Journal article
Can Examinees Use a Review Option to Obtain Positively Biased Ability Estimates on a Computerized Adaptive Test?
Journal of educational measurement, Vol.36(2), pp.141-157
06/1999
DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-3984.1999.tb00551.x
Abstract
Part of the controversy about allowing examinees to review and change answers to previous items on computerized adaptive tests (CATs) centers on a strategy for obtaining positively biased ability estimates attributed to Wainer (1993) in which examinees intentionally answer items incorrectly before review and to the best of their abilities upon review. Our results, based on both simulated and live testing data, showed that there were instances in which the Wainer strategy yielded inflated ability estimates as well as instances in which it yielded deflated ability estimates. The success of the strategy in inflating ability estimates depended on the ability estimation method used (maximum likelihood versus Bayesian), the examinee's true ability level, the standard error of the ability estimate, the examinee's ability to implement the strategy, and the type of decision made from the ability estimate. We discuss approaches to dealing with the Wainer strategy in operational CAT settings.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Can Examinees Use a Review Option to Obtain Positively Biased Ability Estimates on a Computerized Adaptive Test?
- Creators
- Walter P. Vispoel - University of IowaThomas R. Rocklin - University of IowaTianyou Wang - American College TestingTimothy Bleiler - University at Buffalo, State University of New York
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of educational measurement, Vol.36(2), pp.141-157
- Publisher
- Blackwell Publishing Ltd
- DOI
- 10.1111/j.1745-3984.1999.tb00551.x
- ISSN
- 0022-0655
- eISSN
- 1745-3984
- Number of pages
- 17
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/1999
- Academic Unit
- Center for Advanced Studies in Measurement and Assessment; Psychological and Quantitative Foundations
- Record Identifier
- 9984371265702771
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