Two Consequences of Improving a Test Battery

Abstract

Replacement of a paper-pencil test battery with a computerized adaptive version is likely to increase reliabilities of the subtests. This leads to an increase in the variances of composite scores, and to lower mean scores for subgroups whose average scores are already below those of the general population. These results are illustrated with a computer simulation. Item response theory and fast microcomputers have made computerized adaptive testing (CAT) a reality. In conventional paper-pencil (PP) testing, the same items are administered to all examinees. Items that are too easy or too difficult for a particular examinee provide little information about his ability. In contrast, CAT selects each item using available information about the examinee's ability. As a result, a CAT test can be more reliable than a longer PP test. Keywords: Psychology, Aptitude tests, ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery), CAT (Computerized Adaptive Testing), Performance (human), Reliability, Scoring, Statistical analysis, Test methods, Test scores.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 1988
Accession Number
ADB130485

Entities

People

  • D. R. Divgi

Organizations

  • Center for Naval Analyses

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Acquisition
  • Composite Materials
  • Computer Simulations
  • Computers
  • Department Of Defense
  • Management Personnel
  • Marine Corps
  • Marine Corps Operations
  • Mathematics
  • Military Personnel
  • Minority Groups
  • Reliability
  • Simulations
  • Standards
  • Training

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  • Psychometric Testing or Psychological Assessment.