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Equating
Test equating traditionally refers to the statistical process of determining comparable scores on different forms of an exam. It can be accomplished using either classical test theory or item response theory. In item response theory, ''equating'' is the process of placing scores from two or more parallel test forms onto a common score scale. The result is that scores from two different test forms can be compared directly, or treated as though they came from the same test form. When the tests are not parallel, the general process is called linking. It is the process of equating the units and origins of two scales on which the abilities of students have been estimated from results on different tests. The process is analogous to equating degrees Fahrenheit with degrees Celsius by converting measurements from one scale to the other. The determination of comparable scores is a by-product of equating that results from equating the scales obtained from test results. Purpose Suppose th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anchor Test
In psychometrics, an anchor test is a common set of test items administered in combination with two or more alternative forms of the test with the aim of establishing the equivalence of the test scores on the alternative forms. The purpose of the anchor test is to provide a baseline for an equating Test equating traditionally refers to the statistical process of determining comparable scores on different forms of an exam. It can be accomplished using either classical test theory or item response theory. In item response theory, ''equating' ... analysis between different forms of a test. Anchor test is one type of psychological assessment tool to measure an individual's knowledge or cognitive ability by testing the same areas in different ways. In psychometrics, to develop assessment tools that are reliable for testing certain skills and abilities are what most Psychometricists are interested in. Anchor tests are not intended to test the subject's ability to take tests, interp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grading On A Curve
A norm-referenced test (NRT) is a type of test, assessment, or evaluation which yields an estimate of the position of the tested individual in a predefined population, with respect to the trait being measured. Assigning scores on such tests may be described as relative grading, marking on a curve ( BrE) or grading on a curve ( AmE, CanE) (also referred to as curved grading, bell curving, or using grading curves). It is a method of assigning grades to the students in a class in such a way as to obtain or approach a pre-specified distribution of these grades having a specific mean and derivation properties, such as a normal distribution (also called Gaussian distribution). The term "curve" refers to the bell curve, the graphical representation of the probability density of the normal distribution, but this method can be used to achieve any desired distribution of the grades – for example, a uniform distribution. The estimate is derived from the analysis of test scores and pos ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Exam
An examination (exam or evaluation) or test is an educational assessment intended to measure a test-taker's knowledge, skill, aptitude, physical fitness, or classification in many other topics (e.g., beliefs). A test may be administered verbally, on paper, on a computer-adaptive testing, computer, or in a predetermined area that requires a test taker to demonstrate or perform a set of skills. Tests vary in style, rigor and requirements. There is no general consensus or invariable standard for test formats and difficulty. Often, the format and difficulty of the test is dependent upon the educational philosophy of the instructor, subject matter, class size, policy of the educational institution, and requirements of accreditation or governing bodies. A test may be administered formally or informally. An example of an informal test is a reading test administered by a parent to a child. A formal test might be a final examination administered by a teacher in a classroom or an IQ te ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Classical Test Theory
Classical test theory (CTT) is a body of related psychometric theory that predicts outcomes of psychological Test (assessment), testing such as the difficulty of items or the ability of test-takers. It is a theory of testing based on the idea that a person's observed or obtained score on a test is the sum of a true score (error-free score) and an error score. Generally speaking, the aim of classical test theory is to understand and improve the Reliability (psychometric), reliability of psychological tests. ''Classical test theory'' may be regarded as roughly synonymous with ''true score theory''. The term "classical" refers not only to the chronology of these models but also contrasts with the more recent psychometric theories, generally referred to collectively as item response theory, which sometimes bear the appellation "modern" as in "modern latent trait theory". Classical test theory as we know it today was codified by and described in classic texts such as and . The descr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Item Response Theory
In psychometrics, item response theory (IRT, also known as latent trait theory, strong true score theory, or modern mental test theory) is a paradigm for the design, analysis, and scoring of Test (student assessment), tests, questionnaires, and similar instruments measurement, measuring abilities, attitudes, or other variables. It is a theory of testing based on the relationship between individuals' performances on a test item and the test takers' levels of performance on an overall measure of the ability that item was designed to measure. Several different statistical models are used to represent both item and test taker characteristics. Unlike simpler alternatives for creating scales and evaluating questionnaire responses, it does not assume that each item is equally difficult. This distinguishes IRT from, for instance, Likert scaling, in which ''"''All items are assumed to be replications of each other or in other words items are considered to be parallel instruments". By contrast ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
High-stakes Testing
A high-stakes test is a test with important consequences for the test taker. Passing has important benefits, such as a high school diploma, a scholarship, or a license to practice a profession. Failing has important disadvantages, such as being forced to take remedial classes until the test can be passed, not being allowed to drive a car, or difficulty finding employment. The use and misuse of high-stakes tests is a controversial topic in public education, especially in the United States and U.K., where they have become especially popular in recent years, used not only to assess school-age students but in attempts to increase teacher accountability. Definitions In common usage, a high-stakes test is any test that has major consequences or is the basis of a major decision. Under a more precise definition, a high-stakes test is any test that: * is a single, defined assessment, * has a clear line drawn between those who pass and those who fail, and * has direct consequences for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Interval Scale
Level of measurement or scale of measure is a classification that describes the nature of information within the values assigned to variables. Psychologist Stanley Smith Stevens developed the best-known classification with four levels, or scales, of measurement: nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio. This framework of distinguishing levels of measurement originated in psychology and has since had a complex history, being adopted and extended in some disciplines and by some scholars, and criticized or rejected by others. Other classifications include those by Mosteller and Tukey, and by Chrisman. Stevens's typology Overview Stevens proposed his typology in a 1946 ''Science'' article titled "On the theory of scales of measurement". In that article, Stevens claimed that all measurement in science was conducted using four different types of scales that he called "nominal", "ordinal", "interval", and "ratio", unifying both " qualitative" (which are described by his "nominal" ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frequency Distribution
In statistics, the frequency or absolute frequency of an Event (probability theory), event i is the number n_i of times the observation has occurred/been recorded in an experiment or study. These frequencies are often depicted graphically or tabular form. Types The cumulative frequency is the total of the absolute frequencies of all events at or below a certain point in an ordered list of events. The Empirical probability, relative frequency (or ''empirical probability'') of an event is the absolute frequency Normalizing constant, normalized by the total number of events: : f_i = \frac = \frac. The values of f_i for all events i can be plotted to produce a frequency distribution. In the case when n_i = 0 for certain i, pseudocounts can be added. Depicting frequency distributions A frequency distribution shows a summarized grouping of data divided into mutually exclusive classes and the number of occurrences in a class. It is a way of showing unorganized data notably to sh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mean
A mean is a quantity representing the "center" of a collection of numbers and is intermediate to the extreme values of the set of numbers. There are several kinds of means (or "measures of central tendency") in mathematics, especially in statistics. Each attempts to summarize or typify a given group of data, illustrating the magnitude and sign of the data set. Which of these measures is most illuminating depends on what is being measured, and on context and purpose. The ''arithmetic mean'', also known as "arithmetic average", is the sum of the values divided by the number of values. The arithmetic mean of a set of numbers ''x''1, ''x''2, ..., x''n'' is typically denoted using an overhead bar, \bar. If the numbers are from observing a sample of a larger group, the arithmetic mean is termed the '' sample mean'' (\bar) to distinguish it from the group mean (or expected value) of the underlying distribution, denoted \mu or \mu_x. Outside probability and statistics, a wide rang ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Standard Deviation
In statistics, the standard deviation is a measure of the amount of variation of the values of a variable about its Expected value, mean. A low standard Deviation (statistics), deviation indicates that the values tend to be close to the mean (also called the expected value) of the set, while a high standard deviation indicates that the values are spread out over a wider range. The standard deviation is commonly used in the determination of what constitutes an outlier and what does not. Standard deviation may be abbreviated SD or std dev, and is most commonly represented in mathematical texts and equations by the lowercase Greek alphabet, Greek letter Sigma, σ (sigma), for the population standard deviation, or the Latin script, Latin letter ''s'', for the sample standard deviation. The standard deviation of a random variable, Sample (statistics), sample, statistical population, data set, or probability distribution is the square root of its variance. (For a finite population, v ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Percentile
In statistics, a ''k''-th percentile, also known as percentile score or centile, is a score (e.g., a data point) a given percentage ''k'' of all scores in its frequency distribution exists ("exclusive" definition) or a score a given percentage of the all scores exists ("inclusive" definition); i.e. a score in the ''k''-th percentile would be above approximately ''k''% of all scores in its set. For example, the 97th percentile of data is a data point below which 97% of all data points exist (by the exclusive definition). Percentiles depends on how scores are arranged. Percentiles are a type of quantiles, obtained adopting a subdivision into 100 groups. The 25th percentile is also known as the first '' quartile'' (''Q''1), the 50th percentile as the ''median'' or second quartile (''Q''2), and the 75th percentile as the third quartile (''Q''3). For example, the 50th percentile (median) is the score (or , depending on the definition) which 50% of the scores in the distribution are ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
