To a first approximation, human memory is divided into two parts, short-term and long-term. Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) attempts to minimize the short-term memory load while maximizing the memory available for transferring knowledge from short-term to long-term memory. According to CLT there are three types of load, intrinsic, extraneous, and…

Five years of longitudinal data for general chemistry student assessments at the University of Georgia have been analyzed using item response theory (IRT). Our analysis indicates that minor changes in question wording on exams can make significant differences in student performance on assessment questions. This analysis encompasses data from over…