A FORTRAN program for maximizing and cross-validating split-half reliability coefficients is described. Externally computed arrays of item means and covariances are used as input for each of two samples. The user may select a number of subsets from the complete set of items for analysis in a single run. (Author/JKS)

Critical to precise quantitative research is reliability estimation. Researchers have limited tools, however, to assess the reliability of evolving instruments. Consequently, cursory assessment is typical and in-depth evaluation is rare. This paper presents a rationale for and description of PIAS, a computerized instrument analysis system. PIAS…

A computer program for item evaluation, reliability estimation, and test scoring is described. The program contains a variable format procedure allowing flexible input of responses. Achievement tests and affective scales may be analyzed. (Author)

A computer program which creates and stores a cumulative item covariance matrix upon each administration of an instrument is described. Use of this program would facilitate keeping a constant log on reliability in situations in which the test is administered to different groups over a period of time. (Author/JKS)

ANALYSIS, a FORTRAN computer program developed as an aid to investigation of and instruction in the psychometric properties of test items, is described. The program utilizes both correlational and analysis of variance approaches to classical item analysis. (Author/JKS)

Measures of consistency and completeness of order relationships derived from test data such as Guttman scales are proposed. The measures are generalized to apply to incomplete data such as data from tailored testing. (Author/JKS)

A computer program providing comprehensive test and item analysis is presented. Completing its performance on one run, the program, written in Fortran and emphasizing ease of use, integrates various statistical techniques for analyzing individual items and the overall test, in addition to generating a variety of standard scores. (Author/JKS)

Three algorithms for selecting a subset of originally available items, to maximize coefficient alpha, were compared on the size of the resulting alpha and computation time required with nine sets of data. The characteristics of a computer program to perform these item analyses are described. (Author/JKS)

TESTER, a computer program which produces individualized objective tests from a pool of items, is described. Available in both PL/1 and FORTRAN, TESTER may be executed either interactively or in batch. (Author/JKS)

A method for developing statistically parallel tests based on the analysis of unique item variance was developed. A test population of 907 basic airmen trainees were required to estimate the angle at which an object in a photograph was viewed, selecting from eight possibilities. A FORTRAN program known as VARSEL was used to rank all the test items…

Two methods of item selection were used to select sets of 40 items from a 50-item verbal analogies test, and the resulting item sets were compared for relative efficiency. The BICAL program was used to select the 40 items having the best mean square fit to the one parameter logistic (Rasch) model. The LOGIST program was used to select the 40 items…

Computerized analysis of multiple choice test items is explained. Examples of item analysis applications in the introductory economics course are discussed with respect to three objectives: to evaluate learning; to improve test items; and to help improve classroom instruction. Problems, costs and benefits of the procedures are identified. (JMD)

The first four chapters of this report primarily provide an extensive, critical review of the literature with regard to selected aspects of the criterion-referenced and mastery testing fields. Major topics treated include: (a) definitions, distinctions, and background, (b) the relevance of classical test theory, (c) validity and procedures for…

Simulated tailored tests were used to investigate the relationships between characteristics of the item pool and the computer program, and the reliability and bias of the resulting ability estimates. The computer program was varied to provide for various step sizes (differences in difficulty between successive steps) and different acceptance…

TAILOR is a computer program that uses the implied orders concept as the basis for computerized adaptive testing. The basic characteristics of TAILOR, which does not involve pretesting, are reviewed here and two studies of it are reported. One is a Monte Carlo simulation based on the four-parameter Birnbaum model and the other uses a matrix of…