Expected a posteriori has a number of advantages over maximum likelihood estimation or maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation methods. These include ability estimates (thetas) for all response patterns, less regression towards the mean than MAP ability estimates, and a lower average squared error. R. D. Bock and R. J. Mislevy (1982) state that the…

In a variable-length adaptive test with a stopping rule that relied on the asymptotic standard error of measurement of the examinee's estimated true score, M. S. Stocking (1987) discovered that it was sufficient to know the examinee's true score and the number of items administered to predict with some accuracy whether an examinee's true score was…

Researchers persist in using stepwise regression in spite of problems with this approach. As noted by B. Thompson (1995), three problems accompany the use of stepwise applications. The first is that computer packages may use incorrect degrees of freedom in their computations, resulting in a greater likelihood of obtaining a spurious statistical…

The zeitgeist for reform in education precipitated a number of changes in assessment. Among these are performance assessments, sometimes linked to "high stakes" accountability decisions. In some instances, the trustworthiness of these decisions is based on variance components and error variances derived through generalizability theory.…

In comparing measurement theories, it is evident that the awareness of the concept of measurement error during the time of Galileo has lead to the formulation of observed scores comprising a true score and error (classical theory), universe score and various random error components (generalizability theory), or individual latent ability and error…

In adaptive testing, item selection is sequentially optimized during the test. Since the optimization takes place over a pool of items calibrated with estimation error, capitalization on these errors is likely to occur. How serious the consequences of this phenomenon are depends not only on the distribution of the estimation errors in the pool or…

Several techniques to use in evaluation and grading are presented. Some grading problems are discussed briefly. (PEB)

In educational tests, subscores are often generated from a portion of the items in a larger test. Guidelines based on mean-squared error are proposed to indicate whether subscores are worth reporting. Alternatives considered are direct reports of subscores, estimates of subscores based on total score, combined estimates based on subscores and…

Recently, there has been an increasing level of interest in reporting subscores. This paper examines the issue of reporting subscores at an aggregate level, especially at the level of institutions that the examinees belong to. A series of statistical analyses is suggested to determine when subscores at the institutional level have any added value…

Five of the common misuses of tests are reviewed: (1) acceptance of the test title as an accurate and complete description of the variable being measured (failure to examine the manual and the items carefully to know the specific aspects to be tested can result in misuse through selection of an inappropriate test for a particular purpose or…

This LISREL study examines the robustness of the maximum likelihood estimates under varying degrees of measurement model misspecification. A true model containing five latent variables (two endogenous and three exogenous) and two indicator variables per latent variable was used. Measurement model misspecification considered included errors of…

Most currently used measures of inter-rater agreement for the nominal case incorporate a correction for "chance agreement." The definition of chance agreement is not the same for all coefficients, however. Three chance-corrected coefficients are Cohen's Kappa; Scott's Pi; and the S index of Bennett, Goldstein, and Alpert, which has…

A study examined whether mass media exposure is a unidimensional, bidimensional, or multidimensional construct as reflected in commonly used indicators of exposure. Telephone interviews were conducted with 534 households to determine media exposure. A structural equation model was proposed to account for the dimensionality of mass media exposure,…

The effectiveness of 19 methods of smoothing was investigated as those methods apply to the equipercentile method of test equating. Seven methods involved smoothing the score distribution before the tests were equated (presmoothing). Seven involved smoothing the resultant points after the equating (postsmoothing). Five methods involved combining…

Quality of performance data yielded by subjective judgment is of major concern to researchers in performance appraisal. However, some confusion exists in the analysis of quality on ratings obtained from different rating scale formats and from different raters. To clarify this confusion, a study was conducted to assess the quality of judgmental…