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This new edition provides a step-by-step guide to applying the Rasch model in R, a probabilistic model used by researchers across the social sciences to measure unobservable (“latent”) variables. Although the focus is on simple R code, the book provides updated guidance through the point-and-click menus of BlueSky Statistics software.The book covers all Rasch models frequently used in social sciences, from the Simple Rasch model to the Rating Scale, Partial Credit, and Many-Facets Rasch models. Using a pragmatic approach to model-data fit, this book offers helpful practical examples to investigate Rasch model assumptions. In addition to traditional Rasch model approaches, it introduces the Rasch model as a special case of a Generalized Mixed Effects Model. Readers will also benefit from the online support material which includes all the code used in the book in downloadable and useable files.It also provides a comprehensive guide to R programming and practical guidance on using BlueSky Statistics software's point-and-click menus. This dual approach enables readers to experiment with data analysis using the provided data sets, enhancing their understanding and application of statistical concepts. It will be a valuable resource for both students and researchers who want to use Rasch models in their research.

The introduction and a theoretical summary of language anxiety research (Chapter 1) are followed by four chapters: Chapter 2 presents a meta-analysis of the widely used Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale's (Horwitz, et al., 1986) factorial structure; Chapter 3 reports on a validation study of the Hungarian version of MacIntyre and Gardner's (1994) Input, Process, and Output Anxiety Scales; Chapter 4 presents the development of a skills-based anxiety questionnaire through a three-phased study consisting of an exploratory qualitative phase as well as two quantitative phases using Rasch analysis; and Chapter 5 focuses on empirical approaches available for tapping into the dynamic change of this emotion, including the idiodynamic method and quantitative analyses such as latent growth curve modeling and dynamic cluster analysis.

This is the second edition of an introductory text that describes the principles of invariant measurement; how invariant measurement can be achieved using Rasch measurement theory; and how to use invariant measurement to solve a variety of measurement problems in the social, behavioral, and health sciences. Rasch models are used throughout the text, but brief comparisons of Rasch models to other item response theory (IRT) models are also provided.Written with students in mind, this new edition was class-tested to help maximize accessibility. Chapters open with an introduction and close with a discussion and summary. All chapters have been updated from the first edition, and a new chapter on explanatory Rasch models has been added. Features include numerous examples and exercises to demonstrate the main issues addressed in each chapter. Key terms are defined when first introduced and included in a helpful end-of-text glossary.This book also benefits from online materials which include the data sets used in the book, sample syntax files for running the Facets program, Excel files for creating item and person response functions, and links to related websites.This book will act as a supplementary text for graduate or advanced undergraduate courses on measurement or test theory, IRT, scaling theory, psychometrics, advanced measurement techniques, research methods, or evaluation research taught in education, psychology, and other social and health sciences. It will also appeal to practitioners and researchers in these fields who develop or use scales and instruments. Only a basic mathematical level is required, including a basic course in statistics, ensuring it is an accessible resource for students and researchers alike.

D-scoring Method of Measurement presents a unified framework of classical and latent measurement referred to as D-scoring method of measurement (DSM). Provided are detailed descriptions of DSM procedures and illustrative examples of how to apply the DSM in various scenarios of measurement. The DSM is designed to combine merits of the traditional CTT and IRT for the purpose of transparency, ease of interpretations, computational simplicity of test scoring and scaling, and practical efficiency, particularly in large-scale assessments. Through detailed descriptions of DSM procedures, this book shows how practical applications of such procedures are facilitated by the inclusion of operationalized guidance for their execution using the computer program DELTA for DSM-based scoring, equating, and item analysis of test data. In doing so, the book shows how DSM procedures can be readily translated into computer source codes for other popular software packages such as R. D-scoring Method of Measurement equips researchers and practitioners in the field of educational and psychological measurement with a comprehensive understanding of the DSM as a unified framework of classical and latent scoring, equating, and psychometric analysis.

This edited book is the first one written in English that deals comprehensively with behavior metrics. The term “behaviormetrics” comprehends the research including all sorts of quantitative approaches to disclose human behavior. Researchers in behavior metrics have developed, extended, and improved methods such as multivariate statistical analysis, survey methods, cluster analysis, machine learning, multidimensional scaling, corresponding analysis or quantification theory, network analysis, clustering, factor analysis, test theory, and related factors. In the spirit of behavior metrics, researchers applied these methods to data obtained by surveys, experiments, or websites from a diverse range of fields. The purpose of this book is twofold. One is to represent studies that display how the basic elements of behavior metrics have developed into present-day behavior metrics. The other is to represent studies performed mainly by those who would like to pioneer new fieldsof behavior metrics and studies that display elements of future behavior metrics. These studies consist of various characteristics such as those dealing with theoretical or conceptual subjects, the algorithm, the model, the method, and the application to a wide variety of fields. This book helps readers to understand the present and future of behavior metrics.

Constructing Measures introduces a way to understand the advantages and disadvantages of measurement instruments. It explains the ways to use such instruments, and how to apply these methods to develop new instruments or adapt old ones, based on item response modeling and construct references. Now in its second edition, this book focuses on the steps taken while constructing an instrument, and breaks down the'building blocks'that make up an instrument—the construct map, the design plan for the items, the outcome space, and the statistical measurement model. The material covers a variety of item formats, including multiple-choice, open-ended, and performance items, projects, portfolios, Likert and Guttman items, behavioral observations, and interview protocols. Each chapter includes an overview of the key concepts, related resources for further investigation, and exercises and activities. A variety of examples from the behavioral and social sciences and education—including achievement and performance testing, attitude measures, health measures, and general sociological scales—demonstrate the application of the material. New to this edition are additional example contexts including a cognitive/achievement example, an attitude example, and a behavioral example and new concentrations on specific measurement issues and practices such as standard-setting, computer-delivery and reporting, and going beyond the Likert response format.Constructing Measures is an invaluable text for undergraduate and graduate courses on item, test, or instrument development; measurement; item response theory; or Rasch analysis taught in a variety of departments, including education, statistics, and psychology. The book also appeals to practitioners who develop instruments, including industrial/organizational, educational, and school psychologists; health outcomes researchers; program evaluators; and sociological measurers.

This book focuses on the practical application of statistical techniques for assessing measurement invariance with less emphasis on theoretical development or exposition. Instead, it describes the methods using a pedagogical framework followed by extensive illustrations that demonstrate how to use software to analyze real data. The chapters illustrate the practical methods to assess measurement invariance and shows how to apply them to a range of data. The computer syntax and data sets used in this book are available for download here: people.umass.edu/cswells.

This is a highly accessible, comprehensive introduction to item response theory (IRT) models and their use in various aspects of assessment/testing. The book employs a mixture of graphics and simulated data sets to ease the reader into the material and covers the basics required to obtain a solid grounding in IRT.Written in an easily accessible way that assumes little mathematical knowledge, Carlson presents detailed descriptions of several commonly used IRT models, including those for items scored on a two-point (dichotomous) scale such as correct/incorrect, and those scored on multiple-point (polytomous) scales, such as degrees of correctness. One chapter describes a model in-depth and is followed by a chapter of instructions and illustrations showing how to apply the models to the reader's own work.This book is an essential text for instructors and higher level undergraduate and postgraduate students of statistics, psychometrics, and measurement theory across the behavioral and social sciences, as well as testing professionals.

Recognised as the most influential publication in the field, ARM facilitates deep understanding of the Rasch model and its practical applications. The authors review the crucial properties of the model and demonstrate its use with examples across the human sciences. Readers will be able to understand and critically evaluate Rasch measurement research, perform their own Rasch analyses and interpret their results. The glossary and illustrations support that understanding, and the accessible approach means that it is ideal for readers without a mathematical background.Highlights of the new edition include: More learning tools to strengthen readers'understanding including chapter introductions, boldfaced key terms, chapter summaries, activities and suggested readings. Greater emphasis on the use of R packages; readers can download the R code from the Routledge website. Explores the distinction between numerical values, quantity and units, to understand the measurement and the role of the Rasch logit scale (Chapter 4). A new four-option data set from the IASQ (Instrumental Attitude towards Self-assessment Questionnaire) for the Rating Scale Model (RSM) analysis exemplar (Chapter 6). Clarifies the relationship between Rasch measurement, path analysis and SEM, with a host of new examples of Rasch measurement applied across health sciences, education and psychology (Chapter 10). Intended as a text for graduate courses in measurement, item response theory, (advanced) research methods or quantitative analysis taught in psychology, education, human development, business, and other social and health sciences. Professionals in these areas will also appreciate the book's accessible introduction.

Modellieren hat als Erkenntnisgewinnungsmethode der Naturwissenschaften zwar Eingang in die deutschen Bildungsstandards der naturwissenschaftlichen Fächer gefunden, bei der Evaluation des Bildungssystems ist naturwissenschaftliches Modellieren im Vergleich zu Fachwissen bisher allerdings unterrepräsentiert. Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist es, diese Lücke mit dem Ansatz theoriegeleiteter, evidenzbasierter Kompetenzmodellierung zu schließen. Aus systematisierter Zusammenschau existierender Theorien wird ein Kompetenzmodell physikalischer Modellierungskompetenz abgeleitet und strukturell validiert. Aus den Kompetenzbeschreibungen werden in den zwei physikalischen Inhaltsbereichen Kinematik und Optik Testinstrumente konstruiert, selegiert und pilotiert, um in je einer Hauptstudie das Kompetenzmodell empirisch in beiden Inhaltsbereichen zu überprüfen. Zusammenfassend zeigt diese Arbeit, dass physikalische Modellierungskompetenz in eine prozedurale, deklarative und epistemologisch-metakognitive Komponente gefasst werden kann. Sie bietet eine theoretische und empirische Basis, um diese zentrale naturwissenschaftliche Denk- und Arbeitsweise als festen Bestandteil naturwissenschaftlicher Grundbildung in der Unterrichtsentwicklung sowie bei der Evaluation des Bildungssystems zu etablieren.

This unique text provides a step-by-step beginner's guide to applying the Rasch model in R, a probabilistic model used by researchers across the social sciences to measure unobservable ('latent') variables. Each chapter is devoted to one popular Rasch model, ranging from the least to the most complex. Through a freely available and user-friendly package, BlueSky Statistics, Lamprianou offers a range of options for presenting results, critically examines the strengths and weaknesses of applying the Rasch model in each instance, and suggests more effective methodologies where applicable. With a focus on simple software code which does not assume extensive mathematical knowledge, the reader is initially introduced to the so-called simple Rasch Model to construct a'political activism'variable out of a group of dichotomously scored questions. In subsequent chapters, the book covers everything from the Rating Scale to the Many-facets Rasch model. The final chapter even showcases a complete mock manuscript, demonstrating how a Rasch-based paper on the identification of online hate speech should look like. Combining theoretical rigor and real-world examples with empirical datasets from published papers, this book is essential reading for students and researchers alike who aspire to use Rasch models in their research.

This new text provides the most current coverage of measurement and psychometrics in a single volume. Authors W. Holmes Finch and Brian F. French first review the basics of psychometrics and measurement, before moving on to more complex topics such as equating and scaling, item response theory, standard setting, and computer adaptive testing. Also included are discussions of cutting-edge topics utilized by practitioners in the field, such as automated test development, game-based assessment, and automated test scoring. This book is ideal for use as a primary text for graduate-level psychometrics/measurement courses, as well as for researchers in need of a broad resource for understanding test theory. Features:'How it Works'and'Psychometrics in the Real World'boxes break down important concepts through worked examples, and show how theory can be applied to practice. End-of-chapter exercises allow students to test their comprehension of the material, while suggested readings and website links provide resources for further investigation. A collection of free online resources include the full output from R, SPSS, and Excel for each of the analyses conducted in the book, as well as additional exercises, sample homework assignments, answer keys, and PowerPoint lecture slides.

Intended to bridge the gap between the latest methodological developments and cross-cultural research, this interdisciplinary resource presents the latest strategies for analyzing cross-cultural data. Techniques are demonstrated through the use of applications that employ cross-national data sets such as the latest European Social Survey. With an emphasis on the generalized latent variable approach, internationally prominent researchers from a variety of fields explain how the methods work, how to apply them, and how they relate to other methods presented in the book. Syntax and graphical and verbal explanations of the techniques are included. Online resources, available at www.routledge.com/9781138690271, include some of the data sets and syntax commands used in the book. Applications from the behavioral and social sciences that use real data-sets demonstrate: The use of samples from 17 countries to validate the resistance to change scale across these nations How to test the cross-national invariance properties of social trust The interplay between social structure, religiosity, values, and social attitudes A comparison of anti-immigrant attitudes and patterns of religious orientations across European countries. The second edition includes six new chapters and two revised ones presenting exciting developments in the literature of cross-cultural analysis including topics such as approximate measurement invariance, alignment optimization, sensitivity analyses, a mixed-methods approach to test for measurement invariance, and a multilevel structural equation modeling approach to explain noninvariance. This book is intended for researchers, practitioners, and advanced students interested in cross-cultural research. Because the applications span a variety of disciplines, the book will appeal to researchers and students in: psychology, political science, sociology, education, marketing and economics, geography, criminology, psychometrics, epidemiology, and public health, as well as those interested in methodology. It is also appropriate for an advanced methods course in cross-cultural analysis.

The purpose of this book is to present methods for developing, evaluating and maintaining rater-mediated assessment systems. Rater-mediated assessments involve ratings that are assigned by raters to persons responding to constructed-response items (e.g., written essays and teacher portfolios) and other types of performance assessments. This book addresses the following topics: (1) introduction to the principles of invariant measurement, (2) application of the principles of invariant measurement to rater-mediated assessments, (3) description of the lens model for rater judgments, (4) integration of principles of invariant measurement with the lens model of cognitive processes of raters, (5) illustration of substantive and psychometric issues related to rater-mediated assessments in terms of validity, reliability, and fairness, and (6) discussion of theoretical and practical issues related to rater-mediated assessment systems. Invariant measurement is fast becoming the dominant paradigm for assessment systems around the world, and this book provides an invaluable resource for graduate students, measurement practitioners, substantive theorists in the human sciences, and other individuals interested in invariant measurement when judgments are obtained with rating scales.

This volume presents a collection of chapters focused on the study of multivariate change. As people develop and change, multivariate measurement of that change and analysis of those measures can illuminate the regularities in the trajectories of individual development, as well as time-dependent changes in population averages. As longitudinal data have recently become much more prevalent in psychology and the social sciences, models of change have become increasingly important. This collection focuses on methodological, statistical, and modeling aspects of multivariate change and applications of longitudinal models to the study of psychological processes. The volume is divided into three major sections: Extension of latent change models, Measurement and testing issues in longitudinal modeling, and Novel applications of multivariate longitudinal methodology. It is intended for advanced students and researchers interested in learning about state-of-the-art techniques for longitudinal data analysis, as well as understanding the history and development of such techniques.

Das Ziel des interdisziplinär angelegten Bandes ist die Entwicklung und Validierung standardisierter Testverfahren zur Erfassung von Professionalisierungsprozessen im Lehramtsstudium. Hierbei werden für die Testentwicklung in den Domänen Deutsch, Mathematik und Geschichte sowie für den kompetenten Umgang mit Heterogenität ein gemeinsamer theoretischer Rahmen sowie ein gemeinsames methodisches Vorgehen zugrunde gelegt. So soll es ermöglicht werden, vergleichbare Ergebnisse für Professionalisierungsprozesse angehender Lehrkräfte in den verschiedenen Domänen zu erzielen, die bislang nur eingeschränkt vorliegen.

Der Autor untersucht die Kompetenzentwicklung zum nachhaltigen Wirtschaften bei kaufmännischen Auszubildenden im Ausbildungsverlauf. Das zugrunde gelegte Kompetenzmodell basiert auf einer Verschränkung kognitionspsychologischer mit verhaltenstheoretischen Annahmen. Den Kern dieses Models bilden die Handlungsintention, nachhaltig zu wirtschaften sowie das deklarative Wissen über Nachhaltigkeit und nachhaltiges Wirtschaften. Beide Skalen werden über kognitive und affektiv-motivationale Faktoren, wahrgenommene Wert- und Normorientierungen, unterschiedliche Lerngelegenheiten sowie soziodemografische Aspekte kontrolliert. Der Band belegt, dass eine Förderung von Kompetenzen hinsichtlich einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung ein wichtiges Desiderat in der beruflichen Bildung darstellt.

This book collects and organizes the original studies presented at PROMS 2015 conference on theories and applications of Rasch model. It provides useful examples of the Rasch model used to address practical measurement problems across a range of different disciplines including Item Response Theory (IRT), philosophy of measurement, dimensionality, the role of fit statistics and residuals, application, educational application, language testing, health-related research, business and industrial application and Rasch-based computer software. PROMS 2015 (Pacific Rim Objective Measurement Symposium) was held from August 20-24th 2015, in Fukuoka, Japan. The goal of this conference is to bring together the researchers from academia, universities, hospitals, industry, management sector as well as practitioners to share ideas, problems and solutions relating to the multifaceted aspects of Rasch Model.

Methodological Issues in Aging Research is the first volume in the'Notre Dame Series on Quantitative Methodology.'This new series provides practical training on the latest quantitative methods used in social and behavioral research. Each volume features contributions from leading experts in state-of-the-art techniques applicable to a selected substantive topic.The first series volume provides researchers with innovative techniques for the collection and analyses of data focusing on aging and lifespan development. The book addresses such techniques as structural equation modeling, latent class analysis, hierarchical linear growth curve modeling, dynamical systems analysis, multivariate Rasch models, survival analysis, multilevel modeling, and quantitative genetic methods. These new techniques provide: better estimates of the direct effect of environmental or treatment effects and the dynamic pattern of genetic and environmental influences on adult development more precise predictions of outcomes which in turn increase the diagnostic power of test instruments the potential for developing new treatments that take advantage of the intrinsic dynamics of the course of a disease or age-related change to enhance treatment Methodological Issues in Aging Research appeals to advanced students and researchers in lifespan development, gerontology, health psychology, and other fields related to human development. It can be used as a main or supplemental text for advanced courses related to developmental research methods.

This book demonstrates how to conduct latent variable modeling (LVM) in R by highlighting the features of each model, their specialized uses, examples, sample code and output, and an interpretation of the results. Each chapter features a detailed example including the analysis of the data using R, the relevant theory, the assumptions underlying the model, and other statistical details to help readers better understand the models and interpret the results. Every R command necessary for conducting the analyses is described along with the resulting output which provides readers with a template to follow when they apply the methods to their own data. The basic information pertinent to each model, the newest developments in these areas, and the relevant R code to use them are reviewed. Each chapter also features an introduction, summary, and suggested readings. A glossary of the text's boldfaced key terms and key R commands serve as helpful resources. The book is accompanied by a website with exercises, an answer key, and the in-text example data sets.Latent Variable Modeling with R:-Provides some examples that use messy data providing a more realistic situation readers will encounter with their own data.-Reviews a wide range of LVMs including factor analysis, structural equation modeling, item response theory, and mixture models and advanced topics such as fitting nonlinear structural equation models, nonparametric item response theory models, and mixture regression models.-Demonstrates how data simulation can help researchers better understand statistical methods and assist in selecting the necessary sample size prior to collecting data.-www.routledge.com/9780415832458 provides exercises that apply the models along with annotated R output answer keys and the data that corresponds to the in-text examples so readers can replicate the results and check their work.The book opens with basic instructions in how to use R to read data, download functions, and conduct basic analyses. From there, each chapter is dedicated to a different latent variable model including exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), structural equation modeling (SEM), multiple groups CFA/SEM, least squares estimation, growth curve models, mixture models, item response theory (both dichotomous and polytomous items), differential item functioning (DIF), and correspondance analysis. The book concludes with a discussion of how data simulation can be used to better understand the workings of a statistical method and assist researchers in deciding on the necessary sample size prior to collecting data. A mixture of independently developed R code along with available libraries for simulating latent models in R are provided so readers can use these simulations to analyze data using the methods introduced in the previous chapters.Intended for use in graduate or advanced undergraduate courses in latent variable modeling, factor analysis, structural equation modeling, item response theory, measurement, or multivariate statistics taught in psychology, education, human development, and social and health sciences, researchers in these fields also appreciate this book's practical approach. The book provides sufficient conceptual background information to serve as a standalone text. Familiarity with basic statistical concepts is assumed but basic knowledge of R is not.

Psychological tests provide reliable and objective standards by which individuals can be evaluated in education and employment. Therefore accurate judgements must depend on the reliability and quality of the tests themselves. Originally published in 1986, this handbook by an internationally acknowledged expert provided an introductory and comprehensive treatment of the business of constructing good tests.Paul Kline shows how to construct a test and then to check that it is working well. Covering most kinds of tests, including computer presented tests of the time, Rasch scaling and tailored testing, this title offers: a clear introduction to this complex field; a glossary of specialist terms; an explanation of the objective of reliability; step-by-step guidance through the statistical procedures; a description of the techniques used in constructing and standardizing tests; guidelines with examples for writing the test items; computer programs for many of the techniques.Although the computer testing will inevitably have moved on, students on courses in occupational, educational and clinical psychology, as well as in psychological testing itself, would still find this a valuable source of information, guidance and clear explanation.

Item response theory (IRT) has moved beyond the confines of educational measurement into assessment domains such as personality, psychopathology, and patient-reported outcomes. Classic and emerging IRT methods and applications that are revolutionizing psychological measurement, particularly for health assessments used to demonstrate treatment effectiveness, are reviewed in this new volume. World renowned contributors present the latest research and methodologies about these models along with their applications and related challenges. Examples using real data, some from NIH-PROMIS, show how to apply these models in actual research situations. Chapters review fundamental issues of IRT, modern estimation methods, testing assumptions, evaluating fit, item banking, scoring in multidimensional models, and advanced IRT methods. New multidimensional models are provided along with suggestions for deciding among the family of IRT models available. Each chapter provides an introduction, describes state-of-the art research methods, demonstrates an application, and provides a summary. The book addresses the most critical IRT conceptual and statistical issues confronting researchers and advanced students in psychology, education, and medicine today. Although the chapters highlight health outcomes data the issues addressed are relevant to any content domain.The book addresses:IRT models applied to non-educational data especially patient reported outcomesDifferences between cognitive and non-cognitive constructs and the challenges these bring to modeling. The application of multidimensional IRT models designed to capture typical performance data. Cutting-edge methods for deriving a single latent dimension from multidimensional dataA new model designed for the measurement of constructs that are defined on one end of a continuum such as substance abuseScoring individuals under different multidimensional IRT models and item banking for patient-reported health outcomesHow to evaluate measurement invariance, diagnose problems with response categories, and assess growth and change. Part 1 reviews fundamental topics such as assumption testing, parameter estimation, and the assessment of model and person fit. New, emerging, and classic IRT models including modeling multidimensional data and the use of new IRT models in typical performance measurement contexts are examined in Part 2. Part 3 reviews the major applications of IRT models such as scoring, item banking for patient-reported health outcomes, evaluating measurement invariance, linking scales to a common metric, and measuring growth and change. The book concludes with a look at future IRT applications in health outcomes measurement. The book summarizes the latest advances and critiques foundational topics such a multidimensionality, assessment of fit, handling non-normality, as well as applied topics such as differential item functioning and multidimensional linking. Intended for researchers, advanced students, and practitioners in psychology, education, and medicine interested in applying IRT methods, this book also serves as a text in advanced graduate courses on IRT or measurement. Familiarity with factor analysis, latent variables, IRT, and basic measurement theory is assumed.

Originally published in 1983 and written in the tradition of the British School of Psychology, Spearman, Burt, Eysenck, Cattell, this book from a well-known author was exceptional at the time in its attempt to wed quantification and psychological theory in the study of personality. The student is presented with a discussion of the different methods of measuring personality and the various findings which have been made. The results are then discussed in the light of psychological theories of personality and here the author stresses the need for a theory with a properly quantified bias.However, the emphasis on findings from measurement and not the measurement itself makes the book psychological, truly about personality and not simply another text on psychological measurement.

Originally published in 1995, this book was the most up-to-date and comprehensive account of research on occupational stress at the time. It identifies the sources, consequences and treatments of stress in the workplace from the perspective of organizational psychology and makes clear recommendations for future work in this area. Terry Beehr discusses how role ambiguity and conflict act as stressors in the workplace, and discusses the characteristics of the job and the organization itself that can adversely affect performance. He examines the effects of stress in the workplace and describes methods that can be used to alleviate the problem, both at the individual and organizational level.In addition, the book is illustrated with many examples from field research over the author's twenty years of experience in studying the workplace. This book will be of considerable interest to students and researchers in occupational psychology, as well as managers and trainers. Terry Beehr is still working in this field today.

Data analysis, machine learning and knowledge discovery are research areas at the intersection of computer science, artificial intelligence, mathematics and statistics. They cover general methods and techniques that can be applied to a vast set of applications such as web and text mining, marketing, medicine, bioinformatics and business intelligence. This volume contains the revised versions of selected papers in the field of data analysis, machine learning and knowledge discovery presented during the 36th annual conference of the German Classification Society (GfKl). The conference was held at the University of Hildesheim (Germany) in August 2012. ​

At the International Meeting of the Psychometric Society in Osaka, Japan, more than 300 participants from 19 countries gathered to discuss recent developments in the theory and application of psychometrics. This volume of proceedings includes papers on methods of psychometrics such as the structural equation model and item response theory. The book is in eight major sections: keynote speeches and invited lectures; structural equation modeling and factor analysis; IRT and adaptive testing; multivariate statistical methods; scaling; classification methods; and independent and principal component analysis. The 80 papers collected here provide a valuable source of information for all who are concerned with psychometrics, mathematical and statistical applications, and data analysis in psychological and behavioral sciences.

Quels sont les instruments et outils de mesure psychologiques existants pour étayer les recherches scientifiques?Les questionnaires d'évaluation sont les instruments les plus utilisés aujourd'hui dans le domaine de la médecine et des sciences humaines pour évaluer des variables telles que l'incapacité physique, l'altruisme ou la douleur. Pourtant les praticiens connaissent souvent mal ces instruments. Que mesurent-ils vraiment? Comment les résultats doivent-ils être interprétés? Le présent ouvrage s'efforce de répondre à ces questions. Il ne s'agit pas d'un simple mode d'emploi des questionnaires d'évaluation. Son objectif principal est de fournir à tous, chercheurs et praticiens, les bases méthodologiques nécessaires pour développer un tel instrument et pour en interpréter les résultats. Après avoir exposé les fondements d'une mesure objective formulés par le modèle de Rasch, les auteurs adressent une série de questions fréquemment posées dans leur contexte d'application. Quels sont les critères d'une mesure objective? Les résultats peuvent-ils être interprétés de manière quantitative? Comment valider un tel instrument de mesure? Peut-on comparer les réponses observées chez différents groupes de sujets? Six chapitres, agrémentés de nombreux exemples pratiques et d'exercices résolus, exposent les bases méthodologiques de l'évaluation quantitative à l'aide du modèle de Rasch. Le septième chapitre décrit, pas à pas, les étapes du développement et de la validation d'une échelle de mesure de l'habileté manuelle.Un ouvrage de référence pour interpréter les données et les résultats de certains tests psychologiques.A PROPOS DES AUTEURS Carlyne Arnould est licenciée en kinésithérapie et réadaptation et Assistante de recherche.Céline Decruynaere est licenciée en kinésithérapie et réadaptation et Assistante de recherche.Massimo Penta est ingénieur industriel et Docteur en Sciences biomédicales. Ses recherches portent sur les méthodes psychométriques et l'évaluation fonctionnelle en réadaptation. Il développe un logiciel permettant l'encodage et l'interprétation d'instruments d'évaluation à l'aide du modèle de Rasch.

Whether the concept being studied is job satisfaction, self-efficacy, or student motivation, values and attitudes--affective characteristics--provide crucial keys to how individuals think, learn, and behave. And not surprisingly, as measurement of these traits gains importance in the academic and corporate worlds, there is an ongoing need for valid, scientifically sound instruments. For those involved in creating self-report measures, the completely updated Third Edition of Instrument Development in the Affective Domain balances the art and science of instrument development and evaluation, covering both its conceptual and technical aspects. The book is written to be accessible with the minimum of statistical background, and reviews affective constructs from a measurement standpoint. Examples are drawn from academic and business settings for insights into design as well as the relevance of affective measures to educational and corporate testing. This systematic analysis of all phases of the design process includes: Measurement, scaling, and item-writing techniques.Validity issues: collecting evidence based on instrument content.Testing the internal structure of an instrument: exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Measurement invariance and other advanced methods for examining internal structure.Strengthening the validity argument: relationships to external variables. Addressing reliability issues. As a graduate course between covers and an invaluable professional tool, the Third Edition of Instrument Design in the Affective Domain will be hailed as a bedrock resource by researchers and students in psychology, education, and the social sciences, as well as human resource professionals in the corporate world.

Psychology is of interest to academics from many fields, as well as to the thousands of academic and clinical psychologists and general public who can't help but be interested in learning more about why humans think and behave as they do. This award-winning twelve-volume reference covers every aspect of the ever-fascinating discipline of psychology and represents the most current knowledge in the field. This ten-year revision now covers discoveries based in neuroscience, clinical psychology's new interest in evidence-based practice and mindfulness, and new findings in social, developmental, and forensic psychology.

This book is the report of a collaborative effort. Frank Porporino and I arrived at the starting point for our work together by very different routes. Originally trained as an experimental psychologist, I had become in­ creasingly restive within the confines of the laboratory, and spent a sab­ batical year in the equivalent of a clinical internship. I then spent some time as a part-time consultant in a local penitentiary. Most of my time in the institution was spent with inmates with a variety of problems, probably about 50 individuals over the course of a year. Although this was far fewer than a full-time psychologist in the system might encounter, it served as a quick cram course on problem prisoners and prisoner problems. Very quickly my stereotypes about convicts were shown to be virtually useless. I learned that the criminal classes included all levels of society, and that the behavior of prisoners was the same as that of other human beings in a difficult environment.

First Published in 2008. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Psychology is of interest to academics from many fields, as well as to the thousands of academic and clinical psychologists and general public who can't help but be interested in learning more about why humans think and behave as they do. This award-winning twelve-volume reference covers every aspect of the ever-fascinating discipline of psychology and represents the most current knowledge in the field. This ten-year revision now covers discoveries based in neuroscience, clinical psychology's new interest in evidence-based practice and mindfulness, and new findings in social, developmental, and forensic psychology.

This book reviews the statistical procedures used to detect measurement bias. Measurement bias is examined from a general latent variable perspective so as to accommodate different forms of testing in a variety of contexts including cognitive or clinical variables, attitudes, personality dimensions, or emotional states. Measurement models that underlie psychometric practice are described, including their strengths and limitations. Practical strategies and examples for dealing with bias detection are provided throughout.The book begins with an introduction to the general topic, followed by a review of the measurement models used in psychometric theory. Emphasis is placed on latent variable models, with introductions to classical test theory, factor analysis, and item response theory, and the controversies associated with each, being provided. Measurement invariance and bias in the context of multiple populations is defined in chapter 3 followed by chapter 4 that describes the common factor model for continuous measures in multiple populations and its use in the investigation of factorial invariance. Identification problems in confirmatory factor analysis are examined along with estimation and fit evaluation and an example using WAIS-R data. The factor analysis model for discrete measures in multiple populations with an emphasis on the specification, identification, estimation, and fit evaluation issues is addressed in the next chapter. An MMPI item data example is provided. Chapter 6 reviews both dichotomous and polytomous item response scales emphasizing estimation methods and model fit evaluation. The use of models in item response theory in evaluating invariance across multiple populations is then described, including an example that uses data from a large-scale achievement test. Chapter 8 examines item bias evaluation methods that use observed scores to match individuals and provides an example that applies item response theory to data introduced earlier in the book. The book concludes with the implications of measurement bias for the use of tests in prediction in educational or employment settings.A valuable supplement for advanced courses on psychometrics, testing, measurement, assessment, latent variable modeling, and/or quantitative methods taught in departments of psychology and education, researchers faced with considering bias in measurement will also value this book.

This comprehensive Handbook focuses on the most used polytomous item response theory (IRT) models. These models help us understand the interaction between examinees and test questions where the questions have various response categories. The book reviews all of the major models and includes discussions about how and where the models originated, conceptually and in practical terms. Diverse perspectives on how these models can best be evaluated are also provided. Practical applications provide a realistic account of the issues practitioners face using these models. Disparate elements of the book are linked through editorial sidebars that connect common ideas across chapters, compare and reconcile differences in terminology, and explain variations in mathematical notation. These sidebars help to demonstrate the commonalities that exist across the field. By assembling this critical information, the editors hope to inspire others to use polytomous IRT models in their own research so they too can achieve the type of improved measurement that such models can provide. Part 1 examines the most commonly used polytomous IRT models, major issues that cut across these models, and a common notation for calculating functions for each model. An introduction to IRT software is also provided. Part 2 features distinct approaches to evaluating the effectiveness of polytomous IRT models in various measurement contexts. These chapters appraise evaluation procedures and fit tests and demonstrate how to implement these procedures using IRT software. The final section features groundbreaking applications. Here the goal is to provide solutions to technical problems to allow for the most effective use of these models in measuring educational, psychological, and social science abilities and traits. This section also addresses the major issues encountered when using polytomous IRT models in computerized adaptive testing. Equating test scores across different testing contexts is the focus of the last chapter. The various contexts include personality research, motor performance, health and quality of life indicators, attitudes, and educational achievement. Featuring contributions from the leading authorities, this handbook will appeal to measurement researchers, practitioners, and students who want to apply polytomous IRT models to their own research. It will be of particular interest to education and psychology assessment specialists who develop and use tests and measures in their work, especially researchers in clinical, educational, personality, social, and health psychology. This book also serves as a supplementary text in graduate courses on educational measurement, psychometrics, or item response theory.

This Compendium is a comprehensive reference manual containing an extensive selection of instruments developed to measure signs and symptoms commonly encountered in neurological conditions, both progressive and non-progressive. It provides a repository of established instruments, as well as newly-developed scales, and covers all aspects of the functional consequences of acquired brain impairment.In particular, the text provides a detailed review of approximately 150 specialist instruments for the assessment of people with neurological conditions such as dementia, multiple sclerosis, stroke and traumatic brain injury. Part A presents scales examining body functions, including consciousness and orientation; general and specific cognitive functions; regulation of behaviour, thought, and emotion; and motor-sensory functions. Part B reviews scales of daily living activities and community participation. Part C focuses on contextual factors, specifically environmental issues, and Part D contains multidimensional and quality of life instruments.Each instrument is described in a stand-alone report using a uniform format. A brief history of the instrument's development is provided, along with a description of item content and administration/scoring procedures. Psychometric properties are reviewed and a critical commentary is provided. Key references are cited and in most cases the actual scale is included, giving the reader easy access to the instrument. The structure of the book directly maps onto the taxonomy of the influential International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (World Health Organization, 2001), enabling linkage of clinical concepts across health conditions.The Compendium will be a valuable reference for clinicians, researchers, educators, and graduate students, and a practical resource for those involved in the assessment of people with brain impairment. The book is accompanied by a password protected website. For a one-off payment, purchasers of the book can gain online access to the majority of the tests, scales and questionnaires featured in the book as downloadable PDFs. See inside the book for more details.

This book provides an up-to-date review of commonly undertaken methodological and statistical practices that are sustained, in part, upon sound rationale and justification and, in part, upon unfounded lore. Some examples of these'methodological urban legends', as we refer to them in this book, are characterized by manuscript critiques such as: (a)'your self-report measures suffer from common method bias'; (b)'your item-to-subject ratios are too low'; (c)'you can't generalize these findings to the real world'; or (d)'your effect sizes are too low'.Historically, there is a kernel of truth to most of these legends, but in many cases that truth has been long forgotten, ignored or embellished beyond recognition. This book examines several such legends. Each chapter is organized to address: (a) what the legend is that'we (almost) all know to be true'; (b) what the'kernel of truth'is to each legend; (c) what the myths are that have developed around this kernel of truth; and (d) what the state of the practice should be. This book meets an important need for the accumulation and integration of these methodological and statistical practices.

Joys and Sorrows of Imaginary Persons is a literary approach to consciousness where Donald Wesling denies that emotion is the scandal or handmaid of reason—rather emotion is the co-creator with reason of human life in the world. Discoveries in neuro-science in the 1990s Decade of the Brain have proven that thinking and feeling are wrapped with each other, and regulate and fulfill each other. Accepting this co-creative equality, we reveal a new role for literature, or a traditional role we've repressed: literature as a set of processes in time where we've thought feeling through stories about the lives of imaginary persons. We need these stories in order to practice emotions for when we return to the world from reading. Donald Wesling argues that to be more accurate in our dealings with stories, we require a grammar of this new recognition, where we build up traditional stylistics by a more careful tracking of emotion-states as these are set into writing.The first half of Joys and Sorrows of Imaginary Persons offers a creative stock-taking of the current state of scholarship on emotion, based on wide reading in several fields. The second half gives three focused studies, rich in examples, of emotion as cognition, as story, and as historical structure of feeling.

Endorsed by the International Society of Sport Psychology, this classic reference draws on an international roster of experts and scholars in the field who have assembled state-of-the-art knowledge into this thorough, well-rounded, and accessible volume. It is completely updated to reflect the latest research and is an indispensable resource for any student or professional interested in the field of sport psychology.

The area of Psychometrics, a field encompassing the statistical methods used in Psychological and educational testing, has become a very important and active area of research, evident from the large body of literature that has been developed in the form of books, volumes and research papers.Mainstream statisticians also have found profound interest in the field because of its unique nature.This book presents a state of the art exposition of theoretical, methodological and applied issues in Psychometrics. This book represents a thorough cross section of internationally renowned thinkers who are inventing methods for dealing with recent challenging psychometric problems.Key Features/- Emphasis on the most recent developments in the field- Plenty of real, often complicated, data examples to demonstrate the applications of the statistical techniques- Information on available software - Authors from the leading testing companies - Emphasis on the most recent developments in the field - Plenty of real, often complicated, data examples to demonstrate the applications of the statistical techniques - Information on available software

Constructing Measures introduces a way to understand the advantages and disadvantages of measurement instruments, how to use such instruments, and how to apply these methods to develop new instruments or adapt old ones. The book is organized around the steps taken while constructing an instrument. It opens with a summary of the constructive steps involved. Each step is then expanded on in the next four chapters. These chapters develop the'building blocks'that make up an instrument--the construct map, the design plan for the items, the outcome space, and the statistical measurement model. The next three chapters focus on quality control. They rely heavily on the calibrated construct map and review how to check if scores are operating consistently and how to evaluate the reliability and validity evidence. The book introduces a variety of item formats, including multiple-choice, open-ended, and performance items; projects; portfolios; Likert and Guttman items; behavioral observations; and interview protocols.Each chapter includes an overview of the key concepts, related resources for further investigation and exercises and activities. Some chapters feature appendices that describe parts of the instrument development process in more detail, numerical manipulations used in the text, and/or data results. A variety of examples from the behavioral and social sciences and education including achievement and performance testing; attitude measures; health measures, and general sociological scales, demonstrate the application of the material. An accompanying downloadable resources feature control files, output, and a data set to allow readers to compute the text's exercises and create new analyses and case archives based on the book's examples so the reader can work through the entire development of an instrument.Constructing Measures is an ideal text or supplement in courses on item, test, or instrument development, measurement, item response theory, or rasch analysis taught in a variety of departments including education and psychology. The book also appeals to those who develop instruments, including industrial/organizational, educational, and school psychologists, health outcomes researchers, program evaluators, and sociological measurers. Knowledge of basic descriptive statistics and elementary regression is recommended.

If there is a single challenge a person faces in every stage of life from birth to death, it is the necessity of coping with life's exigencies. These often include health problems, social stress, and perceived difficulties. The ability to deal with these issues defines an individual to a large extent and can accelerate or brake one's development in the multitude of mental and physical pathways intrinsic to life. Coping behaviors include talking out a problem, crying, laughing, relaxation, ignoring the problem, praying, looking for the positive aspects of a situation, assuming everything is terrible, taking medication, hoping a problem will go away, attacking the problem with willpower, cognitive therapy etc. This new book examines new research which will shed light on coping behaviors in a vast array of situations.

• Includes established theories and cutting-edge developments. • Presents the work of an international group of experts. • Presents the nature, origin, implications, an future course of major unresolved issues in the area.

• Includes established theories and cutting-edge developments. • Presents the work of an international group of experts. • Presents the nature, origin, implications, an future course of major unresolved issues in the area.

'At last - a book that is comprehensive, balanced and sensitive in its approach to the intellectual assessment of minority children. This book will quickly become a standard text in courses on assessment and diversity.'--Jonathan Sandoval, University of California, Davis'Congratulations to Richard Valencia and Lisa Suzuki for producing a long overdue, comprehensive and balanced treatment of cognitive assessment for minority children. This volume should prove to be a great value for practitioners and researchers alike.'--Terry Gutkin, University of Nebraska-Lincoln'I believe that Intelligence Testing and Minority Students is absolutely outstanding. Valencia and Suzuki demonstrate unusually rich research-based, theoretical, practical, and clinical foundations for treating the important and thorough set of topics covered by the book. Their underlying compassion is also evident throughout the book. I recommend this book to everyone in the field of assessment; it is'must'reading for anyone who tests minority students.'--Alan S. Kaufman, Yale University School of Medicine'This book should be required reading for those who work in this field either in a research or clinical capacity, but is especially important for those who have reservations about the use of standardized tests for intellectual assessment. It is a highly valuable reference.'--Robert Rueda, University of Southern California'This is a very rich resource on the history of'intelligence'testing and it′s application to diverse ethnic groups. Theoretical and applied topics are well integrated in the discussions. Most important is the inclusion of the record of white supremacy ideology, the issues of cultural salience in measurement, and the issues of usage. I know of no other reference on this topic that is as comprehensive as is this one.'--Asa G. Hilliard III, Georgia State University What roles do socioeconomic status, home intellectual environment, test bias, and heredity play in explaining measured intellectual performance between and within racial/ethnic groups? Intelligence Testing and Minority Students provides a fresh opportunity to reexamine the construct of intelligence, as well as its strengths and weaknesses. Viewed as a psychometric tour de force, this work provides a concrete argument for prioritizing the nation′s testing needs as well as the multicultural perspectives of intelligence. Psychometricians and practitioners alike will find this book to be a useful reference in understanding assessment tests and their relationship with minority students. With the rising necessity for better and more comprehensive testing, it has become of the utmost of importance to respond fairly and validly to the diversity of this nation′s citizens. The authors have acknowledged this need by including a thorough discussion of cognitive testing issues as well as an exploration of future movements. From the historical views of testing to the future direction of nondiscriminatory assessment, no professional should be without this must-have reference.About the Authors:Richard R. Valencia, Ph.D. is Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology, College of Education, at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Valencia′s research and scholarly interests include the intellectual and academic development of racial/ethnic minority students′ historical, social, and psychological status.Lisa A. Suzuki, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Psychology, School of Education, at New York University. Dr. Suzuki previously worked as a school counselor and psychological examiner for the Department of Education in the state of Hawaii. Over the years, she has administered o

Since publication in its first edition the Handbook of Psychological Testing has become the standard text for organisational and educational psychologists. It offers the only comprehensicve, modern and clear account of the whole of the field of psychometrics. It covers psychometric theory, the different kinds of psychological test, applied psychological testing, and the evaluation of the best published psychological tests. It is outstanding for its detailed and complete coverage of the field, its clarity (even for the non-mathematical) and its emphasis on the practical application of psychometric theory in psychology and education, as well as in vocational, occupational and clinical fields.For this second edition the Handbook has been extensively revised and updated to include the latest research and thinking in the field. Unlike other work in this area, it challenges the scientific rigour of conventional psychometrics and identifies groundbreaking new ways forward.

This book develops an intuitive understanding of IRT principles through the use of graphical displays and analogies to familiar psychological principles. It surveys contemporary IRT models, estimation methods, and computer programs. Polytomous IRT models are given central coverage since many psychological tests use rating scales.Ideal for clinical, industrial, counseling, educational, and behavioral medicine professionals and students familiar with classical testing principles, exposure to material covered in first-year graduate statistics courses is helpful. All symbols and equations are thoroughly explained verbally and graphically.

Computerized assessment offers many opportunities for innovations in measurement. In contrast to static paper-and-pencil instruments, computerized assessment can capitalize on the dynamic capabilities of the computer. For example, the difficulty of administered items can be adopted to the ability of the examinee, thus eliminating items that are too hard or too easy. Multimedia computers provide the opportunity to revolutionize assessment. Stereo sound, animation, and full-motion video can be incorporated into assessment tools and aid in the measurement of individual differences ranging from musical skills to interpersonal abilities.Innovations in Computerized Assessment presents the experiences of leading researchers in computerized assessment. The book places particular emphasis on the dilemmas that were faced by the researchers. Questions addressed include: • What problems did they confront? • What were the pros and cons of various options? • How were dilemmas resolved? • Were the solutions good ones?

The aim of this book is to discuss the notions of self-concept, self-esteem, and related terms from an educational and psychological perspective. Specifically, this book is concerned with developing a model of self-concept -- and corollaries to this model -- that assesses the dimensionality of self-concept, reviews tests of self-concept, discusses the relationship between self- concept and other variables (particularly achievement), describes the development of self-concept, and evaluates programs to enhance self-concept. Throughout this volume, emphasis is placed on ordering the many studies using recent methodological advances such as meta-analysis and the analysis of covariance structures. After detailing a conceptual model of self-concept, the book offers various experimental and statistical discussions of the model. Unlike many other models, the claim is not that this model is the correct one but that it may serve as a useful'coathanger'until a better one is devised.

Current economic difficulties and the challenge of competing in the world market have necessitated a rethinking of American approaches to the utilization of people in organizations. Management now recognizes a need to have workers take on more responsibility at the points of production, of sale, and of service rendered if the United States is to compete in rapidly changing world markets. This development means that much more is expected of even entry-level members of the American workforce. Thus, even more is expected of our high schools and colleges to provide this type of workforce. The need of American management for workers with greater skills and who can take on greater responsibility has spawned many commissions, task forces, and studies. All of them have contributed to the vast evidence documenting the need for a more highly skilled workforce. These studies are summarized and synthesized in this book. However, what remains largely undone is the development of methods to assess the necessary skills that have been identified. A major portion of this book deals with assessment issues.Workforce Readiness: Competencies and Assessment explores the state-of-the-art in the specification of competencies (skills) and their assessment for students entering the world of work from both high school and college. Both individual and team competencies are examined via data that has been reported and collected in various settings--schools, laboratories, and industrial facilities.

This is the second volume in the series that focuses on the International Objective Measurement Workshops and the work of Georg Rasch. In the area of practice, two major clusters of new work are reported in this volume: a national pilot study of computer-adaptive testing in professional licensure and applications of a type of Rasch model called the Facet Model.