A Universal Malicious Documents Static Detection Framework Based on Feature Generalization

In this study, Portable Document Format (PDF), Word, Excel, Rich Test format (RTF) and image documents are taken as the research objects to study a static and fast method by which to detect malicious documents. Malicious PDF and Word document features are abstracted and extended, which can be used to detect other types of documents. A universal static detection framework for malicious documents based on feature generalization is then proposed. The generalized features include specification check errors, the structure path, code keywords, and the number of objects. The proposed method is verified on two datasets, and is compared with Kaspersky, NOD32, and McAfee antivirus software. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves good performance in terms of the detection accuracy, runtime, and scalability. The average F1-score of all types of documents is found to be 0.99, and the average detection time of a document is 0.5926 s, which is at the same level as the compared antivirus software.

Perception on Multiple Choice Questions: Its Challenges and Implication Among Grade 12 Senior High Students of Mindanao State University-Sulu

This study investigated the perception on Multiple Choice Questions: Its challenges and implications among Grade 12 Senior High Students of Mindanao State University-Sulu. Descriptive survey method was used in this study. Random sampling was used to select 100 students, 50 from GAS strand and 50 from STEM strand Grade 12 Senior high school students. The researcher prepared a survey questionnaire to obtain the necessary data. Mean was used to analyze the perceived challenges and implication while an independent T-test sample was used to test the hypotheses at alpha level of 0.05.The following were the highlight of the study: Multiple Choice Questions is a test format only used as an assessment tool during their Quarterly Examinations and it was revealed that MCQ is challenging foremost due to the need to answer critically under time pressure. Consequently, they need to manage their time in order to answer every subject. The challenge of MCQ also lies in the difficulty of the subject Also, the result revealed the implications of MCQ tends to urge students to answer each subject at limited time pressure students that they experience test anxiety. Meanwhile, there is a need to look into the level of difficulty of the subject matter which requires student rigorous preparation before exam. More so, MCQ develop student’s analysis on problem solving which provides them a real time experience of taking major exams and develop time management in studying and strategies in answering as it encourages them to answer with persistence and resilience. The study recommended that the school administration should encourage the applicability of this test format to other colleges in the institution that require licensure examination, Setting programs and intervention for the improvements of this endeavour and Creating more research studies.

Effects of Honesty Test using Situational Judgment Test Format on Task Performance and counterproductive work behavior

The purposes of this research were 1) to identify criterion-related validity of the developed Honesty test using situation judgment test format and 2) to test mediating role of moral disengagement process including self-sanction. For these purpose, the situational judgment test measuring sub-constructs (i.e., sincerity, fairness, greed avoidance and modesty) of honesty-humility factor in HEXACO model(Lee & Ashton, 2004) was developed. eria(i.e., counterproductive work behavior, task performance and contextual performance). Total 365 employees(male, N=170, 46.58%; female, N=195, 53.42%) were used in the study. The Honesty test developed in the study included 24 items(i.e., 6 items for each 4 sub-constructs). The criterion-related validity analyses results showed that the Honesty test using situational judgment test format had significant correlations with counterproductive work behavior(r = -.49) and task performance(r = .39). The results of structural equation model revealed that the effects of honesty on counterproductive work behavior was mediated by moral disengagement process and the direct effect of honesty on counterproductive work behavior was also significant. Overall goodness of fit indexes of this model were favorable except for the chi-square value(χ2(32) = 50.44, p = .0202, CFI = .990, TLI = .986, RMSEA = .040). Limitations of the study and directions for future study were discussed.

Informatics Engineering Students’ Competence in English: Formative and Summative Assessment

Assessment is the ways of teachers/lecturers gather data about their teaching and their students’ learning. In order to grapple with what seems to be an over use of testing, educators should frame their view of testing as assessment and that assessment is information. In relation to this, the researcher interested in conducting a study which is focus on assessing Informatics Engineering students’ competence in English. The researcher used descriptive research. The population of the reaserch was the informatics Engineering students which total students was 160 students at the second semester. Purposive sampling used in this study in order to focus the finding which the number of sample was 40 students. This study used formative and summative assessment in assessing students’ comptence in English. Following that, the data was collected during teaching and learning process in form of observation, documentation, and test. After that, the data was analyzed by using statistical in term of norm-references and criterion-references. Based on the result of this study, it could be concluded that the formative assessment format mostly designed in speaking and listening test format and summative assessment was applied all in English skills format since the lecturer consider that it is beneficial for students to master the particular skills as the requirements for applying into their careers.

TEST QUALITY AND STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCES: AN APPRAISAL OF THE NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT TEST IN ENGLISH AND MATHEMATICS FOR CAMEROON PRIMARY SCHOOLS

<p>Evaluation is an essential facet of education and plays a significant role in giving feedbacks to stakeholders. Pedagogy is not complete without learners’ assessment and. Objective tests are used extensively as test format in primary school. However, conception and making remains a challenge to most teachers. This cast doubts over the quality. To mitigate the issues about its quality, each test format should undergo item analysis or task analysis. This study sets out to evaluate item and test quality of a national achievement test of English language using difficulty index (DIF), and discrimination indices (DI); to identify which task were appropriate for the respective levels. The study made use of data collected by the ministry of basic education aimed at measuring the true score of their learners in order to plan new pedagogic tools for improving the quality of reading and mathematics amongst primary school pupils. The Classical Test Theory (CTT) that utilizes two main statistics: the item difficulty index and the discrimination index were employed. Through an ex-post factor analysis results obtained showed that the national achievement test was easy, thus depicting the good performance of pupils’ whereas in reality it is the reverse. About 90% of the pupils got Items that were virtually correct consequently useless for discriminating among pupils. Task like Measurement and size for class three, addition and subtraction and familiar word identification for class five should be completely discarded as their DIF stood at 1.00. Given that, quality control is important for test development. Teachers are recommended to perform item analysis and to synchronize classroom instruction with test items to achieve instructional validity. </p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0888/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Critical Review on Test Match Format of Cricket

This study is a qualitative review of the test match format of Cricket; therefore, different websites and online articles were reviewed critically. The study motivation is to find out the reason(s) for the less viewership and business for the test format. Therefore, this study provides the critical analysis of three different cricket formats: test format, one-day format, and t-twenty format. The scope of this study is; Cricket provides business, entertainment, and promotion to the stakeholders. The audience does not like the test format as compared to the t-twenty and one-day match format because the test format requires more time than the other two formats. Moreover, it will prove helpful for researchers, and beginners, who have a great interest in Cricket

Key features of tests for detection of SARS-CoV2 antibodies

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization recognized the outbreak of the disease COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) and the spread of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which caused this disease, as a pandemic. The SARS-CoV-2 virus stimulates the production of antigen-specific antibodies for which commercial tests have been developed. The issue of diagnosing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 became especially acute together with the beginning of mass vaccination of the population. Due to the fact that the reading of the result depends on the test format, it is necessary to understand how the antigenic target, the composition of the immunoglobulins and the way of expressing the result affect its interpretation. When analyzing the literature, it was found that with COVID-19, antibodies to the nucleocapsid antigen of SARS-CoV-2 can be detected somewhat earlier than antibodies to the spike antigen; virus-neutralizing antibodies are directed to the receptor-binding domain, seroconversion of immunoglobulins M and G begins simultaneously, and tests for total antibodies are potentially more sensitive due to the ability to capture antibodies with various features of the immune response. The problem of incomparability of quantitative results obtained on different systems is also noted. These factors must be taken into account when choosing a test for detecting antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, which will adequately solve a specific clinical and epidemiological problem.

The testing effect for visual materials depends on pre-existing knowledge

Remembering facilitates future remembering. This benefit of practicing by active retrieval, as compared to more passive re-learning, is known as the testing effect, and is one of the most robust findings in the memory literature. However, it has typically been assessed using verbal materials such as word-pairs, sentences, or educational texts. We here investigate if memory for visual materials equally benefits from retrieval-mediated learning. Based on cognitive and neuroscientific theories, we hypothesise that testing effects will be limited to meaningful visual images that can be related to pre-existing knowledge. In a series of four experiments, we systematically varied the type of material (meaningful object images vs non-meaningful “squiggle” shapes), the format of the test used to probe memory (a more visually driven alternative forced-choice test vs a remember/know recognition test), and the delay of the final test (immediate vs 1 week delay). We found that abstract shapes never showed a significant testing benefit, irrespective of test format, and even benefitted more from restudy than retrieval at longer delays, where testing effects are typically most prominent. Meaningful object images did benefit from testing, particularly at long delays, and with a test format probing the recollective component of recognition memory. Together, our results indicate that retrieval enhances memory for visual materials only when they have a unique, distinct meaning. This pattern of results is predicted by cognitive and neurobiologically motivated theories proposing that retrieval’s benefits emerge through spreading activation in pre-existing semantic networks, producing better integrated and more easily accessible memory traces.

autoFC: An R Package for Automatic Item Pairing in Forced-Choice Test Construction

Recently, there has been increasing interest in adopting the forced-choice (FC) test format in non-cognitive assessments, as it demonstrates faking resistance when well-designed. However, traditional or manual pairing approaches to FC test construction are time- and effort- intensive, and often involves insufficient considerations. To address these issues, we developed the new open-source autoFC R package to facilitate automated and optimized item pairing strategies. The autoFC package is intended as a practical tool for FC test constructions. Users can easily obtain automatically optimized FC tests by simply inputting the item characteristics of interest. Customizations are also available for considerations on matching indices and the behaviors of the optimization process. The autoFC package should be of interest to researchers and practitioners constructing FC scales with potentially many metrics to match on and/or many items to pair, essentially exempting users from the burden of manual item pairing and reducing the computational costs and biases induced by simple ranking methods.