Bounds for the multiple correlation of common factors with the items which comprise those factors are developed. It is then shown that under broad, but not completely general, conditions, the circumstances under which an infinite item domain does or does not perfectly determine selected subsets of its common factors. (Author/JKS)

An approach is described for the characterization of test questions in terms of the information in a passage relevant to answering them and the nature of the relationship of this information to the questions. The approach offers several advantages over previous algorithms for the production of test items. (Author/GDC)

Three-item orderings and two levels of knowledge of ordering were used to study differences in test results, student's perception of the test's fairness and difficulty, and student's estimation of test performance. No significant order effect was found. (Author/GK)

A test theory model based on the Thurstone judgmental model is described. By restricting various parameters of the model, 3 Rasch models, 2 pseudo-Rasch models, 3 two-parameter models, and a Weber's Law model are derived. (Author/CTM)

Four statistics are proposed for the detection of local dependence (LD) among items analyzed using item response theory. Simulation results show that, under the locally dependent condition, the X-squared and G-squared indexes appear to be sensitive in detecting LD or multidimensionality among items. (SLD)

A computer simulation study was conducted to determine the feasibility of using logistic regression procedures to detect differential item functioning (DIF) in polytomous items. Results indicate that logistic regression is powerful in detecting most forms of DIF, although it requires large amounts of data manipulation and careful interpretation.…

Attempted to illuminate practical limitations on the Rasch model by focusing on the recovery of the density scale through five simulation trials. Results show that when error distributions are insufficient, the results may be ordinal at best, and when error distributions are nonsymmetrical, the positions of items may be biased with respect to the…

Presented nonparametric tests for testing the validity of polytomous unidimensional ordinal probabilistic polytomous item response theory models along with procedures for testing the comonotonicity of two item sets and for item selection. Describes advantages of the new approach. (SLD)

Any item response theory (IRT) researcher or practitioner will find something of interest in this book, which covers a broad range of topics in essays by well-known researchers. Chapters are organized into sections devoted to parametric and nonparametric IRT topics. (SLD)

Studied the Work Satisfaction subscale of the Job Descriptive Index (JDI) to determine the difference between measuring work stress and measuring work satisfaction. Results from samples of 1,623 and 314 adults provide evidence supporting the removal of some contaminating items from the JDI. (SLD)

Scales defined by most item response theory (IRT) models are truly invariant with respect to certain linear transformations of parameters. The problem is to find the proper transformation to place calibrations on a common scale. This paper explores issues of extending and adapting unidimensional linking procedures to multidimensional IRT models.…

Studied a two-stage methodology for evaluating differential item functioning (DIF) in large-scale assessment data using a sample of 60,000 students taking a large-scale assessment. Findings illustrate the merit of iterative approached for DIF detection, since items identified at one stage were not necessarily the same as those identified at the…

Investigated potentially biased scale items on the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D; Radloff, 1977) in a sample of 600 adults. Overall, results indicate that the scoring method has an effect on differential item functioning (DIF), and that DIF is a property of the item, scoring method, and purpose of the assessment. (SLD)

Presents an overview of nonparametric regression as it allies to differential item functioning analysis and then provides three examples to illustrate how nonparametric regression can be applied to multilingual, multicultural data to study group differences. (SLD)

Data from over 50,000 people in 50 occupational groups were used to revise the Strong Interest Inventory. New General Reference Samples containing over 18,000 people were used to construct scales, and nearly every scale was revised. (SK)