Item response theory is a large sample procedure to estimate item parameters based on individual response strings. However, what happens when the data available to estimate item parameters is small? This situation is common when new assessment items are tried out for inclusion in future operational assessments, commonly called field testing. In field tests, many items are spread out over a fixe...

This paper applies the techniques of Item Response Theory (IRT) to data from the Statistics Concept Inventory (SCI). Based on results from the Fall 2005 post-test (n = 422 students), the analyses of IRT are compared with those of Classical Test Theory (CTT). The concepts are extended to discussions of other applications, such as computerized adaptive testing and Likertscale items which may be o...

OBJECTIVE To develop a calibrated item bank and computer adaptive test (CAT) to assess the effects of stigma on health-related quality of life in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN Grounded-theory based qualitative item development methods, large-scale item calibration field testing, confirmatory factor analysis, and item response theory (IRT)-based psychometric analyses. SET...

Due to the computerization of assessment tests, the use of Item Response Theory (IRT) has become commonplace for educational assessment development, evaluation, and refinement. When used appropriately by a Learning Management System (LMS), IRT can improve the assessment quality, increase the efficiency of the testing process, and provide in-depth descriptions of item and test properties. This p...

The effectiveness of confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) and item response theory (IRT) methods of assessing measurement invariance were investigated using simulated data with a known lack of invariance. Across all study conditions, IRT likelihood ratio (LR) tests consistently outperformed both CFA and IRT differential functioning of items and tests (DFIT) analyses in terms of detecting a lack o...

OBJECTIVE To provide comparisons and a worked example of item- and scale-level evaluations based on three psychometric methods used in patient-reported outcome development-classical test theory (CTT), item response theory (IRT), and Rasch measurement theory (RMT)-in an analysis of the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (VFQ-25). METHODS Baseline VFQ-25 data from 240 parti...

Item Response Theory (IRT) evaluates, on the same scale, examinees who take different tests. It requires linkage of examinees’ ability scores as estimated from However, IRT techniques assume independently random sampling abilities a standard normal distribution. Because this assumption, not only much labor to design, but it also has no guarantee optimality. To resolve that shortcoming, study pr...

The new R package flirt is introduced for flexible item response theory (IRT) modeling of psychological, educational, and behavior assessment data. flirt integrates a generalized linear and nonlinear mixed modeling framework with graphical model theory. The graphical model framework allows for efficient maximum likelihood estimation. The key feature of flirt is its modular approach to facilitat...

Measurement theories are important to practice in educational measurement because they provide a background for addressing measurement problems. One of the most important problems is dealing with the Measurement Errors. A good theory can help in understanding the role of errors they play in measurement; (a) To evaluate the examinee's ability to minimize errors and (b) Correlations between varia...

Assessment plays an important role in the distance-learning research. Generally, the process of instruction completed with the assessment that be used to evaluate learners’ learning efficiency, skill and knowledge. With the evaluation of assessment results, instructor can judge learners’ learning efficiency and ability; students also can find out whether they acquire the learning material compl...