This celebrated primer presents an introduction to all of the key ingredients in understanding computerized adaptive testing technology, test development, statistics, and mental test theory. Based on years of research, this accessible book educates the novice and serves as a compendium of state-of-the-art information for professionals interested in computerized testing in the areas of education, psychology, and other related social sciences. A hypothetical test taken as a prelude to employment is used as a common example throughout to highlight this book's most important features and problems.
Changes in the new edition include:
*a completely rewritten chapter 2 on the system considerations needed for modern computerized adaptive testing;
*a revised chapter 4 to include the latest in methodology surrounding online calibration and in the modeling of testlets; and
*a new chapter 10 with helpful information on how test items are really selected, usage patterns, how usage patterns influence the number of new items required, and tools for managing item pools.
Arvustused
"The first edition of this primer...earned the reputation as the best available introduction to CAT, and for good reason. The authors...are among the leaders of the field and have a thorough experience in the practical development of CAT. Their writing is clear and lucid and the different parts of the book are nicely coordinated. The topics are a good mix of practical consideration (e.g., demands on the visual display of items) and psychometric theory (e.g., item response theory [ IRT], principles for item selection and proficiency estimation [ scoring])....the present edition contains some important additions to the first edition..." Quality of Life Research
"It has assembled the necessary theoretical, statistical, and practical foundations not provided in any other single resource, and it will enable language testers to evaluate the extent to which CATs are appropriate for the kinds of inferences and purposes we need to address in language assessment." Language Learning & Technology
Praise for the first edition... "...it is the first text concerning adaptive testing that is actually aimed at the nontechnical audience and, as such, makes a substantial contribution to the field." Contemporary Psychology
"The book is true to its title as a primer in the sense that little previous knowledge on CAT is necessary. Also, all necessary psychometric concepts are introduced and explained. The chapters on psychometrics provide very readable and fairly thorough introductions to the core concepts....I recommend this Primer on CAT as the best place to start on this endeavour." Quality of Life Research
Praise for the first edition... "The text provides an excellent coverage of computerized adaptive testing (CAT) by some of the foremost authorities today. The references and the GCAT example used throughout the book afford the reader a better understanding of the technical issues surrounding the creation and use of CAT." Randall E. Schumacker Educational and Psychological Measurement
Foreword to the First Edition ix C. Victor Bunderson Foreword to the Second Edition xiii Drew H. Gitomer Preface to the First Edition xvii Howard Wainer Preface to the Second Edition xxi Howard Wainer Introduction and History 1(22) Howard Wainer Prologue 1(1) The First Four Millennia of Mental Testing 2(2) The Origins of Mental Testing in the U.S. Military 4(2) The Origins of Admissions Testing for American Universities 6(3) Computerized Adaptive Testing 9(2) Important Issues in CAT 11(5) Challenges for the Future 16(1) The Structure and Use of a Gedanken Computerized Adaptive Test (The GCAT) 17(2) Acknowledgments 19(1) Annotated References 19(4) System Design and Operation 23(14) Bert F. Green The Test Scenario 23(3) System Issues 26(7) References 33(2) Exercises/Study Questions 35(2) Item Pools 37(24) Ronald Flaugher Introduction 37(2) Steps in the Development of an Item Pool 39(6) Illustration of GCAT Item Pool Construction 45(11) On the Topic of Dimensionality 56(1) Acknowledgments 57(1) References 57(2) Exercises/Study Questions 59(2) Item Response Theory, Item Calibration, and Proficiency Estimation 61(40) Howard Wainer Robert J. Mislevy Introduction 61(2) Item Response Theory 63(5) Estimating Proficiency 68(7) Estimating Item Parameters 75(13) Other Topics 88(6) Technical Appendix: Linking Procedures 94(3) References 97(3) Exercises/Study Questions 100(1) Testing Algorithms 101(34) David Thissen Robert J. Mislevy Introduction and Background 101(4) Item Selection CATs 105(10) An Illustration from GCAT 115(4) Topics Requiring Special Consideration 119(4) Two-Stage Testing and Testlets 123(5) Technical Appendix: Statistical Inference in CAT 128(2) References 130(3) Exercises/Study Questions 133(2) Scaling and Equating 135(24) Neil J. Dorans Scores and Scales 136(4) Scaling and CAT: A Perspective 140(1) The GCAT and GP&P Scales 141(2) Equating 143(9) Equating and CAT: A Perspective 152(1) GCAT to GP&P Equating: An Illustration 153(3) References 156(2) Exercises/Study Questions 158(1) Reliability and Measurement Precision 159(26) David Thissen Introduction and Background 160(5) Measurement Error 165(6) Other Sources of Error 171(3) Composite Scores 174(1) Comparison with Paper-and-Pencil Batteries 175(2) Illustrations of GCAT Measurement Precision 177(6) References 183(1) Exercises/Study Questions 184(1) Validity 185(46) Lynne Steinberg David Thissen Howard Wainer Construct-Related Validity 188(6) Criterion-Related Validity 194(15) Threats to Validity 209(16) References 225(4) Exercises/Study Questions 229(2) Future Challenges 231(40) Howard Wainer Neil J. Dorans Bert F. Green Robert J. Mislevy Lynne Steinberg David Thissen Introduction 231(1) Practical Issues 232(3) What if the Model is Wrong? 235(3) Model Elaboration 238(7) Testlets 245(9) Policy Issues 254(5) New Possibilities 259(5) References 264(6) Exercises/Study Questions 270(1) Caveats, Pitfalls, and Unexpected Consequences of Implementing Large-Scale Computerized Testing 271(30) Howard Wainer Daniel Eignor Introduction 271(1) Examinee Access 272(2) Item-Pool Usage and Security 274(9) Economic Realities of CAT 283(3) Operational Attempts at and Suggestions for Enhancing Security 286(8) What Have We Learned That Can Be Used in the Future? 294(2) Conclusion 296(1) References 297(2) Exercises/Study Questions 299(2) References 301(16) Abbreviations and Acronyms Used 317(2) Author Index 319(4) Subject Index 323
Howard Wainer, Neil J. Dorans, Ronald Flaugher, Bert F. Green, Robert J. Mislevy
