. Last year's quarterly expenditures were $842, $917, $788, and $1,053. What is the projected annual budget if this year's costs are expected to increase by 5%?

Answer: $3,858.75

Total last year: $842 + $917 + $788 + $1,053 = $3,600; increase by 5%: $3,600 × 1.05 = $3,780 — closest correct answer is $3,780.

Which principle is MOST important to ensure legal defensibility of a performance appraisal system?

Answer: Appraisals must be based on job-related, observable criteria

Courts have consistently held that appraisals must be grounded in job-relevant, observable criteria to withstand legal challenges under Title VII and ADA.

When should a food service worker wash their hands?

Answer: After using the restroom, handling raw food, touching the face or hair, and before putting on gloves

Proper hand hygiene requires washing after any contaminating activity — restroom use, handling raw foods, touching the body, taking out trash — and before glove use, not just when hands appear dirty.

Which of the following correctly alphabetizes these business names? City of Riverside Public Works Citrus Valley Medical Center Civic Center Parking Authority Citizens Business Bank

Answer: Citizens Business Bank, Citrus Valley Medical Center, City of Riverside Public Works, Civic Center Parking Authority

Alphabetizing letter by letter after 'Cit-': Citizens (i-z), Citrus (r), City (y), Civic — giving Citizens, Citrus, City, Civic.

Which approach to job analysis focuses on identifying the minimum qualifications needed to perform a job satisfactorily from day one?

Answer: Entry-level job analysis

Entry-level job analysis identifies the KSAOs required at the time of hire, excluding skills typically developed through on-the-job training after appointment.

Which of the following best describes a 'passing score' in selection, as distinguished from a cut score?

Answer: A passing score reflects minimum competency, while a cut score may reflect a higher performance standard

While often used interchangeably, a passing score typically refers to minimum competency for job performance, whereas a cut score is the specific operationalized threshold used in a selection decision.

When using the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ), job analysts rate job elements primarily on scales measuring:

Answer: Extent of use, importance, and other relevancy dimensions

PAQ raters evaluate each job element using multiple rating scales such as extent of use, importance to the job, and amount of time spent.

What is a salary range in a compensation system?

Answer: A span between a minimum and maximum pay rate for a job class

A salary range establishes the minimum and maximum pay rates for a job class, allowing flexibility to recognize experience, performance, or tenure.

When a test is used to predict future job performance measured six months after hiring, this is an example of:

Answer: Predictive validity

Predictive validity involves collecting criterion data after a time delay following test administration.