Studied three procedures for estimating the standard errors of school passing rates using a generalizability theory model and considered the effects of student sample size. Results show that procedures differ in terms of assumptions about the populations from which students were sampled, and student sample size was found to have a large effect on…

The sampling variability and zeta-values of parameter estimates for misspecified structural equation models were examined. A Monte Carlo study was used. Results are discussed in terms of asymptotic theory and the implications for the practice of structural equation models. (SLD)

Standard statistical methods are used to analyze data that is assumed to be collected using a simple random sampling scheme. These methods, however, tend to underestimate variance when the data is collected with a cluster design, which is often found in educational survey research. The purposes of this paper are to demonstrate how a cluster design…

Large scale surveys usually employ a complex sampling design and as a consequence, no standard methods for estimation of the standard errors associated with the estimates of population means are available. Resampling methods, such as jackknife or bootstrap, are often used, with reference to their properties of robustness and reduction of bias. A…

Item response theory (IRT) model parameter estimates have considerable merit and open up new directions for test development, but misleading results are often obtained because of errors in the item parameter estimates. The problem of the effects of item parameter estimation errors on the test development process is discussed, and the seriousness…

This paper examines some characteristics of the statistics associated with the sampling distribution of the proficiency level estimate when the Rasch model is used. These characteristics allow the judgment of the meaning to be given to the proficiency level estimate obtained in adaptive testing, and as a consequence, they can illustrate the…

An empirical sampling approach was used to assess the accuracy of a Taylor approximation for the estimation of sampling errors. The sampling errors were in the statistics involved in estimating a path model based on medium-sized samples gathered using five sample designs commonly used in educational research. (TJH)

Two bootstrapping or resampling strategies were investigated to determine their applicability to estimating standard errors and ensuing confidence intervals on variance components in two-factor random analysis of variance models. In light of prior negative findings regarding the application of bootstrapping to this particular problem, a…

Application of the bootstrap method to complex psychological analysis is illustrated using a simulation experiment with two populations with small and large samples. The method provides variance estimates, allows testing of nested competing models, and gives a preliminary idea about parameter variability. (SLD)

The question of how to analyze unbalanced hierarchical data generated from structural equation models has been a common problem for researchers and analysts. Among difficulties plaguing statistical modeling are estimation bias due to measurement error and the estimation of the effects of the individual's hierarchical social milieu. This paper…

The wide availability of large amounts of inexpensive computing power has encouraged statisticians to explore many approaches to a basis for inference. This paper presents one such "computer-intensive" approach: the bootstrap of Bradley Efron. This methodology fits between the cases where it is assumed that the form of the distribution…

BRRVAR, which uses the Balanced Repeated Replication approach, was designed for use with the Statistical Analysis System (SAS). It was created for the National Center for Education Statistics, to enlarge their capacity to estimate and analyze sampling errors for statistics generated from educational surveys with complex sampling designs. BRRVAR…

The present study showed that Rasch-based adaptive tests--when item domains were finite and specifiable--had greater precision in domain score estimation than test forms created by random sampling of items. Results were replicated across four data sources representing a variety of criterion-referenced, domain-based tests varying in length.…

A generalized variance criterion is proposed to measure efficiency in item-response-theory (IRT) models. Heuristic arguments are given to formulate the efficiency of a design in terms of an asymptotic generalized variance criterion. Efficiencies of designs for one-, two-, and three-parameter models are compared. (SLD)

The 1991 Survey of Recent College Graduates (RCG:91) is the sixth study in a series begun in 1976. The series provides data on the occupational and educational outcomes of recent bachelor's and master's graduates one year after graduation. The survey was conducted by Westat, Inc. in a two-stage sample involving 400 institutions of higher education…