Assessment Methods & Selection — Full Course Syllabus

Practical, evidence-based micro-skills for designing, administering, and interpreting job-relevant assessments and selection instruments that reduce bias and improve hiring validity.

1. 1. Job AnalysisA systematic process to identify the tasks, knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) required for a role.
2. 2. KSA (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities)The distinction and definition of Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities used to map role requirements to assessment targets.
3. 3. Work Sample TestA hands-on task that replicates core job tasks to directly observe candidate performance.
4. 4. Job Knowledge TestA written or digital test that assesses domain-specific factual or procedural knowledge required for the role.
5. 5. Behavioral Interview Question (STAR-style)An interview question structured to elicit past behavior as evidence of competence (e.g., STAR format).
6. 6. Blind/Anonymized Resume ReviewRemoving demographic and non-essential identifying information from applications to reduce unconscious bias during screening.
7. 7. Standardization of AdministrationEnsuring the same instructions, time limits, and conditions are applied to all candidates to reduce measurement error and bias.
8. 8. Candidate Experience DesignSpecific practices for communicating, timing, and feedback that preserve candidate fairness and brand during assessment.
9. 9. Criterion ValidityThe concept of how well an assessment predicts job performance measured by correlation with performance criteria.
10. 10. Content ValidityEstablishing that assessment content adequately samples the job domain and tasks it intends to measure.
11. 11. Reliability (Test-Retest)The stability of assessment scores over time when no real change in the measured attribute has occurred.
12. 12. Inter-Rater ReliabilityThe degree of agreement between different raters evaluating the same work sample or interview.
13. 13. Situational Judgment Test (SJT)A measure presenting job-relevant scenarios where candidates choose or rank appropriate responses.
14. 14. Work Sample Scoring RubricA predefined scoring guide that specifies observable criteria and performance levels for work samples.
15. 15. Structured InterviewAn interview format with standardized questions and rating scales administered consistently across candidates.
16. 16. Fairness Review ChecklistA list of specific checks (language, cultural content, accessibility) used to evaluate an assessment for bias risks.
17. 17. Accessibility AccommodationsProviding reasonable adjustments (e.g., extra time, screen readers) to assessments for candidates with disabilities.
18. 18. Scoring Calibration SessionA meeting where raters align on rubric interpretation by scoring sample responses and discussing discrepancies.
19. 19. Test Item Writing (Single Item)Crafting one clear, unambiguous assessment item (question or task) tied to a specific KSA.
20. 20. Task SamplingSelecting a representative set of tasks for a work sample so assessment reflects critical job activities.
21. 21. Pilot TestingAdministering an assessment to a small, representative group to collect data on clarity, timing, and psychometrics.
22. 22. Legal Defensibility ConsiderationHigh-level practices to document job relevance and validation evidence to support fair-hiring defenses (not jurisdiction-specific law).
23. 23. Data Privacy for AssessmentsPrinciples for storing, sharing, and retaining candidate assessment data in compliance with privacy best practices.
24. 24. Situational Scoring KeyA predefined ranking or scoring guide for responses to situational judgment items to ensure consistent evaluation.
25. 25. Continuous MonitoringOngoing collection and review of assessment outcomes and hiring metrics to detect drift or unintended bias.
26. 26. Construct ValidityDemonstrating that an assessment measures the intended psychological trait or construct relevant to job performance.
27. 27. Adverse ImpactA statistical concept for identifying whether an assessment disproportionately excludes a protected group.
28. 28. Cut Score SettingMethods for determining the pass/fail or selection threshold on an assessment (e.g., Angoff method).
29. 29. Item AnalysisAnalyzing individual item statistics (difficulty, discrimination) to refine assessment quality.
30. 30. Concurrent Validation StudyCollecting assessment scores and current employee performance to estimate predictive relationships.
31. 31. Predictive Validation StudyUsing assessment scores of applicants and later job performance to evaluate predictive validity over time.
32. 32. Bias Mitigation via Algorithmic TransparencyPractices to review and document how automated scoring or AI components reach decisions to spot bias risks.
33. 33. Job Simulation DesignDesigning immersive simulations that recreate complex job contexts for realistic candidate evaluation.
34. 34. Assessment Battery DesignCombining multiple assessment types into a coherent battery that balances coverage, time, and validity.
35. 35. Interpreting Effect SizesUnderstanding what practical significance (effect size) of validation correlations means for hiring decisions.
36. 36. Differential Item Functioning (DIF)Detecting whether specific test items function differently across demographic groups, indicating potential bias.