Experiences in the Application of Item Response Theory in Test Construction

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Abstract
Certain potential benefits of using item response theory in test construction are discussed and evaluated using the experience and evidence accumulated during 9 years of using a three-parameter model in the construction of major achievement batteries. We also discuss several cautions and limitations in realizing these benefits as well as issues in need of further research. The potential benefits considered are those of getting "sample-free" item calibrations and "item-free" person measurement, automatically equating various tests, decreasing the standard errors of scores without increasing the number of items used by using item pattern scoring, assessing item bias (or differential item functioning) independently of difficulty in a manner consistent with item selection, being able to determine just how adequate a tryout pool of items may be, setting up computer-generated "ideal" tests drawn from pools as targets for test developers, and controlling the standard error of a selected test at any desired set of score levels.