This study aimed to investigate the effects of calibration sample size and item bank size on examinee ability estimation in computerized adaptive testing (CAT). For this purpose, a 500-item bank pre-calibrated using the three-parameter logistic model with 10,000 examinees was simulated. Calibration samples of varying sizes (150, 250, 350, 500,…

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…

Assessing individual change is an important topic in both psychological and educational measurement. An adaptive measurement of change (AMC) method had previously been shown to exhibit greater efficiency in detecting change than conventional nonadaptive methods. However, little work had been done to compare different procedures within the AMC…

An alternative item-selection procedure for use with Owen's Bayesian adaptive testing strategy is proposed. This procedure is, by design, faster than Owen's original procedure because it searches only part of the total item pool. Item selections are, however, identical for both methods. After a conceptual development of the rapid-search procedure,…

A series of four vocabulary norming tests was used to develop a large, homogeneous pool of vocabulary test items for use in computer-administered adaptive testing research. Five hundred seventy-five unique vocabulary knowledge items were divided among the four norming tests, and administered to separate groups of college undergraduates. Norming…

A conventional test and two forms of a stradaptive test were administered to thousands of simulated subjects by minicomputer. Characteristics of the three tests using several scoring techniques were investigated while varying the discriminating power of the items, the lengths of the tests, and the availability of prior information about the…

Four monte carlo simulation studies of Owen's Bayesian sequential procedure for adaptive mental testing were conducted. Whereas previous simulation studies of this procedure have concentrated on evaluating it in terms of the correlation of its test scores with simulated ability in a normal population, these four studies explored a number of…

This report describes the stratified adaptive (stradaptive) test as a strategy for tailoring an ability test to individual differences in testee ability; administration of the test is controlled by a time-shared computer system. The rationale of this method is described as it derives from Binet's strategy of ability test administration and…

Three pyramidal adaptive tests and a conventional peaked test were constructed and administered by computer to two groups of students enrolled in undergraduate psychology courses. Six methods of scoring pyramidal tests were evaluated with respect to score distributions, stability, and the degree of relationship among scoring methods and between…

A system of computer programs designed to control the administration of adaptive ability tests was developed and used for over 2500 hours of ability measurement. The system is capable of administering any combination of two kinds of tests to a given individual without interruption. Each test can be based on one of six different testing strategies…

A 40-item flexilevel test and a 40-item conventional test were compared using data obtained through (1) computer-administration of the two tests to three groups of college students, and (2) monte carlo simulation of test response patterns. Results indicated the flexilevel score distribution better reflected the underlying normal distribution of…

Monte Carlo simulation was used to investigate score bias and information characteristics of Owen's Bayesian adaptive testing strategy, and to examine possible causes of score bias. Factors investigated in three related studies included effects of item discrimination, effects of fixed vs. variable test length, and effects of an accurate prior…

The relative validity of adaptive and conventional testing strategies using non-test variables as one set of external criteria was investigated. A total of 101 college students completed both a variable length stradaptive test and peaked conventional test; a second group of 131 college students completed a variable length Bayesian adaptive test…

Three and one-half years of research on computerized ability testing are summarized. The original objectives of the research were: (1) to develop and implement the stratified computer-based ability test; (2) to compare, on psychometric criteria, the various approaches to computer-based ability testing, including the stratified computerized test,…