TitleComputerized adaptive testing using the nearest-neighbors criterion
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2003
AuthorsCheng, PE, Liou, M
JournalApplied Psychological Measurement
Volume27
Number3
Pagination204-216
Publication Languageeng
Keywords(Statistical), Adaptive Testing, Computer Assisted Testing, Item Analysis, Item Response Theory, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Estimation computerized adaptive testing, Statistical Tests
Abstract

Item selection procedures designed for computerized adaptive testing need to accurately estimate every taker's trait level (θ) and, at the same time, effectively use all items in a bank. Empirical studies showed that classical item selection procedures based on maximizing Fisher or other related information yielded highly varied item exposure rates; with these procedures, some items were frequently used whereas others were rarely selected. In the literature, methods have been proposed for controlling exposure rates; they tend to affect the accuracy in θ estimates, however. A modified version of the maximum Fisher information (MFI) criterion, coined the nearest neighbors (NN) criterion, is proposed in this study. The NN procedure improves to a moderate extent the undesirable item exposure rates associated with the MFI criterion and keeps sufficient precision in estimates. The NN criterion will be compared with a few other existing methods in an empirical study using the mean squared errors in θ estimates and plots of item exposure rates associated with different distributions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2005 APA ) (journal abstract)