PSYED 3484

Advanced Topics in Measurement

Scaling and Equating – 3 credits

Fall 2014

Time: Tuesdays 10:30-1:10

Room: 5520

Instructor: Suzanne Lane ()

Office hours:By appointment

Course Description

The course will cover test scaling and equating methods. This course is intended for students who have had psychometric theory and item response theory.

Requirements

Students are expected to complete paper-and pencil exercises, analyze data using computer packages, complete examinations, prepare lectures, and to prepare a literature review or proposal on a topic within equating.

Grades

Exercises:15%

Equating Exam:35%

Lecture Presentation20%

Paper/Presentation:30%

Text

Kolen, M.J. & Brennan, R.L. (2014). Test Equating, Scaling, and Linking (3rded.). New York, NY: Springer.

Assignments:

Students are expected to complete all exercises at the back of each assigned chapter. Students may work together or individually on these exercises. There will be two computer assignments that students can work together or individually on. However, each student needs to individually submit the completed assignments.

Lecture Presentation:

Students will work in pairs in presenting one of 5 topics. By Monday, September 1 rank order your preference for the following topics and email it to the instructor:

Chapter 5 - Nonequivalent Groups – Equipercentile Methods

Chapter 6 – Item Response Methods

Chapter 7 – Standard Errors of Equating

Chapter 9.1-9.99 – Score Scales

Chapter 9.10 and Chapter 10 – Vertical Scaling and Linking

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to comply with the University of Pittsburgh’s policy on Academic Integrity. The policy in its entirety can be accessed through the link below.

All students are expected to observe the same code of academic honesty required of all University of Pittsburgh students.

Under this code, all of the behaviors listed below are prohibited:

Taking of Information

Copying graded assignments, papers, or examinations from another student. Each written assignment must be the students’ own work.

Tendering of Information

  • Giving your work to another student to be copied.
  • Sharing answers to a quiz or examination.
  • Informing another student about the contents of an examination by any means of communication, including sharing a printed copy

Plagiarism

“To present as one’s own work, the ideas, representations, or words of another, or to permit another to present one’s own work without customary and proper acknowledgement of sources” (University of Pittsburgh Guidelines on Academic Integrity, p. 5).

Editing

In addition, the following rules need to be followed:

  • Students are required to get permission from instructors and academic advisor prior to having papers edited for style and grammar.
  • No exams (including take home exams) should be examined or modified by any other person.

Disability/Special Needs

If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact both your instructor and Disability Resources and Services (DRS), 216 William Pitt Union, 412-648-7890 (412-282-7355 for TTY), as early as possible in the term. DRS will verify your disability and determine reasonable accommodations for this course.

PSYED 3484: Advanced Topics in Measurement (Tentative)

DateTopicReading

8/26IntroductionChapter 1, K & B (2004)

9/2Observed Score Equating Using RG DesignChapter 2, K & B (2004)

9/9Random Groups – Smoothing inChapter 3, K & B (2004)

Equipercentile Equating

9/16Random Groups- Smoothing in Equip EquatingChapter 3, K & B (2004)

Nonequivalent Groups – Linear ModelsChapter 4, K & B (2004)

9/23Nonequivalent Groups – Linear ModelsChapter 4, K & B (2004)

9/30Need to Reschedule Day

Nonequivalent Groups – EquipercentileChapter 5, K & B (2004)

Methods

10/7Item Response Theory MethodsChapter 6, K & B (2004)

10/14University Scheduled – No Class

10/21In class Exam

10/28Standard Errorsof EquatingChapter 7, K & B (2004)

11/4Practical Issuesin EquatingChapter 8, K & B (2004)

11/11Score ScalesChapter 9, K & B (2004)

9.1-9.9

11/18Score Scales – Vertical Scaling Chapter 9, K & B (2004)

9.10

LinkingChapter 10, K & B (2004)

11/25Draft Paper/Proposal Due and Peer Critique Begins

12/2Student Presentations

12/9Final Proposal Due

Literature Review/Research Proposal on an Equating Topic

You are to choose a topic on equating for your literature review/proposal. The paper should be about 15 double-spaced typed pages and should follow APA guidelines. The first two paragraphs should clearly describe the equating topic/issue that you are reviewing. Your paper should be well organized (use headings) and provide an in-depth review of the topic. If it is a proposal you will need to describe your methodology as well.

At least half of your references should be references not used in the Kolen and Brennan (2004) text and should be dated between 2010 and 2014. Equating articles can be found in the following journals:

Journal of Educational Measurement

Applied Measurement in Education

Applied Psychological Measurement

Educational and Psychological Measurement

Psychometrika

Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice

You can also find recent publications on equating through the research divisions at ETS, ACT, NCIEA (Center for Assessment), Pearson, CTB and the College Board.

Potential equating paper topics are provided below. These are general topics so be sure you find a narrower issue within the area chosen.

Population Invariance and Equating

Vertical Scaling

Comparing Horizontal Equating Methods

Anchor item order effects on scores – context effects

Equating/Scaling Polytomous Items

Vertical scaling with multidimensional IRT models

Maintaining Vertical Scales