A study was conducted to compare tailored testing procedures based on a Bayesian ability estimation technique and on a maximum likelihood ability estimation technique. The Bayesian tailored testing procedure selected items so as to minimize the posterior variance of the ability estimate distribution, while the maximum likelihood tailored testing…

The problems associated with misclassifying students when pass-fail decisions are based on test scores are discussed. One protection against misclassification is to set a confidence interval around the cutting score. Those whose scores fall above the interval are passed; those whose scores fall below the interval are failed; and those whose scores…

The sequential probability ratio test (SPRT), developed by Abraham Wald, is one statistical model available for making mastery decisions during computer-based criterion referenced tests. The predictive validity of the SPRT was empirically investigated with two different and relatively large item pools with heterogeneous item parameters. Graduate…