Item position effect (IPE) refers to situations where an item performs differently when it is administered in different positions on a test. The majority of previous research studies have focused on investigating IPE under linear testing. There is a lack of IPE research under adaptive testing. In addition, the existence of IPE might violate Item…

Traditional approaches to the modeling of multiple-choice item response data (e.g., 3PL, 4PL models) emphasize slips and guesses as random events. In this paper, an item response model is presented that characterizes both disjunctively interacting guessing and conjunctively interacting slipping processes as proficiency-related phenomena. We show…

This study employs the 4-parameter logistic item response theory model to account for the unexpected incorrect responses or slipping effects observed in a large-scale Algebra 1 End-of-Course assessment, including several innovative item formats. It investigates whether modeling the misfit at the upper asymptote has any practical impact on the…

In this digital ITEMS module, Dr. Brian Leventhal and Dr. Allison Ames provide an overview of "Monte Carlo simulation studies" (MCSS) in "item response theory" (IRT). MCSS are utilized for a variety of reasons, one of the most compelling being that they can be used when analytic solutions are impractical or nonexistent because…

Using item response theory, this study explores whether student survey and classroom observation items can be calibrated onto a common metric of teaching quality. The data comprises 269 lessons of 141 teachers that were scored on the International Comparative Analysis of Learning and Teaching (ICALT) observation instrument and the My Teacher…

Large-scale assessments such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) have field trials where new survey features are tested for utility in the main survey. Because of resource constraints, there is a trade-off between how much of the sample can be used to test new survey features and how much can be used for the initial item…

Many scholars compared various item discrimination indices in real or simulated data. Item discrimination indices, such as item-total correlation, item-rest correlation, and IRT item discrimination parameter, provide information about individual differences among all participants. However, there are tests that aim to select a very limited number…

In Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), item response theory (IRT) scaling is used to examine the psychometric properties of items and scales and to provide comparable test scores across participating countries and over time. To balance the comparability of IRT item parameter estimations across countries with the best possible…

Item analysis is an integral part of operational test development and is typically conducted within two popular statistical frameworks: classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT). In this digital ITEMS module, Hanwook Yoo and Ronald K. Hambleton provide an accessible overview of operational item analysis approaches within these…

Test development is a crucial, yet difficult and time-consuming part of any educational system, and the task often falls all on teachers. Automatic item generation systems have recently drawn attention as they can reduce this burden and make test development more convenient. Such systems have been developed to generate items for vocabulary,…

Performance assessments, scenario-based tasks, and other groups of items carry a risk of violating the local item independence assumption made by unidimensional item response theory (IRT) models. Previous studies have identified negative impacts of ignoring such violations, most notably inflated reliability estimates. Still, the influence of this…

Examinees' thinking processes have become an increasingly important concern in testing. The responses processes aspect is a major component of validity, and contemporary tests increasingly involve specifications about the cognitive complexity of examinees' response processes. Yet, empirical research findings on examinees' cognitive processes are…

As computer-based tests become more common, there is a growing wealth of metadata related to examinees' response processes, which include solution strategies, concentration, and operating speed. One common type of metadata is item response time. While response times have been used extensively to improve estimates of achievement, little work…

The U.S. government has become increasingly focused on school climate, as recently evidenced by its inclusion as an accountability indicator in the Every Student Succeeds Act. Yet, there remains considerable variability in both conceptualizing and measuring school climate. To better inform the research and practice related to school climate and…

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an important international study of 15-olds' knowledge and skills. New results are released every 3 years, and have a substantial impact upon education policy. Yet, despite its influence, the methodology underpinning PISA has received significant criticism. Much of this criticism has…