The University of Iowa Libraries
Special Collections and University Archives
Finding Aid
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Papers of Melvin R. Novick Access and Restrictions: This collection is open for research. Digital Surrogates: Except where indicated, this document describes but does not reproduce the actual text, images and objects which make up this collection. Materials are available only in the Special Collections Department. Copyright: Please read The University of Iowa Libraries' statement on Property Rights, Copyright Law, and Permissions to Use Unpublished Materials. Use of Collections: The University of Iowa Libraries supports access to the materials, published and unpublished, in its collections. Nonetheless, access to some items may be restricted by their fragile condition or by contractual agreement with donors, and it may not be possible at all times to provide appropriate machinery for reading, viewing or accessing non-paper-based materials. Please read our Use of Manuscripts Statement. Acquisition and Processing Information: These papers were transferred to the University of Iowa Libraries from Mrs. Melvin Novick in 1986 and 1987. Processed by: Julia Waggoner April 1989, and Earl M. Rogers February 1997. Guide posted to the Internet 2000; updated January 2008. Photographs: |
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Scope and Contents
The papers reflect Novick’s professional activity, publications, research, teaching, and travel in educational and psychological testing. Specific interests included Bayesian statistical methods, computer-assisted data analysis (CADA), and psychometrics. At Iowa, Novick served on the Hancher Auditorium Review Committee. He was a member, fellow, or officer of the American Educational Research Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Statistical Association, and the Psychometric Society. Novick’s research included contacts with U.S. Department of Defense agencies. Correspondents in Great Britain, Japan, the Netherlands, and the United States include Allan Birnbaum, Hans F. Cronbach, Morris H. DeGroot, Stephen E. Fienberg, W.J. Hall, Ronald K. Hambleton, Edwin P. Hollander, P.H. Jackson, D.V. Lindley, H.G. Macintosh, Irv Molenaar, Kazno Shigemasu, Robert L. Thorndike, and Hiroshi Watanabe.
The Novick Papers are largely correspondence arranged in chronological order, with some miscellaneous folders and folders on specific professional and other bodies. Beginning with January 1974, each month of correspondence is preceded by a calendar listing sender, recipient, and subject or key word for many letters.
Biographical Note
Melvin Robert Novick was born in Chicago, Illinois, September 21, 1932, and died in Princeton, New Jersey, May 20, 1986. His degrees were B.A., 1957, B.S., 1959, and M.A., 1959, all at Roosevelt University, and Ph.D., University of North Carolina, 1963. Novick’s positions included the Educational Testing Service (ETS), 1963-1970, and the University of Iowa from 1970 to his death. From 1970 to 1974 he had a joint appointment with the American College Testing Program (ACT). At Iowa he was professor of education and statistics.
Related Materials
Journal of Educational Statistics. V. 12, n. 1 (Spring 1987), features several articles about Novick's life and career, including Leonard S. Feldt and Robert V. Hogg. “Melvin R. Novick: Recollections of Two Iowa Colleagues.”
Folder, "Novick, Melvin," in Faculty and Staff Vertical Files Collection (RG 01.15.03)
Records of the College of Education (RG 09)
Box Contents List
Box 1
Correspondence
May -- December 1962
February -- December 1963
1964
1965
Lord and Novick, Mental Test Theory 1965
Box 2
1966
1967
January -- September 1968
Box 3
October -- December 1968
1969
January -- August 1970
Box 4
September 1970 -- December 1970
1971
Box 5
January -- November 1972
Box 6
December 1972
January -- October 1973
Box 7
November -- December 1973
January -- October 1974
Box 8
November -- December 1974
January -- October 1975
Box 9
November -- December 1975
Miscellaneous Correspondence 1971 -- 1975
January -- May 1976
Box 10
June -- December 1976
January 1977
Box 11
February -- September 1977
Box 12
October -- December 1977
January -- March 1978
Box 13
April -- November 1978
Box 14
December 1978
January -- July 1979
Box 15
August -- December 1979
January 1980
Box 16
February -- October 1980
Box 17
November -- December 1980
January -- July 1981
Box 18
August-- December 1981
January -- April 1982
Box 19
May -- December 1982
January -- April 1983
Box 20
May -- December 1983
January -- May 1984
Box 21 Correspondence, cont.
June -- December 1984
January -- June 1985
American Psychological Association Division 5, September -- December 1980
Box 22
Correspondence, American Psychological Association Division 5, January -- August 1981
Correspondence, Office of the Secretary of Defense
June -- December 1983
January -- November 1984
January -- September 1985
Correspondence and documentation, Marine Corps/Center for Naval Analyses, June 1983 -- October 1984
Correspondence and documentation, Navy Personnel Research and Development Center, July 1983 -- April 1984
Correspondence, Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences, June 1983
Correspondence and documentation, Air Force Human Resources Laboratory, August 1983 -- May 1985
Box 23
Journal of Educational Statistics Management Committee
Correspondence, April 1981 -- January 1984
September -- December 1983
1984
1985
January -- May 1986
Hancher Auditorium Review Committee, September -- December 1983
January -- May 1984
Miscellaneous correspondence and documents, 1977 -- 1986