RSCH 6109 Project Guidelines & Descriptions
A. Test Critique – Powerpoint Presentation & One Page Handout
  • You are to work on this course requirement on your own.
  • You are responsible for selecting, critiquing, and presenting one test or test battery to the class.
  • The course website shows possible topics for critiques.
  • Details regarding both published and unpublished tests can be found online and in the UNCC Atkins library. See the Educational Research Resource page for instructions on how to search for and borrow specific tests owned by the library (
  • You are responsible for preparing a one page handout for the class that summarizes the instrument you investigated. Use the following outline to structure the one page handout:
  • Title
  • Authors
  • Publisher
  • Method of Administration
  • Time Needed to Administer
  • Purpose
  • Constructs Measured
  • Review of Test Manual
  • Overview of Scoring Report
  • Strengths
  • Weaknesses
  • Conclusion
  • The presentation should include the same summary points as the written handout as well as a general discussion of the typical uses for the test and sample items from each scale if available. You need to prepare a Powerpoint presentation and include a paper copy of the handout and presentation in the portfolio. The presentation should last 25-30 minutes.
B. Assessment Manual and Powerpoint Presentation
This project should be a group effort. Your first task is to identify the target audience you are most interesting in working with. Think in terms of the age, contact setting, and any other relevant demographic characteristics as you define your population of interest. For example, you may choose to study elderly adults in geriatric care settings, or young children in elementary settings who are from low-income families, etc. The manual should be at least 15-20 pages in length. Your job is to create an assessment manual for counselors who work with that population. The manual should include, but not be limited to, the following components:
1. A description of the population, including any unique characteristics relevant to counselors.
2. A discussion of how assessment is used with this population (for what purposes, for what decisions, etc.).
3. A listing of the assessment tools that are most commonly used with the population and how they are used.
4. A description of the purpose and general characteristics of each assessment.
5. At least five one page summaries on assessments from the listing (your three test critiques plus at least two more).
6. Guidelines for counselors conducting background interviews with the population of interest.
7. Guidelines for counselors conducting assessments with the population of interest.
8. Guidelines for counselors conducting debriefing sessions with the population of interest.
For the Powerpoint Presentation, your task is to give an overview of Points 1 & 2 in the outline above, and an overview of at least one of the Points 6-8.

C. Interpretative Report

Each group is required to organize itself into three configurations. Each configuration will include a counselor, client, and observer. Each student should be given the opportunity to play each of the three roles. The group is required to first develop a purpose statement for each of the three assessment batteries. All three configurations may use the same purpose statement, or they can be individualized as desired. There are three choices for types of purposes: a.) Personal growth, b.) Career counseling, or c.) a Presenting Problem. The purpose for each configuration is to be determined by the student who is playing the client role. The purpose statement should provide details regarding the goals that the client has for the assessment.

The assessment battery for each configuration should be agreed upon by all three members of the group. Each battery should include at least three measures and a structured interview. One of the measures should be the Preventive Resources Inventory. Dr. Lambert is one of the authors of this measure and he will provide details abut this measure in class. Each structured interview should be developed by the student who is playing the role of the counselor and should be related to the purpose of the battery.

Each configuration will participate in an initial interview during which:

  • The counselor and client will revisit the purpose of the assessment
  • The counselor will gather background information about the client
  • The counselor will conduct the structured interview.

Each configuration will participate in an assessment session. This session will consist of the administration of the assessments. Each configuration will also participate in a debriefing session during which the counselor will explain the results of the assessment to the client and go over any interpretations and recommendations.

The student who is playing the observer role in each configuration will do so for all three of the sessions. The observer notes are to include the following:

  • Comments about the reactions and disposition of the client during any part of the three sessions
  • Notes about the counselor’s style and effectiveness
  • Comments about the process of administering the measures.

Outline for the Final Report(written by the student playing the counselor role)

  • Purpose of the Assessment
  • Background Information about the Client
  • Nature of the Structured Interview
  • Components of the Assessment Battery
  • Client Disposition during the Interview, Assessment, and Debriefing
  • Relevant Information from the Observer Notes
  • Results
  • Interpretation
  • Recommendations