Randomly equivalent forms (REF) of tests in listening and reading for nonnative speakers of English were created by stratified random assignment of items to forms, stratifying on item content and predicted difficulty. The study included 50 replications of the procedure for each test. Each replication generated 2 REFs. The equivalence of those 2…

The logic and uses of test equating are discussed, including three methods of test equating. The focus is on the conceptual underpinnings of each test equating method, rather than on the mathematics of the procedures. Additional consideration is given to the assumptions of each method and its respective strengths and weaknesses. A commonly…

This paper addresses the sample invariant properties of four equating methods (Tucker and Levine linear equating, equipercentile equating through an anchor test, and three-parameter item response theory equating). Data from several national administrations of the Scholastic Aptitude Test served as the source of data for the study. Equating results…

A new and unified approach to test equating is described that is based on log-linear models for smoothing score distributions and on the kernel method of nonparametric density estimation. The new method contains both linear and standard equipercentile methods as special cases and can handle several important equating data collection designs. An…

Section Pre-Equating (SPE) is a method used to equate test forms that consist of multiple separately timed sections. SPE does not require examinees to take two complete forms of the test. Instead, all of the old form and one or two sections of the new form are administered to each examinee, and missing data techniques are employed to estimate the…

To explore the appropriateness of the Rasch model for the vertical equating of a multi-level, multi-form achievement test series, both the Rasch model and the traditional Thurstone procedures were applied to the Listening Comprehension subtest scores of the Stanford Achievement Test. Two adjacent levels of these tests were administered in 1981 to…

The Los Angeles Unified School District has been concerned over the excess testing of elementary school pupils, particularly those who are in special programs. When the Board of Education decided to have yearly testing of pupil progress using a locally developed criterion-referenced test, the intention was to replace a previously used…

Procedures used to compare the results from item response theory as well as more traditional equating methods were described and critically analyzed. The implications of the comparison of equipercentile, linear, one-parameter (Rasch), and three-parameter methods for equating twelve forms of each of the five tests of General Educational Development…

Seven papers on technical and practical issues in equating are presented. Problems related to the use of conventional and item response theory equating methods, using pre- and post-smoothing to increase equipercentile equating's precision, and linear equating models for common-item nonequivalent-population design are discussed. (SLD)

The purpose of the present paper is to derive linear equating methods for the common item nonequivalent populations design from explicitly stated congeneric type test score models. The equating methods developed are compared with previously developed methods and applied to five professionally constructed examinations administered to approximately…

Section pre-equating (SPE) equates a new test to an old test prior to the actual use of a new test by making extensive use of experimental sections of a testing instrument. SPE theory is extended to allow for practice effects on both the old and new tests. (Author/BS)

This study compared various equating models and procedures for a sample of data from the Medical College Admission Test(MCAT), considering how item response theory (IRT) equating results compare with classical equipercentile results and how the results based on use of various IRT models, observed score versus true score, direct versus linked…

For a growing number of test translations, there is a need for equating that provides scores that can be used interchangeably for both source- and target-language forms, but basic equating requirements cannot usually be met in the cross-lingual case. The situation is more problematic in verbal tests, where translation has more impact on item…

The standard error of an equipercentile equating is derived for four situations. Some numerical results are checked by Monte Carlo methods. Numerical standard errors are computed for two sets of real data. Standard errors of linear and equipercentile equating are compared. (Author)