The number of performance assessments continues to increase around the world, and it is important to explore new methods for evaluating the quality of ratings obtained from raters. This study describes an unfolding model for examining rater accuracy. Accuracy is defined as the difference between observed and expert ratings. Dichotomous accuracy…

The purpose of this study is to examine the interactions among measurement theories, writing theories, and writing assessments in the United States from an historical perspective. The assessment of writing provides a useful framework for examining how theories influence, and in some cases fail to influence actual practice. Two research traditions…

A many-faceted Rasch model (FACETS) is presented for the measurement of writing ability. The FACETS model is a multivariate extension of Rasch measurement models that can be used to provide a framework for calibrating both raters and writing tasks within the context of writing assessment. A FACETS model is described based on the current procedures…

A Many-Faceted Rasch Model (FACETS) for measurement of writing ability is described, and its use in solving measurement problems in large-scale assessment is illustrated with a random sample of 1,000 students from Georgia's Eighth Grade Writing Test. It is a promising approach to assessment through written compositions. (SLD)