BIAS IN AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT Kenneth W. Howell

This paper examines the implementation of a state-wide program of authentic assessment. The presentation focuses on the validity of the authentic procedure and specifically on bias in the scoring of written work. The authors conclude that, while the authentic measures may contain superior behavior samples, they lack meaningful standards. “Authentic ” assessment has been advanced as an improved alternative to an evaluation tradition based largely on the use of published achievement measures (Wiggins, 1989). Authentic assess-ment, like portfolio (ONeil, 1992) and performance (Nuttall, 1992) assessment procedures, is characterized by the use of complex and interactive tasks, as opposed to isolated test items. It is believed that the presentation of such tasks assures greater validity because the tasks are closer to those students routinely face in the classroom (Shephard, 1991). So, whereas a more traditional achievement test might ask a student to spell words or punctuate a set of sentences, an authenti