The New York State Department of Civil Service investigated an empirical application of the Rasch model which appears useful in Civil Service testing. The model is a powerful tool for developing insights into what test items are measuring while permitting the investigator to spot defective items. It also reveals meaningful distinctions in the type…

An approach for multiple factor analysis of dichotomized variables is presented based on distribution of first and second order joint probabilities of binary scored items. The estimator is based on the generalized least squares principle. Standard errors and a test of the fit of the model is given. (Author/RC)

This report examines how selection fairness is influenced by the item characteristics of a selection instrument in terms of its distribution of item difficulties, level of item discrimination, and degree of item bias. Computer simulation was used in the administration of conventional ability tests to a hypothetical target population consisting of…