XI

TESTING  TO  SPECIFICATION
The  tests  discussed  in  the  preceding  two  chapters  were
designed  to  apply  to  certain  general  kinds  of  office  work,
Su ch  as  typing,  stenography,  comptometry,  and  routine
clerical  work.  However,  it  soon  became  evident  that
these  tests  were  neither  comprehensive  nor  specific  enough
to  meet  every  situation.  This  fact  was  revealed  through
t^ e  follow-up  work  which  has  already  been  spoken  of.
t  he  follow-up  work  consisted  of  inspecting  the  results  of
e very  selection,  whether  for  factory  or  office  work,  at  intervals ­
  of  a  month  for  three  months,  then  at  the  end  of
the  sixth  month,  and  finally,  after  the  lapse  of  a  year.  In
the  course  of  this  work  it  was  found  that  tests  were  frequently ­
  given  for  abilities  which  the  worker  did  not  need
to  possess,  and  also,  that  the  tests  given  did  not  adequately
cover  the  work  in  question.  As  instances  of  this  kind
Multiplied,  it  became  increasingly  necessary  to  provide
rn ° r e  tests  and  more  highly  specialized  tests  for  the  varietles
  of  work  which  were  being  encountered.  It  finally  be-Ca
 me  evident  that,  in  order  to  provide  for  this  situation
s y s tematically,  it  would  be  necessary  to  make  a  complete
survey  of  the  different  kinds  of  clerical  work,  and  then
a Pply  tests  accordingly.
Before  entering  upon  the  more  complete  and  minute
Survey,  a  hasty  preliminary  canvass  was  made  in  which
!t  was  discovered  that  there  were  seven  hundred  and  fifty
Sev en  clerks  engaged  in  tasks  going  under  two  hundred  and
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