Confucius pointed out that the first step toward wisdom is calling things by the right name. The term "Differential Item Functioning" (DIF) did not arise fully formed from the miasma of psychometrics, it evolved from a variety of less accurate terms. Among its forebears was "item bias" but that term has a pejorative connotation…

One major issue social science research is faced with concerns the methodological schism and internecine "warfare" that divides the field. This paper examines critically what is referred to as combined methods research, and the claim that this is the best methodology for addressing complex social issues. The paper discredits this claim on the…