Test Item Bias / Edition 1

by Steven J. Osterlind

Overview

A unique, practical manual for identifying and analyzing item bias in standardized tests. Osterlind discusses five strategies for detecting bias: analysis of variance, transformed item difficulties, chi square, item characteristic curve, and distractor response. He covers specific hypotheses under test for each technique, as well as the capabilities and limitations of each strategy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780803919891
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	04/01/1983
Series:	Quantitative Applications in the Social Sciences , #30
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	88
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Dr. Steven J. Osterlind is Professor of Measurement and Statistics and Director of Educational Psychology program, University of Missouri-Columbia. Dr. Osterlind’s expertise is in psychological assessment, including tests and measurement, statistics, psychometric methods and test development. He received his doctoral degree in 1976 in Educational Psychology (Measurement & Statistics) from the University of Southern California. In 1979, he was an American Scholar’s Fellow at Yale University. At the University of Missouri he teaches graduate-level courses in multivariate statistics, analysis of variance, regression, general linear modeling, and psychometric methods. Additionally, he teaches seminar courses on specialized topics, including Item Response Theory and Computer Applications of Testing. He has worked on numerous national testing programs, including serving as statistician for NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress). In licensing and certification, he has worked with dozens of professional associations and organizations on their assessment programs. Dr. Osterlind has authored five books, the most recent of which is a major textbook titled Modern Measurement: Theory, Principles, and Application of Mental Appraisal; and, he has written more than 60 articles, book chapters, and other research reports in assessment. Additionally, he has authored more than 20 tests. He is principle author of College Basic Academic Subjects Examination (C-BASE), a test of collegiate achievement test currently adopted by more than 100 universities across the nation.

Table of Contents

	Series Editor's Introduction	5
1.	Introduction	7
	What This Monograph Is About	7
	How This Monograph Is Organized	8
	What Is Bias?	10
	Assumptions and Terms	12
	Strategies Preview	14
	Quick but Incomplete Methods	16
	New Territory	18
2.	Analysis of Variance	20
	The Theory	23
	Post Hoc Procedures	25
	Problems and Limitations	26
	Research Examples	27
3.	Transformed Item Difficulties	28
	Advantages	29
	Tested Hypothesis	29
	The Procedures	30
	Transforming the Scale	32
	Major Axis and Distance Points	33
	How Far Is Far?	35
	Difficulties with TID	35
	Variations of TID	36
4.	Chi Square	38
	Establishing Ability Levels	41
	Notation	42
	The Methods	44
5.	Item Characteristic Curve	54
	Item Response Theory	54
	Assumptions of IRT	56
	The Three-Parameter Model	60
	Estimation of the Parameters	61
	Equating the Scales	65
	Comparing the Curves	67
	What Researchers Think of ICC	68
6.	Distractor Response Analysis	69
	The Procedures	70
	Significance Tests	73
	Post Hoc Procedures	74
7.	Summary	76
	References	81
	About the Author	85