Alternative Response and Scoring Methods for Multiple-Choice Items: An Empirical Study of Probabilistic and Ordinal Response Modes

Binary, probability, and ordinal scoring proce dures for multiple-choice items were examined. In a situation where true scores were experimentally controlled by the manipulation of partial informa tion, it was found that both the probability and or dinal scoring systems were more reliable than the binary scoring method. A second experiment using vocabulary items and standard reliability estimation procedures also showed higher reliability for the two partial information scoring methods relative to binary scoring.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Use of the extreme groups approach: A critical reexamination and new recommendations

Analysis of continuous variables sometimes proceeds by selecting individuals on the basis of extreme scores of a sample distribution and submitting only those extreme scores to further analysis. This sampling method is known as the extreme groups approach (EGA). EGA is often used to achieve greater statistical power in subsequent hypothesis tests. However, there are several largely unrecognized costs associated with EGA that must be considered. The authors illustrate the effects EGA can have on power, standardized effect size, reliability, model specification, and the interpretability of results. Finally, the authors discuss alternative procedures, as well as possible legitimate uses of EGA. The authors urge researchers, editors, reviewers, and consumers to carefully assess the extent to which EGA is an appropriate tool in their own research and in that of others.This work was funded in part by National Institute on Drug Abuse Grant DA16883, awarded to Kristopher J. Preacher

Maximally correlated orthogonal composites and oblique factor analytic solutions

factor analysis, Procrustes, transformation,

Some relationships between the information function of IRT and the signal/noise ratio and reliability coefficient of classical test theory

test theory, IRT, reliability, information,

Ability estimation for conventional tests

item response theory, ability estimation, reliability,