The purpose of this research was to develop observed score and true score equating procedures to be used in conjunction with the multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) framework. Three equating procedures--two observed score procedures and one true score procedure--were created and described in detail. One observed score procedure was…

The prevalence of high-stakes test scores as a basis for significant decisions necessitates the dissemination of accurate and fair scores. However, the magnitude of these decisions has created an environment in which examinees may be prone to resort to cheating. To reduce the risk of cheating, multiple test forms are commonly administered. When…

This article provides a brief description of a Windows application called IRTEQ. IRTEQ employs an intuitive, user-friendly graphic user interface that can rescale one test form to another by using various item response theory (IRT) scaling methods. It supports various IRT models for test forms. It can also equate test scores on the scale of one…

Longitudinal studies are permeating clinical trials in psychiatry. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to study the psychometric properties of rating scales, frequently used in these trials, within a longitudinal framework. However, intrasubject serial correlation and memory effects are problematic issues often encountered in longitudinal data.…

The authors propose a concise formula to evaluate the standard error of the estimated latent variable score when the true values of the structural parameters are not known and must be estimated. The formula can be applied to factor scores in factor analysis or ability parameters in item response theory, without bootstrap or Markov chain Monte…

Dorans and Holland (2000) and von Davier, Holland, and Thayer (2003) introduced measures of the degree to which an observed-score equating function is sensitive to the population on which it is computed. This article extends the findings of Dorans and Holland and of von Davier et al. to item response theory (IRT) true-score equating methods that…

Describes an idiosyncracy of the MULTILOG (D. Thissen, 1991) parameter estimation process discovered during a simulation study involving the graded response model. A misordering reflected in boundary function location parameter estimates resulted in a large negative contribution to the true score followed by a large positive contribution. These…

Evaluated coefficient alpha under violations of two classical test theory assumptions: essential tau-equivalence and uncorrelated errors through simulation. Discusses the interactive effects of both violations with true and error scores. Provides empirical evidence of the derivation of M. Novick and C. Lewis (1993). (SLD)

This article studies the ordinal reliability of (total) test scores. This study is based on a classical-type linear model of observed score (X), true score (T), and random error (E). Based on the idea of Kendall's tau-a coefficient, a measure of ordinal reliability for small-examinee populations is developed. This measure is extended to large…

Using a new coefficient, a rescaling of the Bayes risk is examined and a modification of this coefficient is described which yields an index that always has a value between zero and one. (Author/MH)

Dynamic generalizations of reliability and validity that will incorporate longitudinal or developmental models, using latent curve analysis, are discussed. A latent curve model formulated to depict change is incorporated into the classical definitions of reliability and validity. The approach is illustrated with sociological and psychological…

The procedure of M.L. Stocking and F.M. Lord (1983) for computing equating coefficients for tests having dichotomously scored items is extended to the case of graded response items. A system of equations for obtaining the equating coefficients under the graded response model is derived. (SLD)

This article describes procedures for estimating various indices of classification consistency and accuracy for multiple category classifications using data from a single test administration. The estimates of the classification consistency and accuracy indices are compared under three different psychometric models: the two-parameter beta binomial,…

A general coefficient for tests, delta, is derived from a decision theoretic point of view. The situations are considered in which a true score is estimated by a function of the observed score, observed scores are split into more than two categories, and observed scores are split into only two categories. (Author/CTM)

Log-linear model bivariate smoothing and a bivariate smoothing model based on the four-parameter beta binomial model were compared for usefulness in frequency estimation common-item equipercentile equating using two datasets. The performance of smoothed equipercentile methods was also compared to that of linear methods of common-item equating.…