Diagnostic classification models (DCMs) are psychometric models that provide probabilistic classifications of examinees on a set of discrete latent attributes. When analyzing or constructing assessments scored by DCMs, understanding how each item influences attribute classifications can clarify the meaning of the measured constructs, facilitate…

The purpose of this study is to introduce a functional approach for modeling unfolding response data. Functional data analysis (FDA) has been used for examining cumulative item response data, but a functional approach has not been systematically used with unfolding response processes. A brief overview of FDA is presented and illustrated within the…

When designing or modifying a test, an important challenge is controlling its speededness. To achieve this, van der Linden (2011a, 2011b) proposed using a lognormal response time model, more specifically the two-parameter lognormal model, and automated test assembly (ATA) via mixed integer linear programming. However, this approach has a severe…

Response times (RTs) have recently attracted a significant amount of attention in the literature as they may provide meaningful information about item preknowledge. In this study, a new model, the Deterministic Gated Lognormal Response Time (DG-LNRT) model, is proposed to identify examinees with item preknowledge using RTs. The proposed model was…

This study conducted a comprehensive comparison of Item Response Theory (IRT) linking methods applied to a bifactor model, examining their performance on both multiple choice (MC) and mixed format tests within the common item nonequivalent group design framework. Four distinct multidimensional IRT linking approaches were explored, consisting of…

This paper presents the item and test information functions of the Rank two-parameter logistic models (Rank-2PLM) for items with two (pair) and three (triplet) statements in forced-choice questionnaires. The Rank-2PLM model for pairs is the MUPP-2PLM (Multi-Unidimensional Pairwise Preference) and, for triplets, is the Triplet-2PLM. Fisher's…

The use of unidimensional scales that contain both positively and negatively worded items is common in both the educational and psychological fields. However, dimensionality investigations of these instruments often lead to a rejection of the theorized unidimensional model in favor of multidimensional structures, leaving researchers at odds for…

Background/purpose: This study aimed to reveal the accuracy of estimation of multiple-choice test items parameters following the models of the item-response theory in measurement. Materials/methods: The researchers depended on the measurement accuracy indicators, which express the absolute difference between the estimated and actual values of the…

Assessment is viewed as an important means to understand learners' performance in the learning process. A good assessment method is based on high-quality examination questions. However, generating high-quality examination questions manually by teachers is a time-consuming task, and it is not easy for students to obtain question banks. To solve…

Random item effects item response theory (IRT) models, which treat both person and item effects as random, have received much attention for more than a decade. The random item effects approach has several advantages in many practical settings. The present study introduced an explanatory multidimensional random item effects rating scale model. The…

It is common to find mixed-format data results from the use of both multiple-choice (MC) and constructed-response (CR) questions on assessments. Dealing with these mixed response types involves understanding what the assessment is measuring, and the use of suitable measurement models to estimate latent abilities. Past research in educational…

Differential item functioning (DIF) often arises from multiple sources. Within the context of multidimensional item response theory, this study examined DIF items with varying secondary dimensions using the three DIF methods: SIBTEST, Mantel-Haenszel, and logistic regression. The effect of the number of secondary dimensions on DIF detection rates…

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…

In order to detect a wide range of aberrant behaviors, it can be useful to incorporate information beyond the dichotomous item scores. In this paper, we extend the l[subscript z] and l*[subscript z] person-fit statistics so that unusual behavior in item scores and unusual behavior in item distractors can be used as indicators of aberrance. Through…

This article provides a process to carefully evaluate the suitability of a content domain for which diagnostic classification models (DCMs) could be applicable and then optimized steps for constructing a test blueprint for applying DCMs and a real-life example illustrating this process. The content domains were carefully evaluated using a set of…