A previously developed method of automatically selecting items for inclusion in a test subject to constraints on item content and statistical properties is applied to real data. Two tests are first assembled by experts in test construction who normally assemble such tests on a routine basis. Using the same pool of items and constraints articulated…

A method of automatically selecting items for inclusion in a test with constraints on item content and statistical properties was applied to real data. Tests constructed manually from the same data and constraints were compared to tests constructed automatically. Results show areas in which automated assembly can improve test construction. (SLD)

Constructed a pool of items from operational tests of mathematics to investigate the feasibility of using automated-test-assembly (ATA) methods to moderate simultaneously possibly irrelevant differences between the performance of women and men and African-American and White test takers. Discusses the usefulness of ATA. (SLD)