A computer simulation study was conducted to investigate the amount of uncertainty added to National Assessment of Educational Progress estimates by equating error under three different equating methods and while varying a number of factors that might affect accuracy of equating. Data from past NAEP administrations were used to guide the…

A structural multilevel model is presented in which some of the variables cannot be observed directly but are measured using tests or questionnaires. Observed dichotomous or ordinal politicos response data serve to measure the latent variables using an item response theory model. The latent variables can be defined at any level of the multilevel…

This lesson plan features a classroom simulation that helps students understand the characteristics of a market economic system. The lesson plan states a purpose; cites student objectives; suggests a time duration; lists materials needed; and details a step-by-step teaching procedure. The "Paper Airplane Challenge" handout is attached. (BT)

The effect of person misfit to an item response theory (IRT) model on a mastery/nonmastery decision was investigated. Also investigated was whether the classification precision can be improved by identifying misfitting respondents using person-fit statistics. A simulation study was conducted to investigate the probability of a correct…

The conventional two-group differential item functioning (DIF) analysis is extended to an analysis of variance-like (ANOVA-like) DIF analysis where multiple factors with multiple groups are compared simultaneously. Moreover, DIF is treated as a parameter to be estimated rather than simply a sign to be detected. This proposed approach allows the…

While it is imperative that attempts be made to assess the predictive accuracy of any prediction model, traditional measures of predictive accuracy have been criticized as suffering from "the base rate problem." The base rate refers to the relative frequency of occurrence of the event being studied in the population of interest, and the…

Two types of qualitative dependent variables are presented for use in counseling research: choices from an unordered set of categorical alternatives and ordered, categorical counseling outcomes. To investigate school choice behavior, the conditional logit model and analysis are introduced. The conditional logit model can include the attributes of…

This study investigated the effect on examinees' ability estimate under item response theory (IRT) when they are presented an item, have ample time to answer the item, but decide not to respond to the item. Simulation data were modeled on an empirical data set of 25,546 examinees that was calibrated using the 3-parameter logistic model. The study…

To ensure fairness, it is of critical importance that testing programs make sure that essay items given to examinees are equivalent in difficulty. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the stability and accuracy of a logistic regression based polytomous essay difficulty index. Preliminary results from a simulation study (9 conditions with a…

This study investigated the applicability to computerized adaptive testing (CAT) data of a differential item functioning (DIF) analysis that involves an empirical Bayes (EB) enhancement of the popular Mantel Haenszel (MH) DIF analysis method. The computerized Law School Admission Test (LSAT) assumed for this study was similar to that currently…

This paper applies specific information item selection using a method developed by T. Davey and M. Fan (2000) to a multiple-choice passage-based reading test that is being developed for computer administration. Data used to calibrate the multidimensional item parameters for the simulation study consisted of item responses from randomly equivalent…

This study sought to answer the question, Do all students benefit equally from the use of a hypermedia Goal-Based Scenario (GBS)? GBS is a subcategory of anchored instruction. The correlation between the demographic variables and achievement and specific cognitive variables and achievement was explored using a lesson on DNA, and was tested on…

Monte Carlo simulation compared chi-square statistics, parameter estimates, and root mean square error of approximation values using normal and elliptical estimation methods. Three research conditions were imposed on the simulated data: sample size, population contamination percent, and kurtosis. A Bentler-Weeks structural model established the…

A simulation study was performed to determine whether a group's average percent correct in a content domain could be accurately estimated for groups taking a single test form and not the entire domain of items. Six Item Response Theory (IRT)-based domain score estimation methods were evaluated, under conditions of few items per content area per…

A procedure was developed to analyze data with missing observations by extracting data from a sparsely filled data matrix into analyzable smaller subsets of data. This subdividing method, based on the conceptual framework of meta-analysis, was accomplished by creating data sets that exhibit structural designs and then pooling variance components…