Item position effect (IPE) refers to situations where an item performs differently when it is administered in different positions on a test. The majority of previous research studies have focused on investigating IPE under linear testing. There is a lack of IPE research under adaptive testing. In addition, the existence of IPE might violate Item…

Multidimensional forced-choice (MFC) items have been found to be useful to reduce response biases in personality assessments. However, conventional scoring methods for the MFC items result in ipsative data, hindering the wider applications of the MFC format. In the last decade, a number of item response theory (IRT) models have been developed,…

Test development is a crucial, yet difficult and time-consuming part of any educational system, and the task often falls all on teachers. Automatic item generation systems have recently drawn attention as they can reduce this burden and make test development more convenient. Such systems have been developed to generate items for vocabulary,…

In this digital ITEMS module, Dr. Jue Wang and Dr. George Engelhard Jr. describe the Rasch measurement framework for the construction and evaluation of new measures and scales. From a theoretical perspective, they discuss the historical and philosophical perspectives on measurement with a focus on Rasch's concept of specific objectivity and…

As computer-based tests become more common, there is a growing wealth of metadata related to examinees' response processes, which include solution strategies, concentration, and operating speed. One common type of metadata is item response time. While response times have been used extensively to improve estimates of achievement, little work…

This article addresses the issue of how to detect item preknowledge using item response time data in two computer-based large-scale licensure examinations. Item preknowledge is indicated by an unexpected short response time and a correct response. Two samples were used for detecting item preknowledge for each examination. The first sample was from…

Neil Dorans has made a career of advocating for the examinee. He continues to do so in his NCME career award address, providing a thought-provoking commentary on some current trends in educational measurement that could potentially affect the integrity of test scores. Concerns expressed in the address call attention to a conundrum that faces…

TESTAT is a supplementary module for the popular SYSTAT statistical package for the personal computer. The program performs test analyses based on classical test theory and item response theory. Limitations and advantages are discussed. (SLD)

The utility of item response theory (IRT) models in computerized adaptive tests is considered. Measurement questions that have been answered using IRT, and those that might be overlooked because of IRT, are reviewed. Areas in which fuller use of IRT could improve adaptive testing practices are identified. (SLD)