Background: Meta-analyses of educational interventions have consistently documented the importance of methodological factors related to the choice of outcome measures. In particular, when interventions are evaluated using measures developed by researchers involved with the intervention or its evaluation, the effect sizes tend to be larger than…

Response data containing an excessive number of zeros are referred to as zero-inflated data. When differential item functioning (DIF) detection is of interest, zero-inflation can attenuate DIF effects in the total sample and lead to underdetection of DIF items. The current study presents a DIF detection procedure for response data with excess…

Test anxiety is experienced in competence-based situations, such as tests and exams, where one is anxious and concerned about failure in performance outcomes. It is often of interest to both research and applied settings to identify students who are high on test anxiety to understand the characteristics of high test anxiety or to provide support…

We compared coefficient alpha with five alternatives (omega total, omega RT, omega h, GLB, and coefficient H) in two simulation studies. Results showed for unidimensional scales, (a) all indices except omega h performed similarly well for most conditions; (b) alpha is still good; (c) GLB and coefficient H overestimated reliability with small…

Any time examinees have had access to items and/or answers prior to taking a test, the fairness of the test and validity of test score interpretations are threatened. Therefore, there is a high demand for procedures to detect both compromised items (CI) and examinees with preknowledge (EWP). In this article, we develop a procedure that uses item…

Practice testing is a powerful tool to consolidate long-term retention of studied information, facilitate subsequent learning of new information, and foster knowledge transfer. However, practitioners frequently express the concern that tests are anxiety-inducing and that their employment in the classroom should be minimized. The current review…

Recent criticisms of large-scale summative assessments have claimed that the assessments are biased against historically excluded groups because of the assessments' lack of cultural representation. Accompanying these criticisms is a call for more culturally responsive assessments--assessments that take into account the background characteristics…

The main purpose of this study is to examine the Type I error and statistical power ratios of Differential Item Functioning (DIF) techniques based on different theories under different conditions. For this purpose, a simulation study was conducted by using Mantel-Haenszel (MH), Logistic Regression (LR), Lord's [chi-squared], and Raju's Areas…

My dissertation examines three current challenges of international large-scale assessments (ILSAs) associated with the transition from linear testing to an adaptive testing design. ILSAs are important for making comparisons among populations and informing countries about the quality of their educational systems. ILSA's results inform policymakers…

Test de Connaissance du Français (TCF), a French knowledge test for any non-native speakers of French, is an official language exam for the certificate of proficiency in French designed by France Éducation international (FIE) and accredited by le Ministère Français de l'Éducation Nationale, de la Jeunesse et des Sports (French Ministry of National…

Typical approaches to test and item development are rooted in the "Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing." Culturally responsive and antiracist assessment practices are two new processes that challenge the typical process noted in the "Standards," incorporating critical race theory and cultural responsiveness into…

This study addresses the topic of how anchoring methods for differential item functioning (DIF) analysis can be used in multigroup scenarios. The direct approach would be to combine anchoring methods developed for two-group scenarios with multigroup DIF-detection methods. Alternatively, multiple tests could be carried out. The results of these…

Symptoms of inattention (IA), hyperactivity, and impulsivity present in school-aged children are important indications of developmental problems. The assessment of these symptoms largely relies on questionnaires completed by parents, teachers, and the children themselves. However, inherent perceptual biases may lead to inaccuracies in these…

Most assessments adopt a one-size-fits-all approach to provide fair testing opportunities to all learners. However, this rigid approach to assessment may limit the ability for some learners to show what they know and can do. The Caring Assessments framework proposed a guide for the design and development of flexible, personalized, and adaptive…

Survey instruments and assessments are frequently used in many domains of social science. When the constructs that these assessments try to measure become multifaceted, multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) provides a unified framework and convenient statistical tool for item analysis, calibration, and scoring. However, the computational…