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A common problem arises when independent estimates of item parameters from two separate data sets must be expressed in the same metric. This problem is frequently confronted in studies of horizontal and vertical equating and in studies of item bias. This paper discusses a number of methods for transforming one metric to another metric and presents a new method. Data are given comparing this new method with a current method and recommendations are made. (Author)

A common problem arises when independent estimates of item parameters from two separate data sets must be expressed in the same metric. This problem is frequently confronted in studies of horizontal and vertical equating and in studies of item bias. This paper discusses a number of methods for transforming one metric to another metric and presents a new method. Data are given comparing this new method with a current method and recommendations are made. (Author)

The Mirte computer program, which provides estimates of item parameters and individuals' proficiencies (abilities) based on the multidimensional two-parameter logistic (M2PL) item response theory model, is described. The program uses a modified Newton-Raphson algorithm to iteratively estimate the parameters and proficiencies. The algorithm, use of the program, and some results based on simulated datasets are described.

Item Response Theory becomes an increasingly important tool when analyzing ``Big Data'' gathered from online educational venues. However, the mechanism was originally developed in traditional exam settings, and several of its assumptions are infringed upon when deployed in the online realm. For a large enrollment physics course for scientists and engineers, the study compares outcomes from IRT analyses of exam and homework data, and then proceeds to investigate the effects of each confounding factor introduced in the online realm. It is found that IRT yields the correct trends for learner ability and meaningful item parameters, yet overall agreement with exam data is moderate. It is also found that learner ability and item discrimination is over wide ranges robust with respect to model assumptions and introduced noise, less so than item difficulty.

Gaming the system, a behavior in which learners exploit a system's properties to make progress while avoiding learning, has frequently been shown to be associated with lower learning. However, when we applied a previously validated gaming detector across conditions in experiments with an algebra tutor, the detected gaming was not associated with learning, challenging its construct validity. Our iterative exploratory data analysis suggested that some contextual factors that varied across and within conditions might contribute to this lack of association. We present a latent variable model, "item response theory-based gaming detection" (IRT-GD), that accounts for contextual factors and estimates latent gaming tendencies as the degree of deviation from normative behaviors across contexts. Item response theory models, widely used in knowledge assessment, account for item difficulty in estimating latent student abilities: students are estimated as having higher ability when they can get harder items correct than when they only get easier items correct. Similarly, IRT-GD accounts for contextual factors in estimating latent gaming tendencies: students are estimated as having a higher gaming tendency when they game in less commonly gamed contexts than when they only game in more commonly gamed contexts. IRT-GD outperformed the original detector on three datasets in terms of the association with learning. IRT-GD also more accurately revealed intervention effects on gaming and revealed a correlation between gaming and perceived competence in math. Our approach is not only useful for others wanting to apply a gaming assessment in their context but is also generally applicable in creating robust behavioral measures. [For the full proceedings, see ED623995.]

Full account of the latent regression model for the National Assessment of Educational Progress is given. The treatment includes derivation of the EM algorithm, Newton-Raphson method, and the asymptotic standard errors. The paper also features the use of the adaptive Gauss-Hermite numerical integration method as a basic tool to evaluate expectations necessary to perform the parameter estimations.

This study investigated dimensionality of Binary Response Items through a non-parametric technique of Item Response Theory measurement framework. The study used causal comparative research type of non-experimental design. The sample consisted of 5,076 public senior secondary school examinees (SSS3) between the age of 14-16 years from 45 schools, which were drawn randomly from three senatorial districts of Osun State, Nigeria. Instrument used for this study was 2018 Osun State unified multiple-choice mathematics achievement test items with empirical reliability coefficient of 0.82. Data obtained were analysed using Non-linear factor analysis, Stout’s Test of Essential Unidimensionality (STEU), Factor Analysis (FA), Full Information Factor Analysis (FIFA) and Bootstrap Modified Parallel Analysis Test (BMPAT). Results showed that both the BMPAT and STEU ascertained violation of unidimensionality assumption of the test items (the observed difference in the second eigenvalue of the observed data and that of second eigenvalue of the simulated data was statistically significant, p = 0.0099; Stout’s test rejected the assumption of essential unidimensionality, T = 10.6260, p<0.05). Non-linear factor analysis and full information factor analysis revealed that four dimensions embedded in the test items and loadings of the items showed within-item multidimensionality respectively. The authors’ concluded that modeling examinees’ performance with unidimensional model when it was actually multidimensional in nature would affect performance of examinees adversely and could lead to blur judgment. Consequently, it is recommended that unidimensional scoring method of Osun State unified mathematics achievement test implicit in Classical Test Theory should be jettisoned and an appropriate scoring model (multidimensional) should be embraced.

Seven different techniques for transforming two sets of parameters to a common metric in item response theory were evaluated. These techniques include three techniques that estimate the transformation by equating the first two moments of the distributions of estimated difficulty parameters. Another three techniques are included that estimate the transformation by minimizing sums of squares criteria. The remaining technique (MLE) finds the scale transformation that maximizes the likelihood of observing vectors of item parameter differences. Results indicate that for calibrations with a small number of items with extreme estimated difficulty values all techniques perform satisfactorily for moderate sample sizes (500 subjects) and test lengths (60 items). With a large number of extreme estimated difficulty values the three sums of squares and MLE techniques perform satisfactorily, while the difficulty parameter techniques do not. The MLE technique appears poorly suited for smaller samples (500 subjects) and shorter tests (30 items). Keywords: Item response theory; Linking; Equating; Scale transformation; Common metric.

This paper develops a possible method for computing the asymptotic sampling variance-covariance matrix of joint maximum likelihood estimates in item response theory when both item parameters and abilities are unknown. For a set of artificial data, results are compared with empirical values; also with the variance-covariance matrices found by the usual formulas for the case where the abilities are known, or where the item parameters are known. The results are consistent with the conjecture that the new method is asymptotically correct except for errors due to grouping. (Author)

This final report summarizes work on Estimation and Specification Error in Item Response Theory carried out at Educational Testing Service over the 40-month period starting April 20, 1980.

This project translates the Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control scale and validates it among Bangladeshi community people

Evaluation of NLP methods requires testing against a previously vetted gold-standard test set and reporting standard metrics (accuracy/precision/recall/F1). The current assumption is that all items in a given test set are equal with regards to difficulty and discriminating power. We propose Item Response Theory (IRT) from psychometrics as an alternative means for gold-standard test-set generation and NLP system evaluation. IRT is able to describe characteristics of individual items - their difficulty and discriminating power - and can account for these characteristics in its estimation of human intelligence or ability for an NLP task. In this paper, we demonstrate IRT by generating a gold-standard test set for Recognizing Textual Entailment. By collecting a large number of human responses and fitting our IRT model, we show that our IRT model compares NLP systems with the performance in a human population and is able to provide more insight into system performance than standard evaluation metrics. We show that a high accuracy score does not always imply a high IRT score, which depends on the item characteristics and the response pattern.

This study focuses on the psychometric properties of the Romanian adaptation of the Sexual Risk Survey (SRS), a self-reported measure of risky sexual practices. Using a large sample, this study investigated various forms of reliability and validity of the SRS. Results indicated good internal consistency coefficients and a good convergent and discriminant validity for SRS. The confirmatory factor analysis displayed acceptable fit indices for the five-factor model. Results obtained via Item Response Theory showed that SRS scales offer good information for trait level only for one of the five scales and poor coverage for trait levels lower than 0 for the remaining scales. Network analysis showed quite similar centrality indices for all SRS items, both for men and women. However, there are some differences between genders in terms of the type of association between several items. Thus, the current study turned light on the SRS from an IRT and network analysis perspective.

This article is from Health and Quality of Life Outcomes , volume 12 . Abstract Background: The occurrence of response shift (RS) in longitudinal health-related quality of life (HRQoL) studies, reflecting patient adaptation to disease, has already been demonstrated. Several methods have been developed to detect the three different types of response shift (RS), i.e. recalibration RS, 2) reprioritization RS, and 3) reconceptualization RS. We investigated two complementary methods that characterize the occurrence of RS: factor analysis, comprising Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA), and a method of Item Response Theory (IRT). Methods: Breast cancer patients (n = 381) completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-BR23 questionnaires at baseline, immediately following surgery, and three and six months after surgery, according to the “then-test/post-test” design. Recalibration was explored using MCA and a model of IRT, called the Linear Logistic Model with Relaxed Assumptions (LLRA) using the then-test method. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to explore reconceptualization and reprioritization. Results: MCA highlighted the main profiles of recalibration: patients with high HRQoL level report a slightly worse HRQoL level retrospectively and vice versa. The LLRA model indicated a downward or upward recalibration for each dimension. At six months, the recalibration effect was statistically significant for 11/22 dimensions of the QLQ-C30 and BR23 according to the LLRA model (p ≤ 0.001). Regarding the QLQ-C30, PCA indicated a reprioritization of symptom scales and reconceptualization via an increased correlation between functional scales. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate the usefulness of these analyses in characterizing the occurrence of RS. MCA and IRT model had convergent results with then-test method to characterize recalibration component of RS. PCA is an indirect method in investigating the reprioritization and reconceptualization components of RS.

A brief overview of item response theory is provided, and a 186-item bibliography of books and articles on the subject dating from 1953 to June 1989 is presented. The overview includes a definition of the theory, a discussion of its development and application, and comparisons with classical test theory. All publications in the bibliography were issued in the United States. The bibliography is organized into 13 categories, as follows: general articles/texts, models, parameter estimation, model fit, scales, robustness studies, test development studies, adaptive testing studies, item banking studies, equating studies, item bias studies, miscellaneous applications, and computer programs. (TJH)

Item response theory models arose from the inherent limitations of classical test theory methods of test analysis. A brief description of those limitations and the corresponding enhancements provided by item response models is provided. Further, an examination of the popular Rasch one-parameter latent trait model is undertaken. Specific explanation of the step-by-step calculations in the one-parameter model is accomplished using a commonly available spreadsheet. This paper is designed to be used as a teaching heuristic to assist students in understanding both the mechanics and the rationale behind the item response theory model measurement. (Contains nine tables, four figures, and nine references.) (Author/SLD)

This paper presents a new heuristic approach to interactive test assembly that is called the successive item replacement algorithm. This approach builds on the work of W. J. van der Linden (1987) and W. J. van der Linden and E. Boekkooi-Timminga (1989) in which methods of mathematical optimization are combined with item response theory to construct tests from larger collections or pools of items. This new approach is contrasted with two more formal models and other heuristic approaches that appear in the literature. An experiment using quasi-realistic data is performed that serves to illustrate the difference in approaches for typical practical test construction applications. Three tables and three figures illustrate the discussion. (Contains 14 references.) (Author/SLD)

The local item independence assumption underlying traditional item response theory (IRT) models is often not met for tests composed of testlets. There are 3 major approaches to addressing this issue: (a) ignore the violation and use a dichotomous IRT model (e.g., the 2-parameter logistic [2PL] model), (b) combine the interdependent items to form a polytomous item and apply a polytomous IRT model (e.g., the graded response model [GRM]), and (c) apply a model that explicitly takes into account the dependence at the item level (e.g., the testlet response theory [TRT] model). In this study, a simulation was conducted to compare the performance of these 3 approaches on number-correct score equating when degrees of testlet effect were manipulated. The traditional equipercentile method was used as an evaluation baseline. The results show that the 2PL and the TRT approaches produce comparable results that more closely agree with the results of the equipercentile method than the GRM does. And the number-correct equating using the 2PL is robust to the violation of local item independence.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the extent to which item response theory (IRT) proficiency estimation methods are robust to the presence of aberrant responses under the "GRE"® General Test multistage adaptive testing (MST) design. To that end, a wide range of atypical response behaviors affecting as much as 10% of the test items were simulated using a generic GRE 2-stage MST and the 2-parameter logistic (2PL) IRT model. As expected, some differences were found among the 5 estimators in terms of the recovery of the true theta ability; for example, Bayesian estimators had lower error variance and their estimates were regressed to the mean.Once the IRT theta estimates were scaled onto a comparable reporting score scale, however, it was found that all the estimation methods investigated, including the one currently used to score GRE MSTs, were equally robust under the simulated conditions.

Item response theory (IRT) is a popular method to infer student abilities and item difficulties from observed test responses. However, IRT struggles with two challenges: How to map items to skills if multiple skills are present? And how to infer the ability of new students that have not been part of the training data? Inspired by recent advances in variational autoencoders for IRT, we propose a novel method to tackle both challenges: The Sparse Factor Autoencoder (SparFAE). SparFAE maps from test responses to abilities via a linear operator and from abilities to test responses via an IRT model. All parameters of the model offer an interpretation and can be learned in an efficient manner. In experiments on synthetic and real data, we show that SparFAE is similar in accuracy to other autoencoder approaches while being faster to learn and more accurate in recovering item-skill associations. [For the full proceedings, see ED623995.]

The success of applications of item response theory (IRT) depends upon the properties of the estimates of model parameters. Many theoretical properties of these estimates have been extensively studied. However, the properties of estimates obtained empirically from real data depend not only on the theoretical results, but also on the data and the estimation procedures used to obtain them. In this paper, the properties of estimates obtained from a commonly-used implementation of the joint maximum likelihood approach (LOGIST) are examined extensively and shown to be, in part, functions of the properties of the test or item set being calibrated. A small study is also made of the properties of estimates obtained from a commonly-used implementation of the marginal maximum likelihood approach (BILOG). Recommendations are made for the improvement of both procedures. (Contains 3 tables, 23 figures, and 29 references.) (Author)

This study analysed polytomous items' psychometric properties according to nonparametric item response theory (NIRT) models. Thus, simulated datasets--three different test lengths (10, 20 and 30 items), three sample distributions (normal, right and left skewed) and three samples sizes (100, 250 and 500)--were generated by conducting 20 replications in 27 test conditions. Via simulated datasets, polytomous items' psychometric properties were investigated through NIRT models, the Mokken Homogeneity Model (MHM) and the Kernel Smoothing Approach Model (KSAM). According to MHM analysis results, number of items, distribution of sample and sample-size factors affected items' level of fit. As a result of scaling data according to MHM in this study's test conditions, tests that generally fit MHM at weak and moderate levels, with high reliability, were achieved. According to KSAM analysis results, number of items, sample distribution and sample-size factors influenced item and test discrimination. Consequent to KSAM data analysis, tests that generally consisted of items with an acceptable discrimination level and with high reliability were achieved. In this study, producing H coefficients, through MHM, that were easy to interpret and providing, through KSAM, graphics with detailed information made it easier to examine complementary polytomous items' psychometric properties.

The study reports a feasibility study for using Item Response Theory (IRT) as a means of equating the Test of Standard Written English (TSWE). The study focused on the possibility of pre-equating, that is, deriving the equating transformation prior to the final administration of the test. The three-parameter logistic model was postulated as the response model and its fit assessed at the item, subscore, and total score level. Minor problems were found at each of these levels but, on the whole, the three-parameter model was found to portray the data well. The adequacy of the equating provided by IRT procedures was investigated in two TSWE forms. It was concluded that pre-equating does not appear to present problems beyond those inherent to IRT-equating. (Author)

In this paper, algorithms are described for obtaining the maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters in log-linear models. Modified versions of the iterative proportional fitting and Newton-Raphson algorithms are described that work on the minimal sufficient statistics rather than on the usual counts in the full contingency table. This is desirable if the contingency table becomes too large to store. Special attention is given to log-linear Item Response Theory (IRT) models that are used for the analysis of educational and psychological test data. To calculate the necessary expected sufficient statistics and other marginal sums of the table, a method is described that avoids summing large numbers of elementary cell frequencies by writing them out in terms of multiplicative model parameters and applying the distributive law of multiplication over summation. These algorithms are used in the computer program LOGIMO, and are illustrated with simulated data for 10,000 cases. Two tables, 3 graphs, and a 34-item list of references are included. (Author/SLD)

An approach that is currently gaining popularity in educational measurement is one that treats item response theory (IRT) as a special case of nonlinear factor analysis (NLFA). A brief overview is provided of some of the research that has examined the relationship between IRT and NLFA. Three NLFA models are outlined, emphasizing their major strengths and weaknesses. These are: (1) McDonald's polynomial approximation to a normal ogive model; (2) the factor analytic model for dichotomous variables of Christoffersson and Muthen (1975, 1984); and the full-information factor analytic model of Bock and Aitkin (1981) and Bock, Gibbons, and Muraki (1988). Although the full-information factor analytic model appears to be the strongest of the approaches described, it appears that a greater number of empirical studies should be undertaken to compare the various NLFA models with respect to how accurately they can recover simulated parameter values. An appendix presents an IRT-NLFA proof. (Contains 61 references.) (SLD)

The purposes of this paper are five-fold to discuss: (1) when item response theory (IRT) equating methods should provide better results than traditional methods; (2) which IRT model, the three-parameter logistic or the one-parameter logistic (Rasch), is the most reasonable to use; (3) what unique contributions IRT methods can offer the equating process; (4) what work has been done that relates to the confidence that can be placed in the IRT equating results; and (5) what unresolved issues exist in the application of IRT to equating. Several issues are discussed to provide a background: formal definitions and requirements of equating; the basic principle of IRT equating; procedures for linking parameter estimates and deriving estimated true and observed score equatings using IRT; the practical advantages to be gained from using IRT equating; and the important distinction between test development and test analysis activities. (Author/BW)

The purpose of this inquiry was to investigate the effectiveness of item response theory (IRT) proficiency estimators in terms of estimation bias and error under multistage testing (MST). We chose a 2-stage MST design in which 1 adaptation to the examinees' ability levels takes place. It includes 4 modules (1 at Stage 1, 3 at Stage 2) and 3 paths (low, middle, and high). When creating 2-stage MST panels (i.e., forms), we manipulated 2 assembly conditions in each module, such as difficulty level and module length, to see if any interaction existed between IRT estimation methods and MST panel designs. For each panel, we compared the accuracy of examinees' proficiency levels derived from 7 IRT proficiency estimators. We found that the choice of Bayesian (prior) and non-Bayesian (no prior) estimators was of more practical significance than the choice of number-correct versus item-pattern scoring. For the extreme proficiency levels, the decrease in standard error compensated for the increase in bias in the Bayesian estimates, resulting in smaller total error. Possible score changes caused by the use of different proficiency estimators would be nonnegligible, particularly for the extreme proficiency level examinees. The impact of misrouting at Stage 1 was minimal under the MST design used in this study.

Information functions are used to find the optimum ability levels and maximum contributions to information for estimating item parameters in three commonly used logistic item response models. For the three and two parameter logistic models, examinees who contribute maximally to the estimation of item difficulty contribute little to the estimation of item discrimination. This suggests that in applications that depend heavily upon the veracity of individual item parameter estimates (e.g. adaptive testing or test construction) , better item calibration results may be obtained (for fixed sample sizes) from examinee calibration samples in which ability is widely dispersed.

The concept of a user-specified validity sector is discussed. The idea of the validity sector combines the work of M. D. Reckase (1986) and R. Shealy and W. Stout (1991). Reckase developed a methodology to represent an item in a multidimensional latent space as a vector. Item vectors are computed using multidimensional item response theory item parameter estimates obtained from calibration programs such as NOHARM II (C. Fraser, 1983). The direction indicated by an item's vector indicates the composite of skills that the item is sensitive to measuring. Shealy and Stout developed a procedure (Simultaneous Item Bias) to detect item bias that encourages the user to identify (and condition on the scores from) only the most valid test items. T. A. Ackerman (1991) suggested that the most valid items for a given test could easily be identified from a plot of the item vectors. That is, the construct valid items should be measuring similar composites and thus lie within a definable sector. Items that lie outside this sector are assessing unintended-to-be-measured skills, and this could be considered construct invalid. This paper describes several uses of the validity sector, including how it can be used to construct tests, detect biased items, and define the raw score scale for a test. One table and 14 vector plots support the discussion. There is a 15-item list of references. (Author/SLD)

This study investigated the number-correct scoring method based on different theories (classical true-score theory and multidimensional item response theory) when a standardized test requires more than one ability for an examinee to get a correct response. The number-correct scoring procedure that is widely used is the one that is defined in classical true-score theory (CTT). In CTT, a test score is equal to the number of items an examinee answered, so that all items are weighted "one." It is also possible to use a form of number-correct scoring in which the weights of items are different. In this study, the accuracy of estimated number-correct scores relative to true number-correct scores under CTT, multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) and both MIRT and CTT were studied using simulated data for a standardized test in which true scores and estimated scores were known. A method in which item weights were based on MIRT and test scores based on CTT (MIX method) was found to be the most accurate method used to estimate the true score on an examinee. This MIX method was also significantly different from the other three scoring methods using the bootstrap analysis. An appendix contains definitions of the notations representing the various parameters and approaches. (Contains 20 references.) (SLD)

This article is from Iranian Journal of Psychiatry , volume 5 . Abstract Objective: This study has used Item Response Theory (IRT) to examine the psychometric properties of Health-Related Quality-of-Life. Method: This investigation is a descriptive- analytic study. Subjects were 370 undergraduate students of nursing and midwifery who were selected from Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. All participants were asked to complete the Farsi version of WHOQOL-BREF. Samejima's graded response model was used for the analyses. Results: The results revealed that the discrimination parameters for all items in the four scales were low to moderate. The threshold parameters showed adequate representation of the relevant traits from low to the mean trait level. With the exception of 15, 18, 24 and 26 items, all other items showed low item information function values, and thus relatively high reliability from low trait levels to moderate levels. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that although there was general support for the psychometric properties of the WHOQOL-BREF from an IRT perspective, this measure can be further improved. IRT analyses provided useful measurement information and demonstrated to be a better methodological approach for enhancing our knowledge of the functionality of WHOQOL-BREF.

In this episode, we discuss the problem of how to build a smart computerized adaptive testing machine using Item Response Theory (IRT). Suppose that you are teaching a student a particular target set of knowledge. Examples of such situations obviously occur in nursery school, elementary school, junior high school, high school, and college. However, such situations also occur in industry when top professionals in a particular field attend an advanced training seminar. All of these situations would benefit from a smart adaptive assessment machine which attempts to estimate a student's knowledge in real-time. Such a machine could then use that information to optimize the choice and order of questions to be presented to the student in order to develop a customized exam for efficiently assessing the student's knowledge level and possibly guiding instructional strategies. Both tutorial notes and advanced implementational notes can be found in the show notes at: www.learningmachines101.com .

Advantages and disadvantages of joint maximum likelihood, marginal maximum likelihood, and Bayesian methods of parameter estimation in item response theory are discussed and compared. Author supplied keywords include: Mental Test Theory and Bias (Statistical).

This study was undertaken to compare non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS) and factor analysis (FA) as means of assessing dimensionality in relation to item response theory (IRT). FA assesses correlation matrices, while MDS performs an analysis of proximity measures. Seven data sets were generated; each differed from the others with respect to dimensionality. Each set consisted of 28 items and was either one- or two-dimensional, with two-dimensional data sets having interdimensional correlation coefficients of 0.01, 0.10, and 0.60. All sets were generated according to G. Masters' partial credit model (1982)--a Rasch model; 14 item parameters were taken from Masters' article and duplicated to produce the 28-item pool. Assessment of dimensionality through MDS was performed by stress by dimensionality graphs alone and in conjunction with plots of stress by dimensionality containing varying degrees of error. For the FA of each correlation matrix, the initial determination of dimensionality was performed through an examination of the matrix's scree plot. Results indicate that MDS may be a viable methodology for IRT researchers to use in assessing the dimensionality of ordered test or attitude data. Four data tables and 20 graphs are provided. (TJH)

Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ) (E. Palmore, 1977) is an instrument that is used to educate, to measure learning, to test knowledge, to measure attitudes toward aging, and in research. A comparative analysis was performed between the FAQ I and its multiple choice version and the FAQ II and its multiple choice version in terms of their item difficulty, their discrimination indices, and their guessing parameters by applying the three parameter model of item response theory. The internal consistency of the instruments was also examined. In all, 995 college freshmen took a version of the test. The results show that on the average the items on the multiple choice version of FAQ I and the multiple choice version of FAQ II were more difficult than the items on the true or false version of either test. The reason for this is that the probability of guessing an item correctly was drastically reduced in the multiple choice versions. Items on all versions appeared to be equally discriminatory, except in the FAQ I. The internal consistency of all versions was very low, but the multiple choice version of the FAQ II appeared more reliable than its true or false version. The reverse was the case for the FAQ I. To lend more credence to the use of FAQ I and FAQ II as a teaching tool more revision and testing need to be done. In the meantime, the use of multiple choice versions is recommended since guessing is drastically reduced. (Contains 8 tables and 25 references.) (Author/SLD)

Because parameter estimates from different calibration runs under the IRT model are linearly related, a linear equation can convert IRT parameter estimates onto another scale metric without changing the probability of a correct response (Kolen & Brennan, 1995, 2004). This study was designed to explore a new approach to finding a linear equation by fixing C-parameters for anchor items in IRT equating. A rationale for fixing C-parameters for anchor items in IRT equating can be established from the fact that the C-parameters are not affected by any linear transformation. This new approach can avoid the difficulty in getting accurate C-parameters for anchor items embedded in the application of the IRT model. Based upon our findings in this study, we would recommend using the new approach to fix C-parameters for anchor items in IRT equating. (Contains 6 tables and 3 figures.)

Well-known numerical integration methods are applied to item response theory (IRT) with special emphasis on the estimation of the latent regression model of NAEP [National Assessment of Educational Progress]. An argument is made that the Gauss-Hermite rule enhanced with Cholesky decomposition and normal approximation of the response likelihood is a fast, precise, and reliable alternative for the numerical integration in NAEP and in IRT in general.

This article is from BMC Medical Research Methodology , volume 11 . Abstract Background: For the Low Vision Quality Of Life questionnaire (LVQOL) it is unknown whether the psychometric properties are satisfactory when an item response theory (IRT) perspective is considered. This study evaluates some essential psychometric properties of the LVQOL questionnaire in an IRT model, and investigates differential item functioning (DIF). Methods: Cross-sectional data were used from an observational study among visually-impaired patients (n = 296). Calibration was performed for every dimension of the LVQOL in the graded response model. Item goodness-of-fit was assessed with the S-X2-test. DIF was assessed on relevant background variables (i.e. age, gender, visual acuity, eye condition, rehabilitation type and administration type) with likelihood-ratio tests for DIF. The magnitude of DIF was interpreted by assessing the largest difference in expected scores between subgroups. Measurement precision was assessed by presenting test information curves; reliability with the index of subject separation. Results: All items of the LVQOL dimensions fitted the model. There was significant DIF on several items. For two items the maximum difference between expected scores exceeded one point, and DIF was found on multiple relevant background variables. Item 1 'Vision in general' from the "Adjustment" dimension and item 24 'Using tools' from the "Reading and fine work" dimension were removed. Test information was highest for the "Reading and fine work" dimension. Indices for subject separation ranged from 0.83 to 0.94. Conclusions: The items of the LVQOL showed satisfactory item fit to the graded response model; however, two items were removed because of DIF. The adapted LVQOL with 21 items is DIF-free and therefore seems highly appropriate for use in heterogeneous populations of visually impaired patients.

A coordinate system free definition of complex structure multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) for dichotomously scored items is presented. The point of view taken emphasizes the possibilities and subtleties of understanding MIRT as a multidimensional extension of the ``classical'' unidimensional item response theory models. The main theorem of the paper is that every monotonic MIRT model looks the same; they are all trivial extensions of univariate item response theory.

The study aims to provide a psychometric tool that reliably and validly measures an individual’s attitude toward artificial intelligence (AI) by reviewing and integrating existing AI attitude scales. The scale development and its validation are based on Item-Response-Theory.

Evaluating learners' competencies is a crucial concern in education, and home and classroom structured tests represent an effective assessment tool. Structured tests consist of sets of items that can refer to several abilities or more than one topic. Several statistical approaches allow evaluating students considering the items in a multidimensional way, accounting for their structure. According to the evaluation's ending aim, the assessment process assigns a final grade to each student or clusters students in homogeneous groups according to their level of mastery and ability. The latter represents a helpful tool for developing tailored recommendations and remediations for each group. At this aim, latent class models represent a reference. In the item response theory (IRT) paradigm, the multidimensional latent class IRT models, releasing both the traditional constraints of unidimensionality and continuous nature of the latent trait, allow to detect sub-populations of homogeneous students according to their proficiency level also accounting for the multidimensional nature of their ability. Moreover, the semi-parametric formulation leads to several advantages in practice: It avoids normality assumptions that may not hold and reduces the computation demanding. This study compares the results of the multidimensional latent class IRT models with those obtained by a two-step procedure, which consists of firstly modeling a multidimensional IRT model to estimate students' ability and then applying a clustering algorithm to classify students accordingly. Regarding the latter, parametric and non-parametric approaches were considered. Data refer to the admission test for the degree course in psychology exploited in 2014 at the University of Naples Federico II. Students involved were N=944, and their ability dimensions were defined according to the domains assessed by the entrance exam, namely Humanities, Reading and Comprehension, Mathematics, Science, and English. In particular, a multidimensional two-parameter logistic IRT model for dichotomously-scored items was considered for students' ability estimation.

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495 p. : 24 cm. +

This study focuses on developing an adaptive assessment system for basic programming courses using a combination of item response theory (IRT) and the K-mean. The main objective is to enhance the precision of assessments by adapting the difficulty of questions to students' cognitive levels while grouping them based on both cognitive and affective characteristics. The key contribution is the creation of a more personalized assessment framework, addressing the shortcomings of traditional assessments, which often fail to accommodate varying student abilities. Methodologically, the study employs IRT to dynamically assess students' abilities, and students are categorized into different groups based on their answer patterns using K-means. The research design involves a student motivation survey and a programming skills test. Data is collected through the Google Quiz platform and analyzed using R Studio Software to apply the algorithms. The results demonstrate that combining IRT and K-means successfully adjusts the difficulty of questions and more accurately clusters students, providing more relevant feedback. In conclusion, this method enhances adaptive assessments' effectiveness and fosters personalized learning experiences. The findings have implications for broader application in courses with diverse student competencies.

This study focuses on developing an adaptive assessment system for basic programming courses using a combination of item response theory (IRT) and the K-mean. The main objective is to enhance the precision of assessments by adapting the difficulty of questions to students' cognitive levels while grouping them based on both cognitive and affective characteristics. The key contribution is the creation of a more personalized assessment framework, addressing the shortcomings of traditional assessments, which often fail to accommodate varying student abilities. Methodologically, the study employs IRT to dynamically assess students' abilities, and students are categorized into different groups based on their answer patterns using K-means. The research design involves a student motivation survey and a programming skills test. Data is collected through the Google Quiz platform and analyzed using R Studio Software to apply the algorithms. The results demonstrate that combining IRT and K-means successfully adjusts the difficulty of questions and more accurately clusters students, providing more relevant feedback. In conclusion, this method enhances adaptive assessments' effectiveness and fosters personalized learning experiences. The findings have implications for broader application in courses with diverse student competencies.

This article is from Emerging Themes in Epidemiology , volume 11 . Abstract Background: Measures of household socio-economic position (SEP) are widely used in health research. There exist a number of approaches to their measurement, with Principal Components Analysis (PCA) applied to a basket of household assets being one of the most common. PCA, however, carries a number of assumptions about the distribution of the data which may be untenable, and alternative, non-parametric, approaches may be preferred. Mokken scale analysis is a non-parametric, item response theory approach to scale development which appears never to have been applied to household asset data. A Mokken scale can be used to rank order items (measures of wealth) as well as households. Using data on household asset ownership from a national sample of 4,154 consenting households in the World Health Survey from Vietnam, 2003, we construct two measures of household SEP. Seventeen items asking about assets, and utility and infrastructure use were used. Mokken Scaling and PCA were applied to the data. A single item measure of total household expenditure is used as a point of contrast. Results: An 11 item scale, out of the 17 items, was identified that conformed to the assumptions of a Mokken Scale. All the items in the scale were identified as strong items (Hi > .5). Two PCA measures of SEP were developed as a point of contrast. One PCA measure was developed using all 17 available asset items, the other used the reduced set of 11 items identified in the Mokken scale analaysis. The Mokken Scale measure of SEP and the 17 item PCA measure had a very high correlation (r = .98), and they both correlated moderately with total household expenditure: r = .59 and r = .57 respectively. In contrast the 11 item PCA measure correlated moderately with the Mokken scale (r = .68), and weakly with the total household expenditure (r = .18). Conclusion: The Mokken scale measure of household SEP performed at least as well as PCA, and outperformed the PCA measure developed with the 11 items used in the Mokken scale. Unlike PCA, Mokken scaling carries no assumptions about the underlying shape of the distribution of the data, and can be used simultaneous to order household SEP and items. The approach, however, has not been tested with data from other countries and remains an interesting, but under researched approach.

This article is from Emerging Themes in Epidemiology , volume 11 . Abstract Background: Measures of household socio-economic position (SEP) are widely used in health research. There exist a number of approaches to their measurement, with Principal Components Analysis (PCA) applied to a basket of household assets being one of the most common. PCA, however, carries a number of assumptions about the distribution of the data which may be untenable, and alternative, non-parametric, approaches may be preferred. Mokken scale analysis is a non-parametric, item response theory approach to scale development which appears never to have been applied to household asset data. A Mokken scale can be used to rank order items (measures of wealth) as well as households. Using data on household asset ownership from a national sample of 4,154 consenting households in the World Health Survey from Vietnam, 2003, we construct two measures of household SEP. Seventeen items asking about assets, and utility and infrastructure use were used. Mokken Scaling and PCA were applied to the data. A single item measure of total household expenditure is used as a point of contrast. Results: An 11 item scale, out of the 17 items, was identified that conformed to the assumptions of a Mokken Scale. All the items in the scale were identified as strong items (Hi > .5). Two PCA measures of SEP were developed as a point of contrast. One PCA measure was developed using all 17 available asset items, the other used the reduced set of 11 items identified in the Mokken scale analaysis. The Mokken Scale measure of SEP and the 17 item PCA measure had a very high correlation (r = .98), and they both correlated moderately with total household expenditure: r = .59 and r = .57 respectively. In contrast the 11 item PCA measure correlated moderately with the Mokken scale (r = .68), and weakly with the total household expenditure (r = .18). Conclusion: The Mokken scale measure of household SEP performed at least as well as PCA, and outperformed the PCA measure developed with the 11 items used in the Mokken scale. Unlike PCA, Mokken scaling carries no assumptions about the underlying shape of the distribution of the data, and can be used simultaneous to order household SEP and items. The approach, however, has not been tested with data from other countries and remains an interesting, but under researched approach.

Computerized adaptive testing is becoming increasingly popular due to advancement of modern computer technology. It differs from the conventional standardized testing in that the selection of test items is tailored to individual examinee's ability level. Arising from this selection strategy is a nonlinear sequential design problem. We study, in this paper, the sequential design problem in the context of the logistic item response theory models. We show that the adaptive design obtained by maximizing the item information leads to a consistent and asymptotically normal ability estimator in the case of the Rasch model. Modifications to the maximum information approach are proposed for the two- and three-parameter logistic models. Similar asymptotic properties are established for the modified designs and the resulting estimator. Examples are also given in the case of the two-parameter logistic model to show that without such modifications, the maximum likelihood estimator of the ability parameter may not be consistent.

This paper provides a brief overview of some of the research that has examined the relationship between item response theory (IRT) and nonlinear factor analysis (NFA), and outlines three NLFA models, emphasizing their major strengths and weaknesses for practical applications. The focus is on: (1) R. McDonald's polynomial approximation of a normal ogive model (1967, 1982); (2) A. Christoffersson's (1975) and B. Muthen's (1984) factor analytic model for dichotomous variables; and (3) the full information factor analytic model (R. Bock and M. Aitken, 1981; R. Bock, R. Gibbons, and E. Muraki, 1988). Items from two Law School Admission Test (LSAT) forms were calibrated using these three models to assess the degree of comparability of the IRT parameter estimates using these procedures. Findings show that the parameter estimates tended to be quite similar, regardless of the calibration procedure. Additional research should be conducted with a larger number of LSAT forms before reaching any conclusions about the comparability of the calibration procedures. (Contains 2 tables, 2 figures, and 55 references.) (Author/SLD)

This paper provides a brief overview of some of the research that has examined the relationship between item response theory (IRT) and nonlinear factor analysis (NFA), and outlines three NLFA models, emphasizing their major strengths and weaknesses for practical applications. The focus is on: (1) R. McDonald's polynomial approximation of a normal ogive model (1967, 1982); (2) A. Christoffersson's (1975) and B. Muthen's (1984) factor analytic model for dichotomous variables; and (3) the full information factor analytic model (R. Bock and M. Aitken, 1981; R. Bock, R. Gibbons, and E. Muraki, 1988). Items from two Law School Admission Test (LSAT) forms were calibrated using these three models to assess the degree of comparability of the IRT parameter estimates using these procedures. Findings show that the parameter estimates tended to be quite similar, regardless of the calibration procedure. Additional research should be conducted with a larger number of LSAT forms before reaching any conclusions about the comparability of the calibration procedures. (Contains 2 tables, 2 figures, and 55 references.) (Author/SLD)

1Aunt Friendly's Picture Book

By Sarah S. Baker

This book includes the classic alphabet, Sing-A-Song Of Sixpence, The Frog Who Would A Wooing go, The Three LIttle Pigs, Puss In Boot, and The Ugly Duckling. Fun for all ages! (Summary by Sam Stinson)

2Stories of Old Greece and Rome

By Emilie Kip Baker

The Stories of Old Greece and Rome is an easy to read summary of all of the famous and not so famous Greek and Roman mythological stories. All of the famous Heroes are here: Theseus, Jason, Hercules, and all of the well known Deities. These stories tell the real detail of the myths, not the ones that have become sanitized (and dare I say it, 'Disneyfied') over the centuries. These are not stories for children, as the old gods and heroes were vengeful and some might say sadistic in their treatment of minor slights and misdemeanors. Putting out of eyes and ripping out of tongues is commonplace, and punishment by death is ever present. It is however fascinating to see how these tales have affected and influenced our culture and have woven themselves into our own myths and stories. (Summary by Kevin Green)

Written as a tribute to Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll after his death, by Isaac Newton Baker, his secretary of 14 years, and presented to the Ingersoll family. Later expanded and published by the family so the world could learn more about the public and private life, personality, work, thoughts and ideals of the most famous orator of the late 1800's, also dubbed "The Greatest Agnostic Of the Century". - Summary by Michele Fry

4Diary of a Suicide

By Wallace E. Baker

“Mr. B. Russell Herts, c/o International Magazine, New York City.<br /> Under separate cover I am sending you a record of a young man who is about to commit suicide. My only object is that it may help…to ease the way for some who come after…. I do not sign this, but you may verify my death by communicating with Mr. ——, whom I am writing to-day, so that he may look after my effects in New York.” <br><br> The body of a well-dressed young man was found off Manhattan Beach, Sept. 28, 1913. In his pockets a torn photograph of Strindberg and receipts for three registered letters were found. These receipts were traced to Mr. Herts and to friends in Toronto, one of whom identified the body on Oct. 2d as that of Wallace E. Baker. –From the book’s Forward.

5Friendly Road, New Adventures in Contentment

By Ray Stannard Baker

My grandmother Gertrude received a copy of The Friendly Road for Christmas in 1919. It must have been a special gift book--green leather binding, gold embossing, a sheet of tissue paper protecting the color plate facing the title page--this a painting of a solitary man enjoying a swim in a sun dappled stream with the caption "Surely it is good to be alive at a time like this."<br><br> Written in first person, pseudo autobiographical style, the “author” of The Friendly Road, David Grayson, is a writer,* living on a farm with cows to milk, and ducks and pigs to feed, and fields in need of plowing. One day he just slings a few belongings in a pack and walks off, leaving the cows unmilked and his sister Harriet standing in the doorway. <i>"My sober friend,"</i> Grayson writes, <i>"have you ever tried to do anything that the world at large considers not quite sensible, not quite sane? Try it!"</i> The rest of the book is an odd mixture of nostalgia for a gentler, kinder age; adventures, as Grayson relies on the charity of strangers to get by; with a bit of progressive politics thrown in. After bumming for several days, Grayson arrives in the "City," where a strike is in progress. He sympathizes with the workers, but he is appalled by <i>"the ill-smelling streets and dirty sidewalks and swarming human beings . . . the evidences of poverty, dirt, and ignorance."</i> And guess what? He returns home to his farm, and Harriet bakes him a rhubarb pie.<br><br> Gertrude, who had immigrated from Germany to the United States in 1892 at the age of 17, was 44 years old that Christmas. She was living on a fruit ranch in western Washington state, with her husband, a school teacher, also a German immigrant, whom she had married in 1898. She had 6 children, the oldest 20, the youngest only 2. The last few years had not been easy for this family. Gertrude's 10-year old daughter Mary, my mother, was slowly limping towards recovery from a bout of polio. Worse yet, during World War I Gertrude's husband was unjustly accused of being a "German sympathizer" despite the fact that his oldest son was a U.S. Army volunteer, and he was forced from his teaching post. His job loss meant more work for Gertrude, because, as my grandfather later explained to a journalist, after losing his job, he decided to “retire” to the country--<i>"to live calmly, read Homer and Goethe and Balzac and Emerson (and) raise fruit and chickens."**</i><br><br> Gertrude entrusted several of her favorite books to my teenage self before she died in 1958. Another was a book of poems entitled Because I Love You, inscribed to Gertrude as a birthday present in 1897 by a young man who was not my grandfather! Books. . . choices . . .<br><br> *David Grayson was a pseudonym used by the actual author of <i>The Friendly Road</i>, Ray Stannard Baker.<br> **Louis Adamic ,”A Man from the Black Forest," in <i>Two Way Passage</i> (1941).<br> ( summary by Sue Anderson)

6Following the Color Line

By Ray Stannard Baker

Subtitled "An Account of Negro Citizenship in the American Democracy", we are presented an in-depth and essentially non-opinionated open view of race relations as they existed in the U.S. in 1908, more than 40 years following the end of the Civil War.<br><br>The book is in three parts: The Negro in the South; The Negro in the North; and the Negro in the Nation. We are presented both rural and urban points of view, struggles for survival, varying district relationships, the effect of lynching, power struggles, and political repercussions, among many other topics. - Summary by Roger Melin

7Shasta Of The Wolves

By Olaf Baker

She-wolf Nitka finds an abandoned Native American baby and raises him with her cubs. Shasta learns the wolf ways and meets his kin, where he learns his true history. Eventually he can walk with the wolves and his human kin, which leads to more adventures. (Kirk Ziegler)

8Art of Conversation: Twelve Golden Rules

By Josephine Turck Baker

Many of us find it challenging to speak to other people, for various reasons. Some of us are afraid of being called a bore. Others are worried that we will be accused of hogging attention. Many of us simply don't know what to talk about. This book is an entertaining and enlightening manual that may be able to help. Through a series of twelve dialogues between a man and a woman, we are introduced to twelve "golden rules" that will help us navigate the waters of interpersonal communication. <br>(Summary by Devorah Allen) <br><br> He: Read by <a href="https://librivox.org/reader/13278">KevinS</a> <br>She: Read by <a href="https://librivox.org/reader/11084">Devorah Allen</a>

9In the Heart of Africa

By Samuel White Baker

A wonderfully readable condensation of two of Baker's earlier, longer works recounting his self-sponsored expeditions into the Dark Continent to discover the sources of the Nile: <i>The Albert N'Yanza</i>, <i>Great Basin Of The Nile (1866)</i> and <i>The Nile Tributaries Of Abyssinia (1867)</i>. And, of course, to bag a few elephants along the way. (Summary by Steven Seitel)

George P. Baker, popular British historian of the 1920s and 30s, covers the life and career of ancient Rome's most formidable opponent, Hannibal of Carthage. Beginning with an overview of the rise of Carthage and Rome's first conflict with that power, he describes Hannibal's life and his campaign in the Second Punic War. After crossing the Alps and invading Italy from the north, Hannibal masterminded several massive victories on the Italian peninsula which came close to crippling Rome. Through the foresight and skills of Quintus Fabius Maximus, and later Publius Scipio, Hannibal and Carthage were forced to capitulate after the Battle of Zama in northern Africa. The Second Punic War helped push Rome from a small city in central Italy to world power controling much of the Mediterranean. The book follows Hannibal through his death in Bithynia c. 181 BC. - Summary by Mark Harrington

Welcome fellow travelers to another exciting issue of The Thrill Book! Herein lies all manner of stories for the discerning fan of pulp fiction. We have the chilling science fiction tale of a demented inventor wreaking havoc upon the world in Murray Leinster's "A Thousand Degrees Below Zero". Explore the lost civilization of the Sargasso Sea in the first installment of "The Lost Empire"! We also get the next part of the sea-faring serial "The Opium Ship" as well as the concluding section of the spy story "Strasbourg Rose"! And that's only scratching the surface! So much more lies inside. We dare you to give The Thrill Book a listen. You'll be hooked! - Summary by Ben Tucker