This study sought to determine the loss in measurement precision at a passing ability and at other abilities of interest resulting from the use of nonoptimal, but reasonable and relevant, item difficulty distribution shapes. / Five alternatives to the optimal peaked distribution shape were compared on the basis of their precision relative to the optimal peaked distribution. The distribution shapes were represented by ten tests built in two ways. One set of tests was constructed using item difficulties from an existing minimum competency mastery test. These tests will be referred to as real tests. The other five tests were generated from a simulated, infinitely large item bank. / The relative precision curves produced by the different alternative item combinations were compared to determine which distribution shape generated the greatest precision in the region of the passing ability. As an empirical approach to the question, actual person-item responses were used to estimate abilities and mastery level on each of the five real tests. Mastery classifications by the original long test were used to identify the misclassifications made by each of the real tests. / The distributions centered on the passing score yielded similar error rates, but they differed in the pattern of classification errors made. The number of false passes and false fails were related to whether the test's area of maximum precision was above or below the passing ability. This implies that the types of classification errors made, as well as their number, may to some extent be controlled by the builder of a test. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-01, Section: A, page: 0159. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_75729 |
| Contributors | JULIAN, ELLEN RUTH., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 121 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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