A slowdown or a speedup in response times across experimental conditions can be taken as evidence of online deployment of knowledge. However, response-time difference measures are rarely evaluated on their reliability, and there is no standard practice to estimate it. In this article, we used three open data sets to explore an approach to…

A Monte Carlo simulation study was conducted to examine the performance of [alpha], [lambda]2, [lambda][subscript 4], [lambda][subscript 2], [omega][subscript T], GLB[subscript MRFA], and GLB[subscript Algebraic] coefficients. Population reliability, distribution shape, sample size, test length, and number of response categories were varied…

Topic models are mathematical and statistical models used to analyze textual data. The objective of topic models is to gain information about the latent semantic space of a set of related textual data. The semantic space of a set of textual data contains the relationship between documents and words and how they are used. Topic models are becoming…

We study the automatic identification of educational items worthy of content authors' attention. Based on the results of such analysis, content authors can revise and improve the content of learning environments. We provide an overview of item properties relevant to this task, including difficulty and complexity measures, item discrimination, and…

Numerous studies have shown increasing item reliabilities as an effect of the item position in personality scales. Traditionally, these context effects are analyzed based on item-total correlations. This approach neglects that trends in item reliabilities can be caused either by an increase in true score variance or by a decrease in error…

The application of latent trait theory to classroom tests necessitates the use of small sample sizes for parameter estimation. Computer generated data were used to assess the accuracy of estimation of the slope and location parameters in the two parameter logistic model with fixed abilities and varying small sample sizes. The maximum likelihood…

Five comparisons were made relative to the quality of estimates of ability parameters and item calibrations obtained from the one-parameter and three-parameter logistic models. The results indicate: (1) The three-parameter model fit the test data better in all cases than did the one-parameter model. For simulation data sets, multi-factor data were…

By means of computer simulation of test responses, the reliability of item analysis data and the accuracy of equating were examined for hypothetical samples of 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 subjects for two tests with 20 equating items plus 60 additional items on the same scale. Birnbaum's three-parameter logistic model was used for the simulation. The…