A few specialized fields of practice in adult education have begun to develop standardized tests of learning outcomes, but no one has yet done so for the discipline itself. Objective tests might be useful adjuncts to instruction about adult education, as they would facilitate the determination of entry and exit knowledge levels of participants in both credit and non-credit programs and assist in the design of instruction. This study reports the develop ment and application of a test of knowldege about five topical areas in adult education. A 100-item true-false test was constructed and administered to 124 students enrolled in graduate and undergraduate courses in adult education. Three procedures were used to estimate reliability, and the obtained coefficients were considered acceptable for the total instrument, questionable for four topical areas, and poor for the items concerned with the adult learner. The construct validity of the instrument was examined by relating test scores to the background characteristics of those completing the test. The chief factor influencing test scores was found to be the number of previous university courses in adult education. The utility of the instrument was explored in several credit and non-credit programs and was found generally to be a useful component of the instructional process. Significant differences were noted between pre and post measures in the majority of cases. The results of the study suggest the desirability of developing additional instruments to measure higher cognitive levels, atti tudes, and skills in adult education.