Intro to Item Analysis

Question 1

What two measurement frameworks are most commonly used to construct and evaluate tests?

Answer 1

Classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT).

Question 2

Which theory has a longer history?

Answer 2

CTT has a longer history than IRT.

Question 3

Which theory’s theoretical assumptions are considered to be weaker and why?

Answer 3

The theoretical assumptions of CTT are considered to be weaker because they can be easily met by most test data.

Question 4

CTT also focuses more on …

Answer 4

test-level information rather than item-level information. (i.e., on relating an examinee’s obtained test score to his true test score).

Question 5

CTT is most useful when …

Answer 5

the sample size being used to develop the test is small.

Question 6

In contrast, the underlying assumptions of IRT …

Answer 6

are more stringent (difficult to meet).

Question 7

IRT focuses on …

Answer 7

item-level information (i.e., on the relationship between an examinee’s response to a test item and his status with regard to the latent trait being measured by the item).

Question 8

IRT requires a …

Answer 8

large sample.