A study in a university clinic/laboratory investigated adaptive Bayesian scaling as a supplement to interpretation of scores on the Mini-IPIP. A "probability of belonging" in categories of low, medium, or high on each of the Big Five traits was calculated after each item response and continued until all items had been used or until a…

Research on the graphical facilitation of probabilistic reasoning has been characterised by the effort expended to identify valid assessment tools. The authors developed an assessment instrument to compare reasoning performances when problems were presented in verbal-numerical and graphical-pictorial formats. A sample of undergraduate psychology…

With reference to a questionnaire aimed at assessing the performance of Italian nursing homes on the basis of the health conditions of their patients, we investigate two relevant issues: dimensionality of the latent structure and discriminating power of the items composing the questionnaire. The approach is based on a multidimensional item…

A new item analysis index, e, is derived as a function of difficulty and discrimination to represent item efficiency. (Author/RC)

In this paper, a new item analysis index, e, is derived as a function of difficulty and discrimination to represent item efficiency. Item discrimination in this paper is not independent of item difficulty, and it is demonstrated algebraically that the maximum discriminating power of an item may be determined from its difficulty. Item efficiency is…

Recent advances in item analysis have provided greater capabilities for the analysis of tests, but have also significantly increased the gap between the theory and practice of item analysis. This paper traces the lines of development in item analysis under latent trait theory. (MV)

Remarkability is introduced as a quantifiable attribute of given data and as a basis upon which one may rationally judge its scientific value. Applications of remarkability theory to various research and statistical problems and procedures are discussed. (DG)

Few phenomena in psychology have been studied more than reaction time. However, while response latency now provides the basic data for research in many areas of cognitive psychology, little work has been done on the problem of incorporating response latency in the measurement of individual differences. A solution to this problem requires the…

A DESCRIPTION IS GIVEN OF ITEM SAMPLING, OR "PSYCHOMETRIC-STATISTICAL INFERENCE," AN APPROACH TO GATHERING AND USING EDUCATIONAL DATA THAT ALLOWS STATISTICAL INFERENCES TO BE MADE SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH PSYCHOMETRIC INFERENCES. THIS IS A PROCEDURE IN WHICH BOTH PEOPLE AND ITEMS ARE SAMPLED AND THE DATA FROM A SAMPLE OF PEOPLE TAKING A SAMPLE OF ITEMS…

To determine if Rasch Model procedures have any utility for equating pre-existing tests, data from the equating phase of the Anchor Test Study (ATS) were reanalyzed. This management report summarizes the work completed in the project, describes the differences in this project and that of the ATS, and presents recommendations and conclusions to the…

Macready and Dayton introduced two probabilistic models for mastery assessment based on an idealistic all-or-none conception of mastery. Alternatively, an application of latent trait theory to mastery testing is proposed (a three parameter logistic model) as a more plausible model for test theory. (Author/CTM)

Procedures are presented for equating simultaneously several tests which have been calibrated by the Rasch Model. Three multiple test equating designs are described. A Full Matrix Design equates each test to all others. A Chain Design links tests sequentially. A Vector Design equates one test to each of the other tests. For each design, the Rasch…

The question of whether test factor structure is indicative of the test item hierarchy was examined. Data from 1,000 subjects on two sets of five bivalued Law School Admission Test items, which were analyzed with latent trait methods of Bock and Lieberman and of Christoffersson in Psychometrika, were analyzed with an ordering-theoretic method to…

Procedures for determining cutting scores have been proposed by Angoff and by Nedelsky. Nedelsky's approach requires that a rater examine each distractor within a test item to determine the probability of a minimally competent examinee answering correctly; whereas Angoff uses a judgment based on the whole item, rather than each of its components.…