The purpose of this study was to compare calibration and linking methods for placing pretest item parameter estimates on the item pool scale in a 1-3 computerized multistage adaptive testing design in terms of item parameter recovery. Two models were used: embedded-section, in which pretest items were administered within a separate module, and…

An operational multistage adaptive test (MST) requires the development of a large item bank and the effort to continuously replenish the item bank due to concerns about test security and validity over the long term. New items should be pretested and linked to the item bank before being used operationally. The linking item volume fluctuations in…

The residual differential item functioning (RDIF) detection framework was developed recently under a linear testing context. To explore the potential application of this framework to computerized adaptive testing (CAT), the present study investigated the utility of the RDIF[subscript R] statistic both as an index for detecting uniform DIF of…

A substantial amount of research has been conducted over the past 40 years on technical aspects of computerized adaptive testing (CAT), such as item selection algorithms, item exposure controls, and termination criteria. However, there is little literature providing practical guidance on the development of a CAT. This paper seeks to collate some…

Both theoretical and practical considerations have led the revision of the Graduate Record Examinations® (GRE®) revised General Test, here called the rGRE, to adopt a multistage adaptive design that will be continuously or nearly continuously administered and that can provide immediate score reporting. These circumstances sharply constrain the…

With the need for larger and larger banks of items to support adaptive testing and to meet security concerns, large-scale item generation is a requirement for many certification and licensure programs. As part of the mass production of items, it is critical that the difficulty and the discrimination of the items be known without the need for…

The current study was designed to extend the current literature to study scale drift in CAT as part of improving quality control and calibration process for ACCUPLACER, a battery of large-scale adaptive placement tests. The study aims to evaluate item parameter drift using empirical data that span four years from the ACCUPLACER Arithmetic…