The use of confirmatory factor analysis by the LISREL program is demonstrated as an assumption-testing method when computing reliability coefficients under different model assumptions. Results indicate that reliability estimates are robust against departure from the assumption of parallelism of test items. (SLD)

In contrast to the average effect sizes of the approach to metanalysis that can be thought of as literature synthesis, an effect-size surface is proposed as a function of scientifically relevant factors, estimated by extrapolating a response surface of observed effect sizes to a region of ideal studies. (SLD)

Analyzes the evolution of Chinese national examinations with the "catastrophe" model. Goals, content, form, and process of exams were influenced by social and political forces. Competence over 4,000 years of Chinese history was defined as military prowess, Confucian-style scholarship, Western-style military expertise, proletarian…

TSCALE, a multidimensional scaling procedure based on the contrast model of A. Tversky for asymmetric three-way, two-mode proximity data, is presented. TSCALE conceptualizes a latent dimensional structure to describe the judgmental stimuli. A Monte Carlo analysis and two consumer psychology applications illustrate the procedure. (SLD)

An adaptive testing algorithm is presented based on an alternative modeling framework, and its effectiveness is investigated in a simulation based on real data. The algorithm uses a latent class modeling framework in which assessed latent attributes are assumed to be categorical variables. (SLD)

Sufficient conditions are derived for the consistency and asymptotic normality of the least squares estimator of a trilinear decomposition model for multiway data analysis. The limiting covariance matrix is computed. (Author/SLD)

Presents a mathematical-categorization model using multiple-step chains of reasoning (CORs) and memory for examples. In 5 experiments, 144 undergraduates memorized descriptions of fictional people, then made predictions from incomplete descriptions using 1-, 2-, or 3-step CORs. The multiple-step context model with one- and two-step inference…

Four global memory models were evaluated in 3 recognition memory experiments with 30 college students. Experiments provide receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Data give a clear idea of the behavior of signal and noise distributions in recognition memory. Ways in which results support revision of current models are discussed. (SLD)

Investigates the BILOG computer program's ability to recover known item parameters for different numbers of items, examinees, and variances of the prior distributions of discrimination parameters for the two-parameter logistic item-response theory model. For samples of at least 250 examinees and 15 items, simulation results support using BILOG.…

Kernel smoothing methods for nonparametric item characteristic curve estimation are reviewed. A simulation with 500 examinees and real data from 3,000 records of the Graduate Record Examination illustrate the rapidity of kernel smoothing. Even when population curves are three-parameter logistic, simulation suggests no loss of efficiency. (SLD)

A formula that is simpler to calculate than the Kappa statistic of J. Cohen is presented for the situation where each subject in an experiment is rated on a nominal scale by two or more judges. Equivalence with Pearson's chi-square statistic in this situation is demonstrated. (SLD)

Discusses diagrams and problem solvers' constructions of a problem situation, how the way of drawing changes during the problem-solving process, and the meaning and sense of diagrams. (Contains 15 references.) (MKR)

Presents a new image compression algorithm that employs some of the most successful approaches to adaptive lossless compression to perform adaptive online (single pass) vector quantization with variable size codebook entries. Results of tests of the algorithm's effectiveness on standard test images are given. (12 references) (KRN)

Evaluates the performance of different methods of data compression coding in several situations. Huffman's code, arithmetic coding, fixed codes, fast approximations to arithmetic coding, and splay coding are discussed in terms of their speed, memory requirements, and proximity to optimal performance. Recommendations for the best methods of…

Presents two new algorithms for performing arithmetic coding without employing multiplication and discusses their implementation requirements. The first algorithm, suitable for an alphabet of arbitrary size, reduces the worst case excess length to under 0.8%. The second algorithm, suitable only for alphabets of less than 12 symbols, allows even…