Marine Corps Project to Validate the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) against Job Performance.

The Marine Corps conducted an initial validation study in 1981 to evaluate the predictive validity of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery ASVAB against hands-on and written job performance tests. The results were presented to the Joint Service Working Group and the National Academy of Sciences Advisory Committee in briefings and in a series of CNA reports. Three occupational specialties were included in the initial Marine Corps study. These are Infantry Rifleman, with relatively low technical demands Automotive Mechanic, with moderate technical demands, and Radio Repairer, with high technical demands. An issue about selecting test content was whether the performance tests should be primarily descriptions of the current proficiency of examinees on a representative set of job requirements, or primarily predictive in indicating how well examinees would be expected to perform on the full set of job requirements. The performance test for the riflemen was descriptive, in that the current proficiency of examinees was evaluated in a broad range of job requirements. The performance test for the radio repairer, was primarily predictive the entire hands-on test was devoted to troubleshooting a circuit board for a new piece of equipment that none of the examinees had seen before. The predictive validity of the ASVAB was evaluated against hands-on and written performance tests and grades in the training courses for the occupational specialties.