First Published in 2005. Almost everywhere policies designed to broaden access to education and to promote equality of opportunity are now pursued. In consequence the importance of examinations grows, since success in them determines entry to higher education and thus to professional posts. They are therefore a major instrument of social mobility and promotion which affects social structure by applying criteria of selection nearly always accepted unconsciously and uncritically. The aim of this text in selecting Examinations as the theme of the 1969 WORLD YEAR BOOK, was to present a comparative analysis of the way in which examinations are devised, administered and assessed, to find out why we are examining, and to look at the ways in which we examine to see if these are efficient, relevant and reliable.

Editors' Introduction; Section I: General and Historical Aspects; Chapter 1 Education and Examinations, BrianHolmes, J. A.Lauwerys; Chapter 2 The Evolution of Examinations, A. VJudges; Section II: Introduction Examination Aims, Theories and Techniques, BrianHolmes; Chapter 3 Theories of Examinations, J. L.Brereton; Chapter 4 4Types of Examination, Philip E.Vernon; Chapter 5 Objective Testing, A. J.StaufFer; Chapter 6 Guidance Testing, ZeevSardi; Section III: Introduction6 Efficiency of Examinations, BrianHolmes; Chapter 7 Reliability and Validity of Examinations, RoyCox; Chapter 8 The Predictive Value of School Marks and Tests for Higher Education in Sweden, SixtenMarklund; Chapter 9 Some Inquiries into the Problems of Real Assessment (Docimologie), FrançoiseBacher; Chapter 10 The Reliability of the Number-marking System: An Austrian Study, RudolfWeiss; Section IV: Introduction Organization and Structure in Different Countries, BrianHolmes; Chapter 11 England and Wales, Henry G.Macintosh, Daisy M.Penfold; Chapter 12 Scotland, Douglas M.Mcintosh; Chapter 13 France, LouisLegrand; Chapter 14 Mainland Tanzania, R. C.Honeybone, J. K.Beattie; Chapter 15 West Germany, KarlheinzIngenkamp; Chapter 16 German Democratic Republic, HorstMöhle; Chapter 17 The Soviet Union, V.Strezikozin; Section V: Introduction Selection for Education by Examination, BrianHolmes; Chapter 18 The United States of America, John A. Valentine; Chapter 19 The Netherlands, J. deBruijn; Chapter 20 Argentina, Nuria Cortadade Kohan; Chapter 21 The United Arab Republic, Yusef S. El-DinKotb; Chapter 22 Nigeria, KennethMellanby; Chapter 23 Brazil, Manuel B. LourençoFilho; Chapter 24 India, SnehlataShukla; Chapter 25 Japan, KazuhikoNakayama; Section VI: Introduction Economic and Social Effects of Examinations, BrianHolmes; Chapter 26 Examination and Ritual Initiation, RosemaryFirth; Chapter 27 Effects of Examinations on the Economy, Louis J.Emmerij; Chapter 28 Sociological Aspects of Examinations, JeanCapelle; Chapter 29 Economics of Skill Labelling, HarveyLeibenstein; Chapter 30 Classification of Results in Degree Examinations in England and the United States, W. R.Niblett; Chapter 31 Examinations and the Economy: An African Study, S. H.Irvine; Chapter 32 Japan's Academic Career-Cult, ShujiWada; Chapter 33 The Examination Stranglehold in India, K. C.Mukherjee; Chapter 34 Examinations as a Determinant of National Development, IrajAyman; Chapter 35 35Selection and Social Mobility in Indonesia, I. P.Simandjuntak; Chapter 36 36TThe Dimensions of Vocational Preference and Prestige in an African Elite Group, S. H.Irvine; Section VII: Introduction Effects of Examinations on Education, Teachers, Pupils, BrianHolmes; Chapter 37 Educational Effects of Examinations, FrankBowles; Chapter 38 Examinations, Education and the Developing Child, FrankMartin J.Langeveld; Chapter 39 Educational Effects of Examinations in the United States, Ralph W.Tyler; Chapter 40 The Educational Effects of Examinations in England and Wales, J. W.Tibbie; Chapter 41 Examinations and Educational Objectives, F.Hotyat; Chapter 42 Educational Effects of Examinations on Pupils, Teachers and Society, Ruth H. K.Wong; Section VIII: Introduction Trends and Future Prospects, BrianHolmes; Chapter 43 The Council of Europe's Programme in the Field of School Examinations, RobertoLa Porta; Chapter 44 Examinations: Trends and Prospects, Nairn N.Atiyeh;