Explored how allowing examinees to select test questions affected examinee performance and test characteristics for a measure of ability to generate hypotheses about a situation. Results with 2,429 examinees who elected the choice condition on the Graduate Record Examination suggest that items are differentially attractive to examinees. (SLD)

Confirmatory factor analysis of data from 1,346 respondents to the Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ) (C. Peterson and others, 1982) reveals that adequate fit is provided by a three-factor attributional style model that includes context-dependent item sets. Results suggest that there is no such thing as a nonsituational attributional style.…

Examined a set of working memory scales containing two versions of test items that are reading and mathematics based. Data from 201 undergraduates support the hypothesis that an oblique two-factor model in which the factors are based on item content would fit the data well. (SLD)

Investigated the performance of the Poly-DIMTEST (PD) procedure (and associated computer program) in assessing the unidimensionality of test data produced by polytomous items through Monte Carlo simulation. Results show that PD can confirm unidimensionality for unidimensional simulated data and can detect lack of unidimensionality. (SLD)

Examines the relationship between Cronbach's coefficient alpha and the reliability of a composite of a prespecified set of interrelated nonhomogeneous components through simulation. Shows that alpha can over- or underestimate scale reliability at the population level. Illustrates the bias in terms of structural parameters. (SLD)

Discusses the need for a van Hiele test without limitations. Presents the background and main characteristics of a procedure to select items in designing three linked tests on polygons and other related concepts. Contains 15 references. (ASK)

Explored, using simulations, the use of disclosed items on continuous testing conditions under a worse-case scenario that assumes that disclosed items are always answered correctly. Some item pool and test designs were identified in which the use of disclosed items produces effects on test scores that may be viewed as negligible. (Author/MAK)

Inconsistent item-pair Variable Response Inconsistency (VRIN) and True Response Inconsistency (TRIN) scales were developed for the Jesness Inventory using 500 male and female delinquents to detect random and acquiescent sets. Specificities above 0.90 showed sensitivities up to 0.89 for VRIN and 0.85 and 0.62 for TRIN. Predictive power and overall…

Examined the assumption that matching difficulty levels of test items with an examinee's ability makes a test more efficient and challenged this assumption through a class of one-parameter item response theory models. Found the validity of the fundamental assumption to be closely related to the van Zwet tail ordering of symmetric distributions (W.…

Outlines places in the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses that address 15 nursing competencies for care of clients at the end of life. Categories are safe, effective care environment; health promotion and maintenance; psychosocial integrity; and physiological integrity. Sources of information on end-of-life content are…

Applied the rating scale model (D. Andrich, 1978) to data from a survey of student satisfaction with college services using data from a single college with item samples sizes ranging from 2 to 355. Compared to items' average ratings, item parameter estimates in the rating scale model did a better job of predicting the item receiving the higher…

Proposes additional ways for people in the measurement profession to think about the fairness of assessments and about the fairness of the uses of assessments. Suggests that measurement professionals must pay more attention to reducing group differences at the design stage of test development, to providing all examinees an opportunity to…

Performed a simulation study to demonstrate the dramatic impact of capitalization on estimation errors on ability estimation in adaptive testing. Discusses four different strategies to minimize the likelihood of capitalization in computerized adaptive testing. (SLD)

Proposes a new multistage adaptive-testing procedure that factors the discrimination parameter (alpha) into the item-selection process. Simulation studies indicate that the new strategy results in tests that are well-balanced, with respect to item exposure, and efficient. (SLD)

Examined whether the item response theory (IRT) true-score equating method is more adversely affected by the presence of multidimensionality than two conventional equating methods, linear and equipercentile equating. Results of two simulation studies suggest that the IRT method performs as well as the conventional methods when the correlation…