Classroom observational protocols, in which raters observe and score the quality of teachers' instructional practices, are often used to evaluate teachers for consequential purposes despite evidence that scores from such protocols are frequently driven by factors, such as rater and temporal effects, that have little to do with teacher quality. In…

This article presents the performance of item response theory (IRT) models when double ratings are used as item scores over single ratings when rater effects are present. Study 1 examined the influence of the number of ratings on the accuracy of proficiency estimation in the generalized partial credit model (GPCM). Study 2 compared the accuracy of…

Sparse-rated data are common in operational performance-based language tests, as an inevitable result of assigning examinee responses to a fraction of available raters. The current study investigates the precision of two generalizability-theory methods (i.e., the rating method and the subdividing method) specifically designed to accommodate the…

Valid and reliable measurement of unobserved latent variables is essential to understanding and improving education. A common and persistent approach to assessing latent constructs in education is the use of rater inferential judgment. The purpose of this study is to develop high-dimensional explanatory random item effects models designed for…

This study sought to examine the development of paragraph writing skills of 116 English as a second language university students over the course of 12 weeks and the relationship between the linguistic features of students' written texts as measured by Coh-Metrix--a computational system for estimating textual features such as cohesion and…

Using generalizability theory to evaluate the reliability of child and adolescent measures enables researchers to enhance precision of measurement and consequently increase confidence in research findings. With an observer-rated measure of child self-regulation, we illustrate how multiple sources of error variance (e.g., raters, items) affect the…

Generalizability theory is used to examine the impact of scaling gradients on a single-item Direct Behavior Rating (DBR). A DBR refers to a type of rating scale used to efficiently record target behavior(s) following an observation occasion. Variance components associated with scale gradients are estimated using a random effects design for persons…

The degree of agreement between two raters rating several objects for a single characteristic can be expressed through an association coefficient, such as the Pearson product-moment correlation. How to select an appropriate association coefficient, and the desirable properties and uses of a class of such coefficients--the Euclidean…

Several common sources of error in assessment that depends on the use of judges are identified, and ways to reduce the impact of rating errors are examined. Numerous threats to the validity of scores based on ratings exist. These threats include: (1) the halo effect; (2) stereotyping; (3) perception differences; (4) leniency/stringency error; and…

This study explores the utility of analytic scoring for the TOEFL® Academic Speaking Test (TAST) in providing useful and reliable diagnostic information in three aspects of candidates' performance: delivery, language use, and topic development. G studies were used to investigate the dependability of the analytic scores, the distinctness of the…

In this paper, performance assessments are cast within a sampling framework. A performance assessment score is viewed as a sample of student performance drawn from a complex universe defined by a combination of all possible tasks, occasions, raters, and measurement methods. Using generalizability theory, the authors present evidence bearing on the…