Conducted descriptive comparison of United States and international students to examine whether or not bias exists when norm-based proficiency tests are applied across national cultures. Examined competency test scores, grade point averages, and freshmen English and mathematics grades of American and international students. Results suggest that…

Reviews the literature that focuses on common sources of bias related to the test-generation process, discusses implications of this literature for the business school faculty, and suggests future empirical studies in the areas that pertain to the resolution of these issues. (Author)

Reviews previous six papers concerning fairness in employment testing. Contends that papers focus narrowly on legal, theoretical, and societal issues and provide little new information. Argues that industrial psychologists and governmental lawyers are retreating into rigidly defined positions and that the future will be marked by long, costly, and…

Factors enabling the construction of high-quality tests are clearly defined learning objectives, unambiguous test directions and arrangement, and bias-free statements. (SK)

The internal consistency of a scale and various indices of rating scale response styles (such as halo, leniency, and positive or negative response bias) are related to mean scale item intercorrelation. The consequent relationship between internal consistency and rating scale response styles is discussed. (Author/SLD)

Item response theory (IRT) differential item functioning (DIF) methods used to determine the accuracy of item classification as biased or unbiased were studied. Results from simulations show that the iterative linking and ability scale purification method can be more effective than iterative linking alone primarily by reducing false negatives.…

Computers are being used to conduct large-scale graduate placement tests, professional certification exams, vocational interest and aptitude assessments, workplace skills tests, and even classroom quizzes. Although convenient and easier to administer, computer tests are expensive and could discriminate against those with less computer literacy.…

Considers the guide on high-stakes testing issued by the federal Office for Civil Rights, including the controversy which ensued upon release of the first draft, changes in the subsequent version, and the issue of differences in educational achievement among ethnic and racial groups of which differences in standardized test scores may be…

Discusses how, as the College Board prepares to make changes in the SAT, experts debate how fair the new exam will be. (EV)

A test item exhibits differential item functioning (DIF) if students with the same ability find it differentially difficult. When the item is administered in French and English, differences in language difficulty and meaning are the most likely explanations. However, curriculum differences may also contribute to DIF. The responses of Ontario…

The authors examined measurement bias in the Hogan Personality Inventory by investigating differential item functioning (DIF) across sex and two racial groups (Caucasian and Black). The sample consisted of 1,579 Caucasians (1,023 men, 556 women) and 523 Blacks (321 men, 202 women) who were applying for entry-level, unskilled jobs in factories.…

Identifying the sources of differential item functioning (DIF) in international assessments is very challenging, because such sources are often nebulous and intertwined. Even though researchers frequently focus on test translation and content area, few actually go beyond these factors to investigate other cultural sources of DIF. This article…

Most research on differential item functioning (DIF) focuses on methods for detection rather than on understanding why DIF might occur. This study was designed to investigate whether two alternative approaches to parsing items based on structural characteristics related to particular cognitive strategies could be used to help explain gender DIF.…

The relationship between the hierarchical generalized linear model (HGLM) and item response theory (IRT) models has been demonstrated for dichotomous items. The current study demonstrated the use of the HGLM for polytomous items (termed PHGLM) for identification of differential item functioning (DIF). First, the algebraic equivalence between…

This report shows a classification of differential item functioning (DIF) sources that have an effect on the adaptation of tests. This classification is based on linguistic and cultural criteria. Four general DIF sources are distinguished: cultural relevance, translation problems, morph syntactical differences, and semantic differences. The…