Factor Structure of the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test: Analysis and Comparison.

reportActive / Technical Report | Accession Number: ADA353058 | Open PDF

Abstract:

The Air Force Officer Qualifying Test AFOQT is used to qualify men and women for commissions in the Air Force, classify them for pilot and navigator jobs, and award Reserve Officer Training Corps ROTC scholarships. Despite more than three decades of use, little published literature exists outside of Air Force technical reports that do not receive wide distribution. One of the most important details about a test battery is which factors it measures. To determine this, several factor models were tested with structural equations. Most of the models were hierarchical with general cognitive ability g as the highest factor. A model with hierarchical g and the five lower-order factors of verbal, math, spatial, aircrew, and perceptual speed fit the data best. The factor structure of the AFOQT was compared to the factor structure of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery ASVAB, the enlistment qualification test battery. The AFOQT was found to contain a greater number of factors than the ASVAB. Given the confirmed AFOQT factor structure, four methods of increasing its validity were proposed and discussed. These methods were increasing reliability of the tests, increasing the g-saturation, adding job knowledge tests, and adding additional valid factors.

Author(s):
Carreta, Thomas R. ; Ree, Malcolm J.
Author Organization(s):
ARMSTRONG LAB BROOKS AFB TX HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTORATE
Descriptive Note:
Interim rept. Aug-Oct 95,
Supplementary Note:
DOI: 10.21236/ADA353058
Pagination:
0021

Security Markings

DOCUMENT & CONTEXTUAL SUMMARY

Distribution:
Approved For Public Release

RECORD

Collection: TR
Identifying Numbers
Report Number(s):
AL/HR-TR-1997-0005
Task Number(s):
B1
Project Number(s):
1123
Monitor Series:
AL/HR*
 Subject Terms
Joint Capability Areas:
JCA_5_Command and Control; JCA_5.2_Understand; JCA_1_Force Support; JCA_5.2.3_Share Knowledge and Situational Awareness; JCA_1.2_Force Preparation; JCA_5.2.2_Develop Knowledge and Situational Awareness; JCA_1.2.1_Training; JCA_5.3_Planning; JCA_8_Building Partnerships; JCA_1.2.3_Educating; JCA_6.4.1_Secure Information Exchange; JCA_1.3_Human Capital Management; JCA_1.3.2_Personnel Management; JCA_8.2_Shape; JCA_2_Battlespace Awareness; JCA_6_Net Centric; JCA_2.3_Processing and Exploitation; JCA_8.1_Communicate; JCA_6.4_Information Assurance; JCA_1.1_Force Management; JCA_5.5.2_Task
Communities of Interest:
Human Systems
Descriptor(s):
*ACCEPTANCE TESTS, *FLIGHT TRAINING, *RECRUITING, *PERSONNEL SELECTION, PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, AIR FORCE PERSONNEL, OFFICER PERSONNEL, WOMEN, JOB SATISFACTION, NAVIGATORS, RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS
Field(s)/Group(s):
Personnel Management and Labor Relations
Keyword(s):
AFOQT(AIR FORCE OFFICER QUALIFYING TEST), ASVAB(ARMED SERVICES VOCATIONAL APTITUDE BATTERY), PE62205F, WUAL1123B101
Report Date:
1998 Jun 01
Creation Date:
1998 Sep 23