Construction and Analysis of Educational Tests Using Abductive Machine Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-Alfy, El-Sayed M.; Abdel-Aal, Radwan E.

2008-01-01

Recent advances in educational technologies and the wide-spread use of computers in schools have fueled innovations in test construction and analysis. As the measurement accuracy of a test depends on the quality of the items it includes, item selection procedures play a central role in this process. Mathematical programming and the item response…

A Comparison of Item Selection Procedures Using Different Ability Estimation Methods in Computerized Adaptive Testing Based on the Generalized Partial Credit Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Tsung-Han

2010-01-01

Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) provides a highly efficient alternative to the paper-and-pencil test. By selecting items that match examinees' ability levels, CAT not only can shorten test length and administration time but it can also increase measurement precision and reduce measurement error. In CAT, maximum information (MI) is the most…

Online Calibration of Polytomous Items Under the Generalized Partial Credit Model

PubMed Central

Zheng, Yi

2016-01-01

Online calibration is a technology-enhanced architecture for item calibration in computerized adaptive tests (CATs). Many CATs are administered continuously over a long term and rely on large item banks. To ensure test validity, these item banks need to be frequently replenished with new items, and these new items need to be pretested before being used operationally. Online calibration dynamically embeds pretest items in operational tests and calibrates their parameters as response data are gradually obtained through the continuous test administration. This study extends existing formulas, procedures, and algorithms for dichotomous item response theory models to the generalized partial credit model, a popular model for items scored in more than two categories. A simulation study was conducted to investigate the developed algorithms and procedures under a variety of conditions, including two estimation algorithms, three pretest item selection methods, three seeding locations, two numbers of score categories, and three calibration sample sizes. Results demonstrated acceptable estimation accuracy of the two estimation algorithms in some of the simulated conditions. A variety of findings were also revealed for the interacted effects of included factors, and recommendations were made respectively. PMID:29881063

A Comparison of a Bayesian and a Maximum Likelihood Tailored Testing Procedure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKinley, Robert L.; Reckase, Mark D.

A study was conducted to compare tailored testing procedures based on a Bayesian ability estimation technique and on a maximum likelihood ability estimation technique. The Bayesian tailored testing procedure selected items so as to minimize the posterior variance of the ability estimate distribution, while the maximum likelihood tailored testing…

Investigating a memory-based account of negative priming: support for selection-feature mismatch.

PubMed

MacDonald, P A; Joordens, S

2000-08-01

Using typical and modified negative priming tasks, the selection-feature mismatch account of negative priming was tested. In the modified task, participants performed selections on the basis of a semantic feature (e.g., referent size). This procedure has been shown to enhance negative priming (P. A. MacDonald, S. Joordens, & K. N. Seergobin, 1999). Across 3 experiments, negative priming occurred only when the repeated item mismatched in terms of the feature used as the basis for selections. When the repeated item was congruent on the selection feature across the prime and probe displays, positive priming arose. This pattern of results appeared in both the ignored- and the attended-repetition conditions. Negative priming does not result from previously ignoring an item. These findings strongly support the selection-feature mismatch account of negative priming and refute both the distractor inhibition and the episodic-retrieval explanations.

Should We Stop Developing Heuristics and Only Rely on Mixed Integer Programming Solvers in Automated Test Assembly? A Rejoinder to van der Linden and Li (2016).

PubMed

Chen, Pei-Hua

2017-05-01

This rejoinder responds to the commentary by van der Linden and Li entiled "Comment on Three-Element Item Selection Procedures for Multiple Forms Assembly: An Item Matching Approach" on the article "Three-Element Item Selection Procedures for Multiple Forms Assembly: An Item Matching Approach" by Chen. Van der Linden and Li made a strong statement calling for the cessation of test assembly heuristics development, and instead encouraged embracing mixed integer programming (MIP). This article points out the nondeterministic polynomial (NP)-hard nature of MIP problems and how solutions found using heuristics could be useful in an MIP context. Although van der Linden and Li provided several practical examples of test assembly supporting their view, the examples ignore the cases in which a slight change of constraints or item pool data might mean it would not be possible to obtain solutions as quickly as before. The article illustrates the use of heuristic solutions to improve both the performance of MIP solvers and the quality of solutions. Additional responses to the commentary by van der Linden and Li are included.

Two-Phase Item Selection Procedure for Flexible Content Balancing in CAT

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Ying; Chang, Hua-Hua; Yi, Qing

2007-01-01

Content balancing is an important issue in the design and implementation of computerized adaptive testing (CAT). Content-balancing techniques that have been applied in fixed content balancing, where the number of items from each content area is fixed, include constrained CAT (CCAT), the modified multinomial model (MMM), modified constrained CAT…

Varying levels of difficulty index of skills-test items randomly selected by examinees on the Korean emergency medical technician licensing examination.

PubMed

Koh, Bongyeun; Hong, Sunggi; Kim, Soon-Sim; Hyun, Jin-Sook; Baek, Milye; Moon, Jundong; Kwon, Hayran; Kim, Gyoungyong; Min, Seonggi; Kang, Gu-Hyun

2016-01-01

The goal of this study was to characterize the difficulty index of the items in the skills test components of the class I and II Korean emergency medical technician licensing examination (KEMTLE), which requires examinees to select items randomly. The results of 1,309 class I KEMTLE examinations and 1,801 class II KEMTLE examinations in 2013 were subjected to analysis. Items from the basic and advanced skills test sections of the KEMTLE were compared to determine whether some were significantly more difficult than others. In the class I KEMTLE, all 4 of the items on the basic skills test showed significant variation in difficulty index (P<0.01), as well as 4 of the 5 items on the advanced skills test (P<0.05). In the class II KEMTLE, 4 of the 5 items on the basic skills test showed significantly different difficulty index (P<0.01), as well as all 3 of the advanced skills test items (P<0.01). In the skills test components of the class I and II KEMTLE, the procedure in which examinees randomly select questions should be revised to require examinees to respond to a set of fixed items in order to improve the reliability of the national licensing examination.

Balancing Flexible Constraints and Measurement Precision in Computerized Adaptive Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moyer, Eric L.; Galindo, Jennifer L.; Dodd, Barbara G.

2012-01-01

Managing test specifications--both multiple nonstatistical constraints and flexibly defined constraints--has become an important part of designing item selection procedures for computerized adaptive tests (CATs) in achievement testing. This study compared the effectiveness of three procedures: constrained CAT, flexible modified constrained CAT,…

34 CFR 462.12 - What procedures does the Secretary use to review the suitability of tests?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... item selection must ensure negligible overlap in items across pre- and post-testing; (iv) Includes a... regarding the suitability of a test, the Secretary publishes in the Federal Register and posts on the... suitability of tests? 462.12 Section 462.12 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of...

Methodology for Developing and Evaluating the PROMIS® Smoking Item Banks

PubMed Central

Cai, Li; Stucky, Brian D.; Tucker, Joan S.; Shadel, William G.; Edelen, Maria Orlando

2014-01-01

Introduction: This article describes the procedures used in the PROMIS® Smoking Initiative for the development and evaluation of item banks, short forms (SFs), and computerized adaptive tests (CATs) for the assessment of 6 constructs related to cigarette smoking: nicotine dependence, coping expectancies, emotional and sensory expectancies, health expectancies, psychosocial expectancies, and social motivations for smoking. Methods: Analyses were conducted using response data from a large national sample of smokers. Items related to each construct were subjected to extensive item factor analyses and evaluation of differential item functioning (DIF). Final item banks were calibrated, and SF assessments were developed for each construct. The performance of the SFs and the potential use of the item banks for CAT administration were examined through simulation study. Results: Item selection based on dimensionality assessment and DIF analyses produced item banks that were essentially unidimensional in structure and free of bias. Simulation studies demonstrated that the constructs could be accurately measured with a relatively small number of carefully selected items, either through fixed SFs or CAT-based assessment. Illustrative results are presented, and subsequent articles provide detailed discussion of each item bank in turn. Conclusions: The development of the PROMIS smoking item banks provides researchers with new tools for measuring smoking-related constructs. The use of the calibrated item banks and suggested SF assessments will enhance the quality of score estimates, thus advancing smoking research. Moreover, the methods used in the current study, including innovative approaches to item selection and SF construction, may have general relevance to item bank development and evaluation. PMID:23943843

Weighting Test Samples in IRT Linking and Equating: Toward an Improved Sampling Design for Complex Equating. Research Report. ETS RR-13-39

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qian, Jiahe; Jiang, Yanming; von Davier, Alina A.

2013-01-01

Several factors could cause variability in item response theory (IRT) linking and equating procedures, such as the variability across examinee samples and/or test items, seasonality, regional differences, native language diversity, gender, and other demographic variables. Hence, the following question arises: Is it possible to select optimal…

The ELPAT living organ donor Psychosocial Assessment Tool (EPAT): from 'what' to 'how' of psychosocial screening - a pilot study.

PubMed

Massey, Emma K; Timmerman, Lotte; Ismail, Sohal Y; Duerinckx, Nathalie; Lopes, Alice; Maple, Hannah; Mega, Inês; Papachristou, Christina; Dobbels, Fabienne

2018-01-01

Thorough psychosocial screening of donor candidates is required in order to minimize potential negative consequences and to strive for optimal safety within living donation programmes. We aimed to develop an evidence-based tool to standardize the psychosocial screening process. Key concepts of psychosocial screening were used to structure our tool: motivation and decision-making, personal resources, psychopathology, social resources, ethical and legal factors and information and risk processing. We (i) discussed how each item per concept could be measured, (ii) reviewed and rated available validated tools, (iii) where necessary developed new items, (iv) assessed content validity and (v) pilot-tested the new items. The resulting ELPAT living organ donor Psychosocial Assessment Tool (EPAT) consists of a selection of validated questionnaires (28 items in total), a semi-structured interview (43 questions) and a Red Flag Checklist. We outline optimal procedures and conditions for implementing this tool. The EPAT and user manual are available from the authors. Use of this tool will standardize the psychosocial screening procedure ensuring that no psychosocial issues are overlooked and ensure that comparable selection criteria are used and facilitate generation of comparable psychosocial data on living donor candidates. © 2017 Steunstichting ESOT.

Varying levels of difficulty index of skills-test items randomly selected by examinees on the Korean emergency medical technician licensing examination

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Purpose: The goal of this study was to characterize the difficulty index of the items in the skills test components of the class I and II Korean emergency medical technician licensing examination (KEMTLE), which requires examinees to select items randomly. Methods: The results of 1,309 class I KEMTLE examinations and 1,801 class II KEMTLE examinations in 2013 were subjected to analysis. Items from the basic and advanced skills test sections of the KEMTLE were compared to determine whether some were significantly more difficult than others. Results: In the class I KEMTLE, all 4 of the items on the basic skills test showed significant variation in difficulty index (P<0.01), as well as 4 of the 5 items on the advanced skills test (P<0.05). In the class II KEMTLE, 4 of the 5 items on the basic skills test showed significantly different difficulty index (P<0.01), as well as all 3 of the advanced skills test items (P<0.01). Conclusion: In the skills test components of the class I and II KEMTLE, the procedure in which examinees randomly select questions should be revised to require examinees to respond to a set of fixed items in order to improve the reliability of the national licensing examination. PMID:26883810

Costs and benefits in item-method directed forgetting: differential effects of encoding and retrieval.

PubMed

Lee, Yuh-Shiow

2013-01-01

This study examined how encoding and retrieval factors affected directed forgetting costs and benefits in an item-method procedure. Experiment 1 used a typical item-method procedure and revealed a levels-of-processing effect in overall recall. However, the deep encoding condition showed a smaller directed forgetting effect than the shallow encoding conditions. More importantly, "remember" (R) words were selectively rehearsed as indicated by greater recall from the primacy portion of the list and more apt to be recalled before "forget" (F) words. Experiment 2 showed that a deep encoding operation reduced directed forgetting costs and that directed forgetting benefits occurred only when R words were recalled before F words. These findings supported the hypotheses that encoding manipulation affected directed forgetting costs and that directed forgetting benefits were associated with output order bias. Results were discussed in terms of mechanisms that produce item-method directed forgetting.

Methodology for developing and evaluating the PROMIS smoking item banks.

PubMed

Hansen, Mark; Cai, Li; Stucky, Brian D; Tucker, Joan S; Shadel, William G; Edelen, Maria Orlando

2014-09-01

This article describes the procedures used in the PROMIS Smoking Initiative for the development and evaluation of item banks, short forms (SFs), and computerized adaptive tests (CATs) for the assessment of 6 constructs related to cigarette smoking: nicotine dependence, coping expectancies, emotional and sensory expectancies, health expectancies, psychosocial expectancies, and social motivations for smoking. Analyses were conducted using response data from a large national sample of smokers. Items related to each construct were subjected to extensive item factor analyses and evaluation of differential item functioning (DIF). Final item banks were calibrated, and SF assessments were developed for each construct. The performance of the SFs and the potential use of the item banks for CAT administration were examined through simulation study. Item selection based on dimensionality assessment and DIF analyses produced item banks that were essentially unidimensional in structure and free of bias. Simulation studies demonstrated that the constructs could be accurately measured with a relatively small number of carefully selected items, either through fixed SFs or CAT-based assessment. Illustrative results are presented, and subsequent articles provide detailed discussion of each item bank in turn. The development of the PROMIS smoking item banks provides researchers with new tools for measuring smoking-related constructs. The use of the calibrated item banks and suggested SF assessments will enhance the quality of score estimates, thus advancing smoking research. Moreover, the methods used in the current study, including innovative approaches to item selection and SF construction, may have general relevance to item bank development and evaluation. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Development of Memory Efficiency and Value-Directed Remembering Across the Lifespan: A Cross-Sectional Study of Memory and Selectivity

PubMed Central

Castel, Alan D.; Humphreys, Kathryn L.; Lee, Steve S.; Galván, Adriana; Balota, David A.; McCabe, David P.

2012-01-01

Although attentional control and memory change considerably across the lifespan, no research has examined how the ability to strategically remember important information (i.e., value-directed remembering) changes from childhood to old age. The present study examined this in different age groups across the lifespan (N=320, 5 to 96 years old). We employed a selectivity task where participants were asked to study and recall items worth different point values in order to maximize their point score. This procedure allowed for measures of memory quantity/capacity (number of words recalled) and memory efficiency/selectivity (the recall of high-value items relative to low-value items). Age-related differences were found for memory capacity, as young adults recalled more words than the other groups. However, in terms of selectivity, younger and older adults were more selective than adolescents and children. The dissociation between these measures across the lifespan illustrates important age-related differences in terms of memory capacity and the ability to selectively remember high-value information. PMID:21942664

The development of memory efficiency and value-directed remembering across the life span: a cross-sectional study of memory and selectivity.

PubMed

Castel, Alan D; Humphreys, Kathryn L; Lee, Steve S; Galván, Adriana; Balota, David A; McCabe, David P

2011-11-01

Although attentional control and memory change considerably across the life span, no research has examined how the ability to strategically remember important information (i.e., value-directed remembering) changes from childhood to old age. The present study examined this in different age groups across the life span (N = 320, 5-96 years old). A selectivity task was used in which participants were asked to study and recall items worth different point values in order to maximize their point score. This procedure allowed for measures of memory quantity/capacity (number of words recalled) and memory efficiency/selectivity (the recall of high-value items relative to low-value items). Age-related differences were found for memory capacity, as young adults recalled more words than the other groups. However, in terms of selectivity, younger and older adults were more selective than adolescents and children. The dissociation between these measures across the life span illustrates important age-related differences in terms of memory capacity and the ability to selectively remember high-value information.

Validity and Reliability of Psychosocial Factors Related to Breast Cancer Screening.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zapka, Jane G.; And Others

1991-01-01

The construct validity of hypothesized survey items and data reduction procedures for selected psychosocial constructs frequently used in breast cancer screening research were investigated in telephone interviews with randomly selected samples of 1,184 and 903 women and a sample of 169 Hispanic clinic clients. Validity of the constructs is…

Conditional Covariance-Based Subtest Selection for DIMTEST

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Froelich, Amy G.; Habing, Brian

2008-01-01

DIMTEST is a nonparametric hypothesis-testing procedure designed to test the assumptions of a unidimensional and locally independent item response theory model. Several previous Monte Carlo studies have found that using linear factor analysis to select the assessment subtest for DIMTEST results in a moderate to severe loss of power when the exam…

23 CFR 636.204 - What items may be included in a phase-one solicitation?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTING Selection Procedures, Award Criteria § 636.204... perform (including key personnel); and (iii) Past performance of the members of the offeror's team...

23 CFR 636.204 - What items may be included in a phase-one solicitation?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTING Selection Procedures, Award Criteria § 636.204... perform (including key personnel); and (iii) Past performance of the members of the offeror's team...

23 CFR 636.204 - What items may be included in a phase-one solicitation?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTING Selection Procedures, Award Criteria § 636.204... perform (including key personnel); and (iii) Past performance of the members of the offeror's team...

23 CFR 636.204 - What items may be included in a phase-one solicitation?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTING Selection Procedures, Award Criteria § 636.204... perform (including key personnel); and (iii) Past performance of the members of the offeror's team...

23 CFR 636.204 - What items may be included in a phase-one solicitation?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTING Selection Procedures, Award Criteria § 636.204... perform (including key personnel); and (iii) Past performance of the members of the offeror's team...

The Mini-OAKHQOL for knee and hip osteoarthritis quality of life was obtained following recent shortening guidelines.

PubMed

Guillemin, Francis; Rat, Anne-Christine; Goetz, Christophe; Spitz, Elisabeth; Pouchot, Jacques; Coste, Joël

2016-01-01

To develop a short form of the knee and hip osteoarthritis quality of life questionnaire, the Mini-OAKHQOL, preserving the conceptual model and, as far as possible, the content and the psychometric properties of the original instrument. A two-step shortening procedure was used: (1) a consensus Delphi method, with a panel of patients and another of professionals independently asked to select items and (2) a nominal group, where patients, professionals, and methodologists reached consensus on the final selection of items, using information from the panels and from modern measurement and classical test theory analyses. The psychometric properties of the Mini-OAKHQOL were assessed in an independent population-based sample of 581 subjects with knee or hip osteoarthritis. The two-step shortening procedure resulted in a 20-item questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis showed preservation of the original five-dimensional structure. Rasch analyses showed the unidimensionality and invariance by sex, age, and joint of the main dimensions. Convergent validity, reproducibility, and internal consistency were similar to or better than those of the original OAKHQOL. The 20-item Mini-OAKHQOL has good psychometric properties and can be used for the measurement of quality of life in subjects with osteoarthritis of the lower limbs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using Optimal Test Assembly Methods for Shortening Patient-Reported Outcome Measures: Development and Validation of the Cochin Hand Function Scale-6: A Scleroderma Patient-Centered Intervention Network Cohort Study.

PubMed

Levis, Alexander W; Harel, Daphna; Kwakkenbos, Linda; Carrier, Marie-Eve; Mouthon, Luc; Poiraudeau, Serge; Bartlett, Susan J; Khanna, Dinesh; Malcarne, Vanessa L; Sauve, Maureen; van den Ende, Cornelia H M; Poole, Janet L; Schouffoer, Anne A; Welling, Joep; Thombs, Brett D

2016-11-01

To develop and validate a short form of the Cochin Hand Function Scale (CHFS), which measures hand disability, for use in systemic sclerosis, using objective criteria and reproducible techniques. Responses on the 18-item CHFS were obtained from English-speaking patients enrolled in the Scleroderma Patient-Centered Intervention Network Cohort. CHFS unidimensionality was verified using confirmatory factor analysis, and an item response theory model was fit to CHFS items. Optimal test assembly (OTA) methods identified a maximally precise short form for each possible form length between 1 and 17 items. The final short form selected was the form with the least number of items that maintained statistically equivalent convergent validity, compared to the full-length CHFS, with the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) disability index (DI) and the physical function domain of the 29-item Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS-29). There were 601 patients included. A 6-item short form of the CHFS (CHFS-6) was selected. The CHFS-6 had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.93. Correlations of the CHFS-6 summed score with HAQ DI (r = 0.79) and PROMIS-29 physical function (r = -0.54) were statistically equivalent to the CHFS (r = 0.81 and r = -0.56). The correlation with the full CHFS was high (r = 0.98). The OTA procedure generated a valid short form of the CHFS with minimal loss of information compared to the full-length form. The OTA method used was based on objective, prespecified criteria, but should be further studied for viability as a general procedure for shortening patient-reported outcome measures in health research. © 2016, American College of Rheumatology.

Item selection via Bayesian IRT models.

PubMed

Arima, Serena

2015-02-10

With reference to a questionnaire that aimed to assess the quality of life for dysarthric speakers, we investigate the usefulness of a model-based procedure for reducing the number of items. We propose a mixed cumulative logit model, which is known in the psychometrics literature as the graded response model: responses to different items are modelled as a function of individual latent traits and as a function of item characteristics, such as their difficulty and their discrimination power. We jointly model the discrimination and the difficulty parameters by using a k-component mixture of normal distributions. Mixture components correspond to disjoint groups of items. Items that belong to the same groups can be considered equivalent in terms of both difficulty and discrimination power. According to decision criteria, we select a subset of items such that the reduced questionnaire is able to provide the same information that the complete questionnaire provides. The model is estimated by using a Bayesian approach, and the choice of the number of mixture components is justified according to information criteria. We illustrate the proposed approach on the basis of data that are collected for 104 dysarthric patients by local health authorities in Lecce and in Milan. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ability Estimation and Item Calibration Using the One and Three Parameter Logistic Models: A Comparative Study. Research Report 77-1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reckase, Mark D.

Latent trait model calibration procedures were used on data obtained from a group testing program. The one-parameter model of Wright and Panchapakesan and the three-parameter logistic model of Wingersky, Wood, and Lord were selected for comparison. These models and their corresponding estimation procedures were compared, using actual and simulated…

What Every Public School Physical Educator Should Know about the Hiring Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stier, William F., Jr.; Schneider, Robert C.

2007-01-01

A national survey of high school principals was conducted to determine whether they agreed or disagreed with selected practices and procedures used to hire high school physical education teachers. A survey instrument, developed with the help of experts in the field and consisting of 29 items, was sent to 400 randomly selected principals. Useable…

A Common Capacity Limitation for Response and Item Selection in Working Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janczyk, Markus

2017-01-01

Successful completion of any cognitive task requires selecting a particular action and the object the action is applied to. Oberauer (2009) suggested a working memory (WM) model comprising a declarative and a procedural part with analogous structures. One important assumption of this model is that both parts work independently of each other, and…

F-16 Training System Media Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-03-01

practice items. 4.1.3 Use/Procedure This strategy requires the learner to apply a set of sequential steps designed to accomplish a specific task which needs...information. 6. Feedback: Provides the student with the correct answers for the practice items. 4.1.5 Use/Rule This strategy requires the learner to...provide the background and rationale for selecting and/or modifying instructional media to best meet the needs of the F-16 training program. The

41 CFR 101-29.202 - Standard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... FEDERAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS SUPPLY AND PROCUREMENT 29-FEDERAL PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS 29.2... requirements for items, processes, procedures, practices, and methods that have been adopted as customary. Standards may also establish requirements for selection, application, and design criteria so as to achieve...

Assessing the Item Response Theory with Covariate (IRT-C) Procedure for Ascertaining Differential Item Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tay, Louis; Vermunt, Jeroen K.; Wang, Chun

2013-01-01

We evaluate the item response theory with covariates (IRT-C) procedure for assessing differential item functioning (DIF) without preknowledge of anchor items (Tay, Newman, & Vermunt, 2011). This procedure begins with a fully constrained baseline model, and candidate items are tested for uniform and/or nonuniform DIF using the Wald statistic.…

Consolidation of Episodic Memories During Sleep

PubMed Central

Racsmány, Mihály; Conway, Martin A.; Demeter, Gyula

2009-01-01

Two experiments investigated the long-term effects of retrieval practice. In the retrieval-practice procedure, selected items from a previously studied list are repeatedly recalled. The typical retrieval-practice effects are considerably enhanced memory for practiced items accompanied by low levels of recall, relative to baseline, for previously studied items that are associated with the practiced items but were not themselves practiced. The two experiments demonstrated that the former effect persisted over 12 hr; the latter effect also persisted over 12 hr, but only if a period of nocturnal sleep occurred during the retention interval. We propose that consolidation processes occurring during sleep, and possibly featuring some form of off-line rehearsal, mediate these long-term effects of retrieval practice. PMID:20424027

Consolidation of episodic memories during sleep: long-term effects of retrieval practice.

PubMed

Racsmány, Mihály; Conway, Martin A; Demeter, Gyula

2010-01-01

Two experiments investigated the long-term effects of retrieval practice. In the retrieval-practice procedure, selected items from a previously studied list are repeatedly recalled. The typical retrieval-practice effects are considerably enhanced memory for practiced items accompanied by low levels of recall, relative to baseline, for previously studied items that are associated with the practiced items but were not themselves practiced. The two experiments demonstrated that the former effect persisted over 12 hr; the latter effect also persisted over 12 hr, but only if a period of nocturnal sleep occurred during the retention interval. We propose that consolidation processes occurring during sleep, and possibly featuring some form of off-line rehearsal, mediate these long-term effects of retrieval practice.

Item Purification in Differential Item Functioning Using Generalized Linear Mixed Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Qian

2011-01-01

For this dissertation, four item purification procedures were implemented onto the generalized linear mixed model for differential item functioning (DIF) analysis, and the performance of these item purification procedures was investigated through a series of simulations. Among the four procedures, forward and generalized linear mixed model (GLMM)…

IRT Item Parameter Scaling for Developing New Item Pools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Hyeon-Ah; Lu, Ying; Chang, Hua-Hua

2017-01-01

Increasing use of item pools in large-scale educational assessments calls for an appropriate scaling procedure to achieve a common metric among field-tested items. The present study examines scaling procedures for developing a new item pool under a spiraled block linking design. The three scaling procedures are considered: (a) concurrent…

Conditional Versus Unconditional Procedures for Sample-Free Item Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Benjamin D.; Douglas, Graham A.

1977-01-01

Two procedures for Rasch, sample-free item calibration are reviewed and compared for accuracy. The theoretically ideal "conditional" procedure is impractical for more than fifteen items. The more practical but biased "unconditional" procedure is discussed in detail. (Author/JKS)

Evaluation of Item Candidates: The PROMIS Qualitative Item Review

PubMed Central

DeWalt, Darren A.; Rothrock, Nan; Yount, Susan; Stone, Arthur A.

2009-01-01

One of the PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System) network's primary goals is the development of a comprehensive item bank for patient-reported outcomes of chronic diseases. For its first set of item banks, PROMIS chose to focus on pain, fatigue, emotional distress, physical function, and social function. An essential step for the development of an item pool is the identification, evaluation, and revision of extant questionnaire items for the core item pool. In this work, we also describe the systematic process wherein items are classified for subsequent statistical processing by the PROMIS investigators. Six phases of item development are documented: identification of extant items, item classification and selection, item review and revision, focus group input on domain coverage, cognitive interviews with individual items, and final revision before field testing. Identification of items refers to the systematic search for existing items in currently available scales. Expert item review and revision was conducted by trained professionals who reviewed the wording of each item and revised as appropriate for conventions adopted by the PROMIS network. Focus groups were used to confirm domain definitions and to identify new areas of item development for future PROMIS item banks. Cognitive interviews were used to examine individual items. Items successfully screened through this process were sent to field testing and will be subjected to innovative scale construction procedures. PMID:17443114

A Procedure To Detect Test Bias Present Simultaneously in Several Items.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shealy, Robin; Stout, William

A statistical procedure is presented that is designed to test for unidirectional test bias existing simultaneously in several items of an ability test, based on the assumption that test bias is incipient within the two groups' ability differences. The proposed procedure--Simultaneous Item Bias (SIB)--is based on a multidimensional item response…

Real and Artificial Differential Item Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrich, David; Hagquist, Curt

2012-01-01

The literature in modern test theory on procedures for identifying items with differential item functioning (DIF) among two groups of persons includes the Mantel-Haenszel (MH) procedure. Generally, it is not recognized explicitly that if there is real DIF in some items which favor one group, then as an artifact of this procedure, artificial DIF…

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0): the development of the Taiwanese version.

PubMed

Mao, Hui-Fen; Chen, Wan-Yin; Yao, Grace; Huang, Sheau-Ling; Lin, Chia-Chi; Huang, Wen-Ni Wennie

2010-05-01

To develop and validate a cross-cultural version of the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0) for users of assistive technology devices in Taiwan. A cross-sectional survey. The standard cultural adaptation procedure was used for questionnaire translation and cultural item design. A field test was then conducted for item selection and psychometric properties testing. One hundred and five volunteer assistive device users in community. A questionnaire comprising 12 items of the QUEST 2.0 and 16 culture-specific items. One culture-specific item, 'Cost', was selected based on eight criteria and added to the QUEST 2.0 (12 items) to formulate the Taiwanese version of QUEST 2.0 (T-QUEST). The T-QUEST consisted of 13 items which were classified into two domains: device (8 items) and service (5 items). The internal consistencies of the device, service and total T-QUEST scores were 0.87, 0.84 and 0.90, respectively. The device, services and total T-QUEST scores achieved good test-retest stability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 0.90, 0.97, 0.95). Exploratory factor analysis revealed that T-QUEST had a two-factor structure for device and service in the construct of user satisfaction (53.42% of the variance explained). Users of assistive device in different culture may have different concerns regarding satisfaction. T-QUEST is the first published version of QUEST with culture-specific items added to the original translated items of QUEST 2.0. T-QUEST was a valid and reliable tool for measuring user satisfaction among Mandarin-speaking individuals using various kinds of assistive devices.

What Do You Think You Are Measuring? A Mixed-Methods Procedure for Assessing the Content Validity of Test Items and Theory-Based Scaling

PubMed Central

Koller, Ingrid; Levenson, Michael R.; Glück, Judith

2017-01-01

The valid measurement of latent constructs is crucial for psychological research. Here, we present a mixed-methods procedure for improving the precision of construct definitions, determining the content validity of items, evaluating the representativeness of items for the target construct, generating test items, and analyzing items on a theoretical basis. To illustrate the mixed-methods content-scaling-structure (CSS) procedure, we analyze the Adult Self-Transcendence Inventory, a self-report measure of wisdom (ASTI, Levenson et al., 2005). A content-validity analysis of the ASTI items was used as the basis of psychometric analyses using multidimensional item response models (N = 1215). We found that the new procedure produced important suggestions concerning five subdimensions of the ASTI that were not identifiable using exploratory methods. The study shows that the application of the suggested procedure leads to a deeper understanding of latent constructs. It also demonstrates the advantages of theory-based item analysis. PMID:28270777

Comparing and Combining Dichotomous and Polytomous Items with SPRT Procedure in Computerized Classification Testing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lau, C. Allen; Wang, Tianyou

The purposes of this study were to: (1) extend the sequential probability ratio testing (SPRT) procedure to polytomous item response theory (IRT) models in computerized classification testing (CCT); (2) compare polytomous items with dichotomous items using the SPRT procedure for their accuracy and efficiency; (3) study a direct approach in…

Solving the measurement invariance anchor item problem in item response theory.

PubMed

Meade, Adam W; Wright, Natalie A

2012-09-01

The efficacy of tests of differential item functioning (measurement invariance) has been well established. It is clear that when properly implemented, these tests can successfully identify differentially functioning (DF) items when they exist. However, an assumption of these analyses is that the metric for different groups is linked using anchor items that are invariant. In practice, however, it is impossible to be certain which items are DF and which are invariant. This problem of anchor items, or referent indicators, has long plagued invariance research, and a multitude of suggested approaches have been put forth. Unfortunately, the relative efficacy of these approaches has not been tested. This study compares 11 variations on 5 qualitatively different approaches from recent literature for selecting optimal anchor items. A large-scale simulation study indicates that for nearly all conditions, an easily implemented 2-stage procedure recently put forth by Lopez Rivas, Stark, and Chernyshenko (2009) provided optimal power while maintaining nominal Type I error. With this approach, appropriate anchor items can be easily and quickly located, resulting in more efficacious invariance tests. Recommendations for invariance testing are illustrated using a pedagogical example of employee responses to an organizational culture measure.

77 FR 67862 - Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-14

... the Aberdeen Regional Airport for current and projected levels of aviation by the design aircraft... wildlife habitat. The selected alternative includes the: (I.) Unconditional approval of the Airport Layout... eligible items. (4.) Approval of design and use of air traffic procedures needed to implement the proposed...

The Shell Game: Publishers, Vendors, and the Myth of the Backlist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eaglen, Audrey

1992-01-01

Discusses problems with obtaining backlist titles of children's books, based on the experiences of the Cuyahoga County Public Library (Ohio). Types of book order lists, selection, and ordering procedures are described; and examples of out-of-stock items and fill rates for new juvenile, young adult, and adult titles are presented. (MES)

Procedures for Managing Innovations. Analysis of Literature and Selected Bibliography. Analysis and Bibliography Series, No. 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management, Eugene, OR.

This rview focuses on the innovation process in local schools. Emphasis is placed on (1) how local schools implement innovations, (2) facilitators and inhibitors of innovation, and (3) unmet needs in assisting schools to adopt innovations. A 78-item bibliography of rlated literature is included. (RA)

Empirical versus Random Item Selection in the Design of Intelligence Test Short Forms--The WISC-R Example.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goh, David S.

1979-01-01

The advantages of using psychometric thoery to design short forms of intelligence tests are demonstrated by comparing such usage to a systematic random procedure that has previously been used. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Revised (WISC-R) Short Form is presented as an example. (JKS)

Standardizing hysteroscopy teaching: development of a curriculum using the Delphi method.

PubMed

Neveu, Marie-Emmanuelle; Debras, Elodie; Niro, Julien; Fernandez, Hervé; Panel, Pierre

2017-12-01

Hysteroscopy is performed often and in many indications but is challenging to learn. Hands-on training in live patients faces ethical, legal, and economic obstacles. Virtual reality simulation may hold promise as a hysteroscopy training tool. No validated curriculum specific in hysteroscopy exists. The aim of this study was to develop a hysteroscopy curriculum, using the Delphi method to identify skill requirements. Based on a literature review using the key words "curriculum," "simulation," and "hysteroscopy," we identified five technical and non-technical areas in which skills were required. Twenty hysteroscopy experts from different French hospital departments participated in Delphi rounds to select items in these five areas. The rounds were to be continued until 80-100% agreement was obtained for at least 60% of items. A curriculum was built based on the selected items and was evaluated in residents. From November 2014 to April 2015, 18 of 20 invited experts participated in three Delphi rounds. Of the 51 items selected during the first round, only 25 (49%) had 80-100% agreement during the second round, and a third round was therefore conducted. During this last round, 80-100% agreement was achieved for 31 (61%) items, which were used to create the curriculum. All 14 residents tested felt that a simulator training session was acceptable and helped them to improve their skills. We describe a simulation-based hysteroscopy curriculum focusing on skill requirements identified by a Delphi procedure. Its development allows standardization of training programs offered to residents.

Classical Item Analysis Using Latent Variable Modeling: A Note on a Direct Evaluation Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raykov, Tenko; Marcoulides, George A.

2011-01-01

A directly applicable latent variable modeling procedure for classical item analysis is outlined. The method allows one to point and interval estimate item difficulty, item correlations, and item-total correlations for composites consisting of categorical items. The approach is readily employed in empirical research and as a by-product permits…

Building a computer program to support children, parents, and distraction during healthcare procedures.

PubMed

Hanrahan, Kirsten; McCarthy, Ann Marie; Kleiber, Charmaine; Ataman, Kaan; Street, W Nick; Zimmerman, M Bridget; Ersig, Anne L

2012-10-01

This secondary data analysis used data mining methods to develop predictive models of child risk for distress during a healthcare procedure. Data used came from a study that predicted factors associated with children's responses to an intravenous catheter insertion while parents provided distraction coaching. From the 255 items used in the primary study, 44 predictive items were identified through automatic feature selection and used to build support vector machine regression models. Models were validated using multiple cross-validation tests and by comparing variables identified as explanatory in the traditional versus support vector machine regression. Rule-based approaches were applied to the model outputs to identify overall risk for distress. A decision tree was then applied to evidence-based instructions for tailoring distraction to characteristics and preferences of the parent and child. The resulting decision support computer application, titled Children, Parents and Distraction, is being used in research. Future use will support practitioners in deciding the level and type of distraction intervention needed by a child undergoing a healthcare procedure.

Validity of portfolio assessment: which qualities determine ratings?

PubMed

Driessen, Erik W; Overeem, Karlijn; van Tartwijk, Jan; van der Vleuten, Cees P M; Muijtjens, Arno M M

2006-09-01

The portfolio is becoming increasingly accepted as a valuable tool for learning and assessment. The validity of portfolio assessment, however, may suffer from bias due to irrelevant qualities, such as lay-out and writing style. We examined the possible effects of such qualities in a portfolio programme aimed at stimulating Year 1 medical students to reflect on their professional and personal development. In later curricular years, this portfolio is also used to judge clinical competence. We developed an instrument, the Portfolio Analysis Scoring Inventory, to examine the impact of form and content aspects on portfolio assessment. The Inventory consists of 15 items derived from interviews with experienced mentors, the literature, and the criteria for reflective competence used in the regular portfolio assessment procedure. Forty portfolios, selected from 231 portfolios for which ratings from the regular assessment procedure were available, were rated by 2 researchers, independently, using the Inventory. Regression analysis was used to estimate the correlation between the ratings from the regular assessment and those resulting from the Inventory items. Inter-rater agreement ranged from 0.46 to 0.87. The strongest predictor of the variance in the regular ratings was 'quality of reflection' (R 0.80; R2 66%). No further items accounted for a significant proportion of variance. Irrelevant items, such as writing style and lay-out, had negligible effects. The absence of an impact of irrelevant criteria appears to support the validity of the portfolio assessment procedure. Further studies should examine the portfolio's validity for the assessment of clinical competence.

Development and content validation of performance assessments for endoscopic third ventriculostomy.

PubMed

Breimer, Gerben E; Haji, Faizal A; Hoving, Eelco W; Drake, James M

2015-08-01

This study aims to develop and establish the content validity of multiple expert rating instruments to assess performance in endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV), collectively called the Neuro-Endoscopic Ventriculostomy Assessment Tool (NEVAT). The important aspects of ETV were identified through a review of current literature, ETV videos, and discussion with neurosurgeons, fellows, and residents. Three assessment measures were subsequently developed: a procedure-specific checklist (CL), a CL of surgical errors, and a global rating scale (GRS). Neurosurgeons from various countries, all identified as experts in ETV, were then invited to participate in a modified Delphi survey to establish the content validity of these instruments. In each Delphi round, experts rated their agreement including each procedural step, error, and GRS item in the respective instruments on a 5-point Likert scale. Seventeen experts agreed to participate in the study and completed all Delphi rounds. After item generation, a total of 27 procedural CL items, 26 error CL items, and 9 GRS items were posed to Delphi panelists for rating. An additional 17 procedural CL items, 12 error CL items, and 1 GRS item were added by panelists. After three rounds, strong consensus (>80% agreement) was achieved on 35 procedural CL items, 29 error CL items, and 10 GRS items. Moderate consensus (50-80% agreement) was achieved on an additional 7 procedural CL items and 1 error CL item. The final procedural and error checklist contained 42 and 30 items, respectively (divided into setup, exposure, navigation, ventriculostomy, and closure). The final GRS contained 10 items. We have established the content validity of three ETV assessment measures by iterative consensus of an international expert panel. Each measure provides unique assessment information and thus can be used individually or in combination, depending on the characteristics of the learner and the purpose of the assessment. These instruments must now be evaluated in both the simulated and operative settings, to determine their construct validity and reliability. Ultimately, the measures contained in the NEVAT may prove suitable for formative assessment during ETV training and potentially as summative assessment measures during certification.

The quality of the new birth certificate data: a validation study in North Carolina.

PubMed Central

Buescher, P A; Taylor, K P; Davis, M H; Bowling, J M

1993-01-01

A random sample of 395 December 1989 North Carolina birth certificates and the corresponding maternal hospital medical records were examined to validate selected items. Reporting was very accurate for birth-weight, Apgar score, and method of delivery; fair to good for tobacco use, prenatal care, weight gain during pregnancy, obstetrical procedures, and events of labor and delivery; and poor for medical history and alcohol use. This study suggests that many of the new birth certificate items will support valid aggregate analyses for maternal and child health research and evaluation. PMID:8342728

Monitoring Items in Real Time to Enhance CAT Security

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Jinming; Li, Jie

2016-01-01

An IRT-based sequential procedure is developed to monitor items for enhancing test security. The procedure uses a series of statistical hypothesis tests to examine whether the statistical characteristics of each item under inspection have changed significantly during CAT administration. This procedure is compared with a previously developed…

Strategies for controlling item exposure in computerized adaptive testing with the partial credit model.

PubMed

Davis, Laurie Laughlin; Dodd, Barbara G

2008-01-01

Exposure control research with polytomous item pools has determined that randomization procedures can be very effective for controlling test security in computerized adaptive testing (CAT). The current study investigated the performance of four procedures for controlling item exposure in a CAT under the partial credit model. In addition to a no exposure control baseline condition, the Kingsbury-Zara, modified-within-.10-logits, Sympson-Hetter, and conditional Sympson-Hetter procedures were implemented to control exposure rates. The Kingsbury-Zara and the modified-within-.10-logits procedures were implemented with 3 and 6 item candidate conditions. The results show that the Kingsbury-Zara and modified-within-.10-logits procedures with 6 item candidates performed as well as the conditional Sympson-Hetter in terms of exposure rates, overlap rates, and pool utilization. These two procedures are strongly recommended for use with partial credit CATs due to their simplicity and strength of their results.

Testing comparison models of DASS-12 and its reliability among adolescents in Malaysia.

PubMed

Osman, Zubaidah Jamil; Mukhtar, Firdaus; Hashim, Hairul Anuar; Abdul Latiff, Latiffah; Mohd Sidik, Sherina; Awang, Hamidin; Ibrahim, Normala; Abdul Rahman, Hejar; Ismail, Siti Irma Fadhilah; Ibrahim, Faisal; Tajik, Esra; Othman, Norlijah

2014-10-01

The 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) is frequently used in non-clinical research to measure mental health factors among adults. However, previous studies have concluded that the 21 items are not stable for utilization among the adolescent population. Thus, the aims of this study are to examine the structure of the factors and to report on the reliability of the refined version of the DASS that consists of 12 items. A total of 2850 students (aged 13 to 17 years old) from three major ethnic in Malaysia completed the DASS-21. The study was conducted at 10 randomly selected secondary schools in the northern state of Peninsular Malaysia. The study population comprised secondary school students (Forms 1, 2 and 4) from the selected schools. Based on the results of the EFA stage, 12 items were included in a final CFA to test the fit of the model. Using maximum likelihood procedures to estimate the model, the selected fit indices indicated a close model fit (χ(2)=132.94, df=57, p=.000; CFI=.96; RMR=.02; RMSEA=.04). Moreover, significant loadings of all the unstandardized regression weights implied an acceptable convergent validity. Besides the convergent validity of the item, a discriminant validity of the subscales was also evident from the moderate latent factor inter-correlations, which ranged from .62 to .75. The subscale reliability was further estimated using Cronbach's alpha and the adequate reliability of the subscales was obtained (Total=76; Depression=.68; Anxiety=.53; Stress=.52). The new version of the 12-item DASS for adolescents in Malaysia (DASS-12) is reliable and has a stable factor structure, and thus it is a useful instrument for distinguishing between depression, anxiety and stress. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

And never the twain shall meet? Integrating revenue cycle and supply chain functions.

PubMed

Matjucha, Karen A; Chung, Bianca

2008-09-01

Four initial steps to implementing a profit and loss management model are: Identify the supplies clinicians are using. Empower stakeholders to remove items that are not commonly used. Reduce factors driving wasted product. Review the chargemaster to ensure that supplies used in selected procedures are represented. Strategically set prices that optimize maximum allowable reimbursement.

PROC IRT: A SAS Procedure for Item Response Theory

PubMed Central

Matlock Cole, Ki; Paek, Insu

2017-01-01

This article reviews the procedure for item response theory (PROC IRT) procedure in SAS/STAT 14.1 to conduct item response theory (IRT) analyses of dichotomous and polytomous datasets that are unidimensional or multidimensional. The review provides an overview of available features, including models, estimation procedures, interfacing, input, and output files. A small-scale simulation study evaluates the IRT model parameter recovery of the PROC IRT procedure. The use of the IRT procedure in Statistical Analysis Software (SAS) may be useful for researchers who frequently utilize SAS for analyses, research, and teaching.

DIF Trees: Using Classification Trees to Detect Differential Item Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaughn, Brandon K.; Wang, Qiu

2010-01-01

A nonparametric tree classification procedure is used to detect differential item functioning for items that are dichotomously scored. Classification trees are shown to be an alternative procedure to detect differential item functioning other than the use of traditional Mantel-Haenszel and logistic regression analysis. A nonparametric…

[Means and methods of personal hygiene in the experiment with 520-day isolation].

PubMed

Shumilina, G A; Shumilina, I V; Solov'eva, S O

2013-01-01

Six volunteers (3 Russians, a Frenchman, an Italian and a Chinese) participated in assessment of the input of sanitation and housekeeping provisions to their wellbeing during 520-day isolation and confinement. Subject of the study was quality and sufficiency of housekeeping agents and procedures as well as more than 60 names of personal hygiene items. The sanitation and housekeeping monitoring involved the clinical, hygienic and microbiological methods, and also consideration of crew comments on the items at their disposal and recommended procedures. Based on the analysis of the functional condition of the integument and oral cavity and entries in the questionnaires, i.e. objective data and subjective feelings, all test subjects remained in the invariably good state. Owing to the application of the selected hygienic means and methods the microbial status of the crew was stable throughout 520-day isolation.

An Examination of Two Procedures for Identifying Consequential Item Parameter Drift

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wells, Craig S.; Hambleton, Ronald K.; Kirkpatrick, Robert; Meng, Yu

2014-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to develop and evaluate two procedures flagging consequential item parameter drift (IPD) in an operational testing program. The first procedure was based on flagging items that exhibit a meaningful magnitude of IPD using a critical value that was defined to represent barely tolerable IPD. The second procedure…

The Effect of Guessing on Item Reliability under Answer-Until-Correct Scoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kane, Michael; Moloney, James

1978-01-01

The answer-until-correct (AUC) procedure requires that examinees respond to a multi-choice item until they answer it correctly. Using a modified version of Horst's model for examinee behavior, this paper compares the effect of guessing on item reliability for the AUC procedure and the zero-one scoring procedure. (Author/CTM)

Observed Score and True Score Equating Procedures for Multidimensional Item Response Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brossman, Bradley Grant

2010-01-01

The purpose of this research was to develop observed score and true score equating procedures to be used in conjunction with the Multidimensional Item Response Theory (MIRT) framework. Currently, MIRT scale linking procedures exist to place item parameter estimates and ability estimates on the same scale after separate calibrations are conducted.…

13 CFR 121.407 - What are the size procedures for multiple item procurements?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Requirements for Government Procurement § 121.407 What are the size procedures for multiple item procurements? If a procurement calls for two or more specific end items or types of services with different size... multiple item procurements? 121.407 Section 121.407 Business Credit and Assistance SMALL BUSINESS...

ASCAL: A Microcomputer Program for Estimating Logistic IRT Item Parameters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vale, C. David; Gialluca, Kathleen A.

ASCAL is a microcomputer-based program for calibrating items according to the three-parameter logistic model of item response theory. It uses a modified multivariate Newton-Raphson procedure for estimating item parameters. This study evaluated this procedure using Monte Carlo Simulation Techniques. The current version of ASCAL was then compared to…

Building a Computer Program to Support Children, Parents, and Distraction during Healthcare Procedures

PubMed Central

McCarthy, Ann Marie; Kleiber, Charmaine; Ataman, Kaan; Street, W. Nick; Zimmerman, M. Bridget; Ersig, Anne L.

2012-01-01

This secondary data analysis used data mining methods to develop predictive models of child risk for distress during a healthcare procedure. Data used came from a study that predicted factors associated with children’s responses to an intravenous catheter insertion while parents provided distraction coaching. From the 255 items used in the primary study, 44 predictive items were identified through automatic feature selection and used to build support vector machine regression models. Models were validated using multiple cross-validation tests and by comparing variables identified as explanatory in the traditional versus support vector machine regression. Rule-based approaches were applied to the model outputs to identify overall risk for distress. A decision tree was then applied to evidence-based instructions for tailoring distraction to characteristics and preferences of the parent and child. The resulting decision support computer application, the Children, Parents and Distraction (CPaD), is being used in research. Future use will support practitioners in deciding the level and type of distraction intervention needed by a child undergoing a healthcare procedure. PMID:22805121

Some Memories are Odder than Others: Judgments of Episodic Oddity Violate Known Decision Rules

PubMed Central

O’Connor, Akira R.; Guhl, Emily N.; Cox, Justin C.; Dobbins, Ian G.

2011-01-01

Current decision models of recognition memory are based almost entirely on one paradigm, single item old/new judgments accompanied by confidence ratings. This task results in receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) that are well fit by both signal-detection and dual-process models. Here we examine an entirely new recognition task, the judgment of episodic oddity, whereby participants select the mnemonically odd members of triplets (e.g., a new item hidden among two studied items). Using the only two known signal-detection rules of oddity judgment derived from the sensory perception literature, the unequal variance signal-detection model predicted that an old item among two new items would be easier to discover than a new item among two old items. In contrast, four separate empirical studies demonstrated the reverse pattern: triplets with two old items were the easiest to resolve. This finding was anticipated by the dual-process approach as the presence of two old items affords the greatest opportunity for recollection. Furthermore, a bootstrap-fed Monte Carlo procedure using two independent datasets demonstrated that the dual-process parameters typically observed during single item recognition correctly predict the current oddity findings, whereas unequal variance signal-detection parameters do not. Episodic oddity judgments represent a case where dual- and single-process predictions qualitatively diverge and the findings demonstrate that novelty is “odder” than familiarity. PMID:22833695

The Selective Mutism Questionnaire: Measurement Structure and Validity

PubMed Central

Letamendi, Andrea M.; Chavira, Denise A.; Hitchcock, Carla A.; Roesch, Scott C.; Shipon-Blum, Elisa; Stein, Murray B.; Roesch, Scott C.

2010-01-01

Objective To evaluate the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the 17-item Selective Mutism Questionnaire. Method Diagnostic interviews were administered via telephone to 102 parents of children identified with selective mutism (SM) and 43 parents of children without SM from varying U.S. geographic regions. Children were between the ages of 3 and 11 inclusive and comprised 58% girls and 42% boys. SM diagnoses were determined using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children - Parent Version (ADIS-C/P); SM severity was assessed using the 17-item Selective Mutism Questionnaire (SMQ); and behavioral and affective symptoms were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to investigate the dimensionality of the SMQ and a modified parallel analysis procedure was used to confirm EFA results. Internal consistency, construct validity, and incremental validity were also examined. Results The EFA yielded a 13-item solution consisting of three factors: a) Social Situations Outside of School, b) School Situations, and c) Home and Family Situations. Internal consistency of SMQ factors and total scale ranged from moderate to high. Convergent and incremental validity were also well supported. Conclusions Measure structure findings are consistent with the 3-factor solution found in a previous psychometric evaluation of the SMQ. Results also suggest that the SMQ provides useful and unique information in the prediction of SM phenomenon beyond other child anxiety measures. PMID:18698268

Detecting DIF in Polytomous Items Using MACS, IRT and Ordinal Logistic Regression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elosua, Paula; Wells, Craig

2013-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to compare the Type I error rate and power of two model-based procedures, the mean and covariance structure model (MACS) and the item response theory (IRT), and an observed-score based procedure, ordinal logistic regression, for detecting differential item functioning (DIF) in polytomous items. A simulation…

Identifying Differential Item Functioning of Rating Scale Items with the Rasch Model: An Introduction and an Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myers, Nicholas D.; Wolfe, Edward W.; Feltz, Deborah L.; Penfield, Randall D.

2006-01-01

This study (a) provided a conceptual introduction to differential item functioning (DIF), (b) introduced the multifaceted Rasch rating scale model (MRSM) and an associated statistical procedure for identifying DIF in rating scale items, and (c) applied this procedure to previously collected data from American coaches who responded to the coaching…

An Empirical Investigation of Methods for Assessing Item Fit for Mixed Format Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chon, Kyong Hee; Lee, Won-Chan; Ansley, Timothy N.

2013-01-01

Empirical information regarding performance of model-fit procedures has been a persistent need in measurement practice. Statistical procedures for evaluating item fit were applied to real test examples that consist of both dichotomously and polytomously scored items. The item fit statistics used in this study included the PARSCALE's G[squared],…

Selecting Items for Criterion-Referenced Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mellenbergh, Gideon J.; van der Linden, Wim J.

1982-01-01

Three item selection methods for criterion-referenced tests are examined: the classical theory of item difficulty and item-test correlation; the latent trait theory of item characteristic curves; and a decision-theoretic approach for optimal item selection. Item contribution to the standardized expected utility of mastery testing is discussed. (CM)

Selective Mutism Questionnaire: measurement structure and validity.

PubMed

Letamendi, Andrea M; Chavira, Denise A; Hitchcock, Carla A; Roesch, Scott C; Shipon-Blum, Elisa; Stein, Murray B

2008-10-01

To evaluate the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the 17-item Selective Mutism Questionnaire (SMQ). Diagnostic interviews were administered via telephone to 102 parents of children identified with selective mutism (SM) and 43 parents of children without SM from varying U.S. geographic regions. Children were between the ages of 3 and 11 inclusive and comprised 58% girls and 42% boys. SM diagnoses were determined using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children-Parent Version; SM severity was assessed using the 17-item SMQ; and behavioral and affective symptoms were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to investigate the dimensionality of the SMQ and a modified parallel analysis procedure was used to confirm exploratory factor analysis results. Internal consistency, construct validity, and incremental validity were also examined. The exploratory factor analysis yielded a 13-item solution consisting of three factors: social situations outside of school, school situations, and home and family situations. Internal consistency of SMQ factors and total scale ranged from moderate to high. Convergent and incremental validity was also well supported. Measure structure findings are consistent with the three-factor solution found in a previous psychometric evaluation of the SMQ. Results also suggest that the SMQ provides useful and unique information in the prediction of SM phenomena beyond other child anxiety measures.

The MMPI-2-RF Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5-RF) scales: development and validity research.

PubMed

Harkness, Allan R; McNulty, John L; Finn, Jacob A; Reynolds, Shannon M; Shields, Susan M; Arbisi, Paul

2014-01-01

This article describes the development, internal psychometric, and external validation studies on scales designed to measure the Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5) from MMPI-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) items. Diverse and comprehensive data sets, representing various clinical and nonclinical populations, were classified into development and validation research samples. Item selection, retention, and exclusion procedures are detailed. The final set of PSY-5-RF scales contain 104 items, with no item overlap between scales (same as the original MMPI-2 PSY-5 scales), and no item overlap with the Demoralization scale. Internal consistency estimates are comparable to the longer MMPI-2 PSY-5 scales. Appropriate convergent and discriminant validity findings utilizing various self-report, collateral rating, and record review data are reported and discussed. A particular emphasis is offered for the unique aspects of the PSY-5 model: psychoticism and disconstraint. The findings are connected to the broader PSY-5 literature and the recommended review of systems (Harkness, Reynolds, & Lilienfeld, this issue) presented in this series of articles.

The Selection of Test Items for Decision Making with a Computer Adaptive Test.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spray, Judith A.; Reckase, Mark D.

The issue of test-item selection in support of decision making in adaptive testing is considered. The number of items needed to make a decision is compared for two approaches: selecting items from an item pool that are most informative at the decision point or selecting items that are most informative at the examinee's ability level. The first…

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Detailed Assessment of Speed of Handwriting 17+ to Brazilian Portuguese: conceptual, item and semantic equivalence.

PubMed

Cardoso, Monique Herrera; Capellini, Simone Aparecida

2018-02-19

Perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the Detailed Assessment of Speed of Handwriting 17+ (DASH 17+) for Brazilians. Evaluation of (1) conceptual, item and (2) semantic equivalence, with assistance of four translators and application of a pilot study to 36 students. (1) The concepts and items are equivalent in the British and Brazilian cultures. (2) Adaptations were made concerning the English language pangram used in copying tasks and selection of the lower-case, cursive handwriting in the alphabet-writing task. Application of the pilot study verified acceptability and understanding of the proposed tasks by the students. The Brazilian Portuguese version of the DASH 17+ was presented after finalization of the conceptual, item and semantic equivalence of the instrument. Further studies on psychometric properties should be conducted with the purpose of measuring the speed of handwriting in youngsters and adults with greater reliability and validity to the procedure.

Overview and current management of computerized adaptive testing in licensing/certification examinations.

PubMed

Seo, Dong Gi

2017-01-01

Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) has been implemented in high-stakes examinations such as the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurses in the United States since 1994. Subsequently, the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians in the United States adopted CAT for certifying emergency medical technicians in 2007. This was done with the goal of introducing the implementation of CAT for medical health licensing examinations. Most implementations of CAT are based on item response theory, which hypothesizes that both the examinee and items have their own characteristics that do not change. There are 5 steps for implementing CAT: first, determining whether the CAT approach is feasible for a given testing program; second, establishing an item bank; third, pretesting, calibrating, and linking item parameters via statistical analysis; fourth, determining the specification for the final CAT related to the 5 components of the CAT algorithm; and finally, deploying the final CAT after specifying all the necessary components. The 5 components of the CAT algorithm are as follows: item bank, starting item, item selection rule, scoring procedure, and termination criterion. CAT management includes content balancing, item analysis, item scoring, standard setting, practice analysis, and item bank updates. Remaining issues include the cost of constructing CAT platforms and deploying the computer technology required to build an item bank. In conclusion, in order to ensure more accurate estimations of examinees' ability, CAT may be a good option for national licensing examinations. Measurement theory can support its implementation for high-stakes examinations.

Overview and current management of computerized adaptive testing in licensing/certification examinations

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) has been implemented in high-stakes examinations such as the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurses in the United States since 1994. Subsequently, the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians in the United States adopted CAT for certifying emergency medical technicians in 2007. This was done with the goal of introducing the implementation of CAT for medical health licensing examinations. Most implementations of CAT are based on item response theory, which hypothesizes that both the examinee and items have their own characteristics that do not change. There are 5 steps for implementing CAT: first, determining whether the CAT approach is feasible for a given testing program; second, establishing an item bank; third, pretesting, calibrating, and linking item parameters via statistical analysis; fourth, determining the specification for the final CAT related to the 5 components of the CAT algorithm; and finally, deploying the final CAT after specifying all the necessary components. The 5 components of the CAT algorithm are as follows: item bank, starting item, item selection rule, scoring procedure, and termination criterion. CAT management includes content balancing, item analysis, item scoring, standard setting, practice analysis, and item bank updates. Remaining issues include the cost of constructing CAT platforms and deploying the computer technology required to build an item bank. In conclusion, in order to ensure more accurate estimations of examinees’ ability, CAT may be a good option for national licensing examinations. Measurement theory can support its implementation for high-stakes examinations. PMID:28811394

On the Use of Nonparametric Item Characteristic Curve Estimation Techniques for Checking Parametric Model Fit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Young-Sun; Wollack, James A.; Douglas, Jeffrey

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the model fit of a 2PL through comparison with the nonparametric item characteristic curve (ICC) estimation procedures. Results indicate that three nonparametric procedures implemented produced ICCs that are similar to that of the 2PL for items simulated to fit the 2PL. However for misfitting items,…

Parameter Estimation in Rasch Models for Examinee-Selected Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Chen-Wei; Wang, Wen-Chung

2017-01-01

The examinee-selected-item (ESI) design, in which examinees are required to respond to a fixed number of items in a given set of items (e.g., choose one item to respond from a pair of items), always yields incomplete data (i.e., only the selected items are answered and the others have missing data) that are likely nonignorable. Therefore, using…

Optimal Item Selection with Credentialing Examinations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hambleton, Ronald K.; And Others

The study compared two promising item response theory (IRT) item-selection methods, optimal and content-optimal, with two non-IRT item selection methods, random and classical, for use in fixed-length certification exams. The four methods were used to construct 20-item exams from a pool of approximately 250 items taken from a 1985 certification…

Alternative Matching Scores to Control Type I Error of the Mantel-Haenszel Procedure for DIF in Dichotomously Scored Items Conforming to 3PL IRT and Nonparametric 4PBCB Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monahan, Patrick O.; Ankenmann, Robert D.

2010-01-01

When the matching score is either less than perfectly reliable or not a sufficient statistic for determining latent proficiency in data conforming to item response theory (IRT) models, Type I error (TIE) inflation may occur for the Mantel-Haenszel (MH) procedure or any differential item functioning (DIF) procedure that matches on summed-item…

Surgeon-Directed Cost Variation in Isolated Rotator Cuff Repair.

PubMed

Terhune, E Bailey; Cannamela, Peter C; Johnson, Jared S; Saad, Charles D; Barnes, John; Silbernagel, Janette; Faciszewski, Thomas; Shea, Kevin G

2016-12-01

As value becomes a larger component of heath care decision making, cost data can be evaluated for regional and physician variation. Value is determined by outcome divided by cost, and reducing cost increases value for patients. "Third-party spend" items are individual selections by surgeons used to perform procedures. Cost data for third-party spend items provide surgeons and hospitals with important information regarding care value, potential cost-saving opportunities, and the total cost of ownership of specific clinical decisions. To perform a cost review of isolated rotator cuff repair within a regional 7-hospital system and to document procedure cost variation among operating surgeons. Economic and decision analysis; Level of evidence, 4. Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes were used to retrospectively identify subjects who received an isolated rotator cuff repair within a 7-hospital system. Cost data were collected for clinically sensitive third-party spend items and divided into 4 cost groups: (1) suture anchors, (2) suture-passing devices and needles, (3) sutures used for cuff repair, and (4) disposable tools or instruments. A total of 62 isolated rotator cuff repairs were performed by 17 surgeons over a 13-month period. The total cost per case for clinically sensitive third-party spend items (in 2015 US dollars) ranged from $293 to $3752 (mean, $1826). Four surgeons had a mean procedure cost that was higher than the data set mean procedure cost. The cost of an individual suture anchor ranged from $75 to $1775 (mean, $403). One disposable suture passer was used, which cost $140. The cost of passing needles ranged from $140 to $995 (mean, $468). The cost per repair suture (used to repair cuff tears) varied from $18 to $298 (mean, $61). The mean suture (used to close wounds) cost per case was $81 (range, $0-$454). A total of 316 tools or disposable instruments were used, costing $1 to $1573 per case (mean, $624). This study demonstrates significant cost variation with respect to cost per case and cost of individual items used during isolated rotator cuff repair. Suture anchors represent the most expensive and variable surgeon-directed cost. The wide cost variation seen in all cost categories illustrates both the effect of surgeon choice in procedure cost and the opportunity for significant cost savings in cases of isolated rotator cuff repair. Engaging surgeons in discussion on cost can positively influence the value of care provided to patients if costs can be reduced without affecting the quality of patient outcomes.

An Empirical Bayes Approach to Item Banking. Project Psychometric Aspects of Item Banking No. 6. Research Report 86-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Linden, Wim J.; Eggen, Theo J. H. M.

A procedure for the sequential optimization of the calibration of an item bank is given. The procedure is based on an empirical Bayes approach to a reformulation of the Rasch model as a model for paired comparisons between the difficulties of test items in which ties are allowed to occur. First, it is indicated how a paired-comparisons design…

Out with the old? The role of selective attention in retaining targets in partial report.

PubMed

Lindsey, Dakota R B; Bundesen, Claus; Kyllingsbæk, Søren; Petersen, Anders; Logan, Gordon D

2017-01-01

In the partial-report task, subjects are asked to report only a portion of the items presented. Selective attention chooses which objects to represent in short-term memory (STM) on the basis of their relevance. Because STM is limited in capacity, one must sometimes choose which objects are removed from memory in light of new relevant information. We tested the hypothesis that the choices among newly presented information and old information in STM involve the same process-that both are acts of selective attention. We tested this hypothesis using a two-display partial-report procedure. In this procedure, subjects had to select and retain relevant letters (targets) from two sequentially presented displays. If selection in perception and retention in STM are the same process, then irrelevant letters (distractors) in the second display, which demanded attention because of their similarity to the targets, should have decreased target report from the first display. This effect was not obtained in any of four experiments. Thus, choosing objects to keep in STM is not the same process as choosing new objects to bring into STM.

77 FR 67363 - Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-09

... 20571. Open Agenda Items: Item No. 1: Proposed Economic Impact Procedures and Methodological Guidelines. Documentation including the proposed Economic Impact Procedures and Methodological Guidelines as well as the...

Unsupervised categorization with individuals diagnosed as having moderate traumatic brain injury: Over-selective responding.

PubMed

Edwards, Darren J; Wood, Rodger

2016-01-01

This study explored over-selectivity (executive dysfunction) using a standard unsupervised categorization task. Over-selectivity has been demonstrated using supervised categorization procedures (where training is given); however, little has been done in the way of unsupervised categorization (without training). A standard unsupervised categorization task was used to assess levels of over-selectivity in a traumatic brain injury (TBI) population. Individuals with TBI were selected from the Tertiary Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic at Swansea University and were asked to categorize two-dimensional items (pictures on cards), into groups that they felt were most intuitive, and without any learning (feedback from experimenter). This was compared against categories made by a control group for the same task. The findings of this study demonstrate that individuals with TBI had deficits for both easy and difficult categorization sets, as indicated by a larger amount of one-dimensional sorting compared to control participants. Deficits were significantly greater for the easy condition. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of over-selectivity, and the processes that underlie this deficit. Also, the implications for using this procedure as a screening measure for over-selectivity in TBI are discussed.

Flexible Execution of Cognitive Procedures.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-30

were drawn from three third-grade classrooms The classrooms were pre-tested twice using a paper-and-pencil diagnostic test. We selected 33 students...tested individually in a small room adjacent to their classroom . Each student solved an individualized paper-and-pencil test whose items were designed... tablet , and students filled out the test with a special pen. Equipment malfunctions caused the data from 7 students to be lost. Tablet data from each of

Using Kernel Equating to Assess Item Order Effects on Test Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moses, Tim; Yang, Wen-Ling; Wilson, Christine

2007-01-01

This study explored the use of kernel equating for integrating and extending two procedures proposed for assessing item order effects in test forms that have been administered to randomly equivalent groups. When these procedures are used together, they can provide complementary information about the extent to which item order effects impact test…

Fracture control procedures for aircraft structural integrity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, H. A.

1972-01-01

The application of applied fracture mechanics in the design, analysis, and qualification of aircraft structural systems are reviewed. Recent service experiences are cited. Current trends in high-strength materials application are reviewed with particular emphasis on the manner in which fracture toughness and structural efficiency may affect the material selection process. General fracture control procedures are reviewed in depth with specific reference to the impact of inspectability, structural arrangement, and material on proposed analysis requirements for safe crack growth. The relative impact on allowable design stress is indicated by example. Design criteria, material, and analysis requirements for implementation of fracture control procedures are reviewed together with limitations in current available data techniques. A summary of items which require further study and attention is presented.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yano, Kimihiko; Kitagaki, Toru; Ikeuchi, Hirotomo

For the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1F), defueling of the fuel debris in the reactor core of Units 1-3 is planned to start within 10 years. Preferential items in the characterization of the fuel debris were identified for this work, in which the procedure and handling tools were assumed on the basis of information on 1F and experience after the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) accident. The candidates for defueling tools for 1F were selected from among the TMI- 2 defueling tools. It was found that they could be categorized into six groups according to theirmore » operating principles. The important properties of the fuel debris for defueling were selected considering the effect of the target materials on the tool performance. The selected properties are shape, size, density, thermal conductivity, heat capacity, melting point, hardness, elastic modulus, and fracture toughness. Of these properties, the mechanical properties (hardness, elastic modulus, fracture toughness) were identified as preferential items, because too few data on these characteristics of fuel debris are available in past severe accident studies. (authors)« less

A Comparison of the One-and Three-Parameter Logistic Models on Measures of Test Efficiency.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benson, Jeri

Two methods of item selection were used to select sets of 40 items from a 50-item verbal analogies test, and the resulting item sets were compared for relative efficiency. The BICAL program was used to select the 40 items having the best mean square fit to the one parameter logistic (Rasch) model. The LOGIST program was used to select the 40 items…

Conditional Versus Unconditional Procedures for Sample-Free Item Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Benjamin D.; Douglas, Graham A.

1977-01-01

Procedures for the Rasch model, sample free item calibration are reviewed and compared for accuracy. The theoretically ideal procedure is shown to have practical limitations. Two alternatives to the ideal are presented and discussed. A correction for bias in the most widely used alternative is presented. (Author/JKS)

Methodology for the development and calibration of the SCI-QOL item banks

PubMed Central

Tulsky, David S.; Kisala, Pamela A.; Victorson, David; Choi, Seung W.; Gershon, Richard; Heinemann, Allen W.; Cella, David

2015-01-01

Objective To develop a comprehensive, psychometrically sound, and conceptually grounded patient reported outcomes (PRO) measurement system for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods Individual interviews (n = 44) and focus groups (n = 65 individuals with SCI and n = 42 SCI clinicians) were used to select key domains for inclusion and to develop PRO items. Verbatim items from other cutting-edge measurement systems (i.e. PROMIS, Neuro-QOL) were included to facilitate linkage and cross-population comparison. Items were field tested in a large sample of individuals with traumatic SCI (n = 877). Dimensionality was assessed with confirmatory factor analysis. Local item dependence and differential item functioning were assessed, and items were calibrated using the item response theory (IRT) graded response model. Finally, computer adaptive tests (CATs) and short forms were administered in a new sample (n = 245) to assess test-retest reliability and stability. Participants and Procedures A calibration sample of 877 individuals with traumatic SCI across five SCI Model Systems sites and one Department of Veterans Affairs medical center completed SCI-QOL items in interview format. Results We developed 14 unidimensional calibrated item banks and 3 calibrated scales across physical, emotional, and social health domains. When combined with the five Spinal Cord Injury – Functional Index physical function banks, the final SCI-QOL system consists of 22 IRT-calibrated item banks/scales. Item banks may be administered as CATs or short forms. Scales may be administered in a fixed-length format only. Conclusions The SCI-QOL measurement system provides SCI researchers and clinicians with a comprehensive, relevant and psychometrically robust system for measurement of physical-medical, physical-functional, emotional, and social outcomes. All SCI-QOL instruments are freely available on Assessment CenterSM. PMID:26010963

Length of stay of stroke rehabilitation inpatients: prediction through the functional independence measure.

PubMed

Franchignoni, F; Tesio, L; Martino, M T; Benevolo, E; Castagna, M

1998-01-01

A model for prediction of length of stay (LOS, in days) of stroke rehabilitation inpatients was developed, based on patients' age (years) and function at admission (scored on the Functional Independence Measure, FIMSM). One hundred and twenty-nine cases, consecutively admitted to three free-standing rehabilitation centres in Italy, were analyzed. A multiple linear regression using forward stepwise selection procedure was adopted. Median admission and discharge scores were: 57 and 75 for the total FIM score, 29 and 48 for the 13-item motor FIM subscore, 29 and 30 for the 5-item cognitive FIM subscore (potential range: 18-126, 13-91, 5-35, respectively). Median LOS was 44 days (interquartile range 30-62). The logLOS predictive model included three FIM items ("toilet transfer", TTr; "social interaction"; "expression") and patient's age (R2 = 0.48). TTr alone explained 31.3% of the variance of logLOS. These results are consistent with previous American studies, showing that FIM scores at admission are strong predictors of patients' LOS, with the transfer items having the greatest predictive power.

A Generalized Logistic Regression Procedure to Detect Differential Item Functioning among Multiple Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magis, David; Raiche, Gilles; Beland, Sebastien; Gerard, Paul

2011-01-01

We present an extension of the logistic regression procedure to identify dichotomous differential item functioning (DIF) in the presence of more than two groups of respondents. Starting from the usual framework of a single focal group, we propose a general approach to estimate the item response functions in each group and to test for the presence…

26 CFR 301.7231-1 - Failure to obtain license for collection of foreign items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... TREASURY (CONTINUED) PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTRATION Crimes, Other Offenses, and Forfeitures Crimes § 301.7231-1 Failure to obtain license for collection of foreign items. For provisions...

Comparing Methods for Item Analysis: The Impact of Different Item-Selection Statistics on Test Difficulty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Andrew T.

2011-01-01

Practitioners often depend on item analysis to select items for exam forms and have a variety of options available to them. These include the point-biserial correlation, the agreement statistic, the B index, and the phi coefficient. Although research has demonstrated that these statistics can be useful for item selection, no research as of yet has…

Wrong-Site Surgery, Retained Surgical Items, and Surgical Fires : A Systematic Review of Surgical Never Events.

PubMed

Hempel, Susanne; Maggard-Gibbons, Melinda; Nguyen, David K; Dawes, Aaron J; Miake-Lye, Isomi; Beroes, Jessica M; Booth, Marika J; Miles, Jeremy N V; Shanman, Roberta; Shekelle, Paul G

2015-08-01

Serious, preventable surgical events, termed never events, continue to occur despite considerable patient safety efforts. To examine the incidence and root causes of and interventions to prevent wrong-site surgery, retained surgical items, and surgical fires in the era after the implementation of the Universal Protocol in 2004. We searched 9 electronic databases for entries from 2004 through June 30, 2014, screened references, and consulted experts. Two independent reviewers identified relevant publications in June 2014. One reviewer used a standardized form to extract data and a second reviewer checked the data. Strength of evidence was established by the review team. Data extraction was completed in January 2015. Incidence of wrong-site surgery, retained surgical items, and surgical fires. We found 138 empirical studies that met our inclusion criteria. Incidence estimates for wrong-site surgery in US settings varied by data source and procedure (median estimate, 0.09 events per 10,000 surgical procedures). The median estimate for retained surgical items was 1.32 events per 10,000 procedures, but estimates varied by item and procedure. The per-procedure surgical fire incidence is unknown. A frequently reported root cause was inadequate communication. Methodologic challenges associated with investigating changes in rare events limit the conclusions of 78 intervention evaluations. Limited evidence supported the Universal Protocol (5 studies), education (4 studies), and team training (4 studies) interventions to prevent wrong-site surgery. Limited evidence exists to prevent retained surgical items by using data-matrix-coded sponge-counting systems (5 pertinent studies). Evidence for preventing surgical fires was insufficient, and intervention effects were not estimable. Current estimates for wrong-site surgery and retained surgical items are 1 event per 100,000 and 1 event per 10,000 procedures, respectively, but the precision is uncertain, and the per-procedure prevalence of surgical fires is not known. Root-cause analyses suggest the need for improved communication. Despite promising approaches and global Universal Protocol evaluations, empirical evidence for interventions is limited.

Information disclosure in clinical informed consent: "reasonable" patient's perception of norm in high-context communication culture.

PubMed

Hammami, Muhammad M; Al-Jawarneh, Yussuf; Hammami, Muhammad B; Al Qadire, Mohammad

2014-01-10

The current doctrine of informed consent for clinical care has been developed in cultures characterized by low-context communication and monitoring-style coping. There are scarce empirical data on patients' norm perception of information disclosure in other cultures. We surveyed 470 adults who were planning to undergo or had recently undergone a written informed consent-requiring procedure in a tertiary healthcare hospital in Saudi Arabia. Perceptions of norm and current practice were explored using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly agree with disclosure) and 30 information items in 7 domains: practitioners' details, benefits, risks, complications' management, available alternatives, procedure's description, and post-procedure's issues. Respondents' mean (SD) age was 38.4 (12.5); 50.2% were males, 57.2% had ≥ college education, and 37.9% had undergone a procedure. According to norm perception, strongly agree/agree responses ranged from 98.0% (major benefits) to 50.5% (assistant/trainee's name). Overall, items related to benefits and post-procedure's issues were ranked better (more agreeable) than items related to risks and available alternatives. Ranking scores were better in post-procedure respondents for 4 (13.3%) items (p < 0.001 to 0.001) and in males for 8 (26.7%) items (p = 0.008 to <0.001). Older age was associated with better ranking scores for 3 (10.0%) items and worse for one (p < 0.001 to 0.006). According to current practice perception, strongly agree/agree responses ranged from 93.3% (disclosure of procedure's name) to 13.9% (lead practitioner's training place), ranking scores were worse for all items compared to norm perception (p < 0.001), and post-procedure status, younger age, and lower educational level were associated with better ranking scores for 15 (50.0%), 12 (40.0%), and 4 (13.3%) items, respectively (p < 0.001 to 0.009). 1) even in an overall high-context communication culture, extensive and more information than is currently disclosed is perceived as norm, 2) the focus of the desired information is closer to benefits and post-procedure's issues than risks and available alternatives, 3) male, post-procedure, and older patients are in favor of more information disclosure, 4) male, older, and more educated patients may be particularly dissatisfied with current information disclosure. The focus and extent of information disclosure for clinical informed consent may need to be adjusted if a "reasonable" patient's standard is to be met.

Procedures to develop a computerized adaptive test to assess patient-reported physical functioning.

PubMed

McCabe, Erin; Gross, Douglas P; Bulut, Okan

2018-06-07

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the procedures to develop and implement a computerized adaptive patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure using secondary analysis of a dataset and items from fixed-format legacy measures. We conducted secondary analysis of a dataset of responses from 1429 persons with work-related lower extremity impairment. We calibrated three measures of physical functioning on the same metric, based on item response theory (IRT). We evaluated efficiency and measurement precision of various computerized adaptive test (CAT) designs using computer simulations. IRT and confirmatory factor analyses support combining the items from the three scales for a CAT item bank of 31 items. The item parameters for IRT were calculated using the generalized partial credit model. CAT simulations show that reducing the test length from the full 31 items to a maximum test length of 8 items, or 20 items is possible without a significant loss of information (95, 99% correlation with legacy measure scores). We demonstrated feasibility and efficiency of using CAT for PRO measurement of physical functioning. The procedures we outlined are straightforward, and can be applied to other PRO measures. Additionally, we have included all the information necessary to implement the CAT of physical functioning in the electronic supplementary material of this paper.

A Comparison of the One-, the Modified Three-, and the Three-Parameter Item Response Theory Models in the Test Development Item Selection Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eignor, Daniel R.; Douglass, James B.

This paper attempts to provide some initial information about the use of a variety of item response theory (IRT) models in the item selection process; its purpose is to compare the information curves derived from the selection of items characterized by several different IRT models and their associated parameter estimation programs. These…

Assessment of Competence in EVAR Procedures: A Novel Rating Scale Developed by the Delphi Technique.

PubMed

Strøm, M; Lönn, L; Bech, B; Schroeder, T V; Konge, L

2017-07-01

To develop a procedure specific global rating scale for assessment of operator competence in endovascular aortic repair (EVAR). A Delphi approach was used to achieve expert consensus. A panel of 32 international experts (median 300 EVAR procedures, range 200-3000) from vascular surgery (n = 21) and radiology (n = 11) was established. The first Delphi round was based on a review of endovascular skills assessment papers, stent graft instructions for use, and structured interviews. It led to a primary pool of 83 items that were formulated as global rating scale items with tentative anchors. Iterative Delphi rounds were executed. The panellists rated the importance of each item on a 5 point Likert scale. Consensus was defined as 80% of the panel rating an item 4 or 5 in the primary round and 90% in subsequent rounds. Consensus on the final assessment tool was defined as Cronbach's alpha > .8 after a minimum of three rounds. Thirty-two of 35 invited experts participated. Three rounds of surveys were completed with a completion rate of 100% in the first two rounds and 91% in round three. The 83 primary assessment items were supplemented with five items suggested by the panel and reduced to seven pivotal assessment items that reached consensus, Cronbach's alpha = 0.82. The seven item rating scale covers key elements of competence in EVAR stent placement and deployment. Each item has well defined grades with explicit anchors at unacceptable, acceptable, and superior performance on a 5 point Likert scale. The Delphi methodology allowed for international consensus on a new procedure specific global rating scale for assessment of competence in EVAR. The resulting scale, EndoVascular Aortic Repair Assessment of Technical Expertise (EVARATE), represents key elements in the procedure. EVARATE constitutes an assessment tool for providing structured feedback to endovascular operators in training. Copyright © 2017 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interservice Procedures for Instructional Systems Development. Phase 3. Develop

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-08-01

Occur at wide intervals to be learned *Reads about the actions to *Occur at the end, but before be learned tests or on-the-job performance *Watches a...the particular sub-category. Use the learning objective action statement, conditions, standards, and the test item to help select which guidelines to...objective. EXAMPLE If you have a CLASSIFYING objective like "identifying poisonous plants,’ when you get to guideline 16. "To test learning, require the

How a modified approach to dental coding can benefit personal and professional development with improved clinical outcomes.

PubMed

Lam, Raymond; Kruger, Estie; Tennant, Marc

2014-12-01

One disadvantage of the remarkable achievements in dentistry is that treatment options have never been more varied or confusing. This has made the concept of Evidenced Based Dentistry more applicable to modern dental practice. Despite merit in the concept whereby clinical decisions are guided by scientific evidence, there are problems with establishing a scientific base. This is no more challenging than in modern dentistry where the gap between rapidly developing products/procedures and its evidence base are widening. Furthermore, the burden of oral disease continues to remain high at the population level. These problems have prompted new approaches to enhancing research. The aim of this paper is to outline how a modified approach to dental coding may benefit clinical and population level research. Using publically assessable data obtained from the Australian Chronic Disease Dental Scheme and item codes contained within the Australian Schedule of Dental Services and Glossary, a suggested approach to dental informatics is illustrated. A selection of item codes have been selected and expanded with the addition of suffixes. These suffixes provided circumstantial information that will assist in assessing clinical outcomes such as success rates and prognosis. The use of item codes in administering the CDDS yielded a large database of item codes. These codes are amenable to dental informatics which has been shown to enhance research at both the clinical and population level. This is a cost effective method to supplement existing research methods. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Online drug databases: a new method to assess and compare inclusion of clinically relevant information.

PubMed

Silva, Cristina; Fresco, Paula; Monteiro, Joaquim; Rama, Ana Cristina Ribeiro

2013-08-01

Evidence-Based Practice requires health care decisions to be based on the best available evidence. The model "Information Mastery" proposes that clinicians should use sources of information that have previously evaluated relevance and validity, provided at the point of care. Drug databases (DB) allow easy and fast access to information and have the benefit of more frequent content updates. Relevant information, in the context of drug therapy, is that which supports safe and effective use of medicines. Accordingly, the European Guideline on the Summary of Product Characteristics (EG-SmPC) was used as a standard to evaluate the inclusion of relevant information contents in DB. To develop and test a method to evaluate relevancy of DB contents, by assessing the inclusion of information items deemed relevant for effective and safe drug use. Hierarchical organisation and selection of the principles defined in the EGSmPC; definition of criteria to assess inclusion of selected information items; creation of a categorisation and quantification system that allows score calculation; calculation of relative differences (RD) of scores for comparison with an "ideal" database, defined as the one that achieves the best quantification possible for each of the information items; pilot test on a sample of 9 drug databases, using 10 drugs frequently associated in literature with morbidity-mortality and also being widely consumed in Portugal. Main outcome measure Calculate individual and global scores for clinically relevant information items of drug monographs in databases, using the categorisation and quantification system created. A--Method development: selection of sections, subsections, relevant information items and corresponding requisites; system to categorise and quantify their inclusion; score and RD calculation procedure. B--Pilot test: calculated scores for the 9 databases; globally, all databases evaluated significantly differed from the "ideal" database; some DB performed better but performance was inconsistent at subsections level, within the same DB. The method developed allows quantification of the inclusion of relevant information items in DB and comparison with an "ideal database". It is necessary to consult diverse DB in order to find all the relevant information needed to support clinical drug use.

Implementing AORN recommended practices for prevention of retained surgical items.

PubMed

Goldberg, Judith L; Feldman, David L

2012-02-01

Retention of a surgical item is a preventable event that can result in patient injury. AORN's "Recommended practices for prevention of retained surgical items" emphasizes the importance of using a multidisciplinary approach for prevention. Procedures should include counts of soft goods, needles, miscellaneous items, and instruments, and efforts should be made to prevent retention of fragments of broken devices. If a count discrepancy occurs, the perioperative team should follow procedures to locate the missing item. Perioperative leaders may consider the use of adjunct technologies such as bar-code scanning, radio-frequency detection, and radio-frequency identification. Ambulatory and hospital patient scenarios are included to exemplify appropriate strategies for preventing retained surgical items. Copyright © 2012 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the Psychometric Characteristics of Generated Multiple-Choice Test Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gierl, Mark J.; Lai, Hollis; Pugh, Debra; Touchie, Claire; Boulais, André-Philippe; De Champlain, André

2016-01-01

Item development is a time- and resource-intensive process. Automatic item generation integrates cognitive modeling with computer technology to systematically generate test items. To date, however, items generated using cognitive modeling procedures have received limited use in operational testing situations. As a result, the psychometric…

Pretest and refinement of items for alcohol highway safety surveys

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1984-05-30

This study summarizes the procedures employed in pre-testing a set of alcohol-highway safety questionnaire items. The procedures included conducting a set of focus groups and a series of telephone interviews on several forms of the questionnaires. Th...

Effects of Average Signed Area Between Two Item Characteristic Curves and Test Purification Procedures on the DIF Detection via the Mantel-Haenszel Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Wen-Chung; Su, Ya-Hui

2004-01-01

In this study we investigated the effects of the average signed area (ASA) between the item characteristic curves of the reference and focal groups and three test purification procedures on the uniform differential item functioning (DIF) detection via the Mantel-Haenszel (M-H) method through Monte Carlo simulations. The results showed that ASA,…

Distributed and Dynamic Storage of Working Memory Stimulus Information in Extrastriate Cortex

PubMed Central

Sreenivasan, Kartik K.; Vytlacil, Jason; D'Esposito, Mark

2015-01-01

The predominant neurobiological model of working memory (WM) posits that stimulus information is stored via stable elevated activity within highly selective neurons. Based on this model, which we refer to as the canonical model, the storage of stimulus information is largely associated with lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC). A growing number of studies describe results that cannot be fully explained by the canonical model, suggesting that it is in need of revision. In the present study, we directly test key elements of the canonical model. We analyzed functional MRI data collected as participants performed a task requiring WM for faces and scenes. Multivariate decoding procedures identified patterns of activity containing information about the items maintained in WM (faces, scenes, or both). While information about WM items was identified in extrastriate visual cortex (EC) and lPFC, only EC exhibited a pattern of results consistent with a sensory representation. Information in both regions persisted even in the absence of elevated activity, suggesting that elevated population activity may not represent the storage of information in WM. Additionally, we observed that WM information was distributed across EC neural populations that exhibited a broad range of selectivity for the WM items rather than restricted to highly selective EC populations. Finally, we determined that activity patterns coding for WM information were not stable, but instead varied over the course of a trial, indicating that the neural code for WM information is dynamic rather than static. Together, these findings challenge the canonical model of WM. PMID:24392897

Using Mutual Information for Adaptive Item Comparison and Student Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Chao-Lin

2005-01-01

The author analyzes properties of mutual information between dichotomous concepts and test items. The properties generalize some common intuitions about item comparison, and provide principled foundations for designing item-selection heuristics for student assessment in computer-assisted educational systems. The proposed item-selection strategies…

Comparison of Exposure Controls, Item Pool Characteristics, and Population Distributions for CAT Using the Partial Credit Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, HwaYoung; Dodd, Barbara G.

2012-01-01

This study investigated item exposure control procedures under various combinations of item pool characteristics and ability distributions in computerized adaptive testing based on the partial credit model. Three variables were manipulated: item pool characteristics (120 items for each of easy, medium, and hard item pools), two ability…

Effects of Ignoring Item Interaction on Item Parameter Estimation and Detection of Interacting Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Cheng-Te; Wang, Wen-Chung

2007-01-01

This study explores the effects of ignoring item interaction on item parameter estimation and the efficiency of using the local dependence index Q[subscript 3] and the SAS NLMIXED procedure to detect item interaction under the three-parameter logistic model and the generalized partial credit model. Through simulations, it was found that ignoring…

Using Differential Item Functioning Procedures to Explore Sources of Item Difficulty and Group Performance Characteristics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheuneman, Janice Dowd; Gerritz, Kalle

1990-01-01

Differential item functioning (DIF) methodology for revealing sources of item difficulty and performance characteristics of different groups was explored. A total of 150 Scholastic Aptitude Test items and 132 Graduate Record Examination general test items were analyzed. DIF was evaluated for males and females and Blacks and Whites. (SLD)

Estimating procedure for major highway construction bid item cost : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-06-01

The present procedure for estimating construction bid item cost makes use of the quarterly weighted average unit price report coupled with engineering judgement. The limitation to this method is that this report format provides only the lowest bid da...

A Framework for Dimensionality Assessment for Multidimensional Item Response Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Svetina, Dubravka; Levy, Roy

2014-01-01

A framework is introduced for considering dimensionality assessment procedures for multidimensional item response models. The framework characterizes procedures in terms of their confirmatory or exploratory approach, parametric or nonparametric assumptions, and applicability to dichotomous, polytomous, and missing data. Popular and emerging…

Procedure for Failure Mode, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1966-01-01

This document provides guidelines for the accomplishment of Failure Mode, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) on the Apollo program. It is a procedure for analysis of hardware items to determine those items contributing most to system unreliability and crew safety problems.

Constraints on the performance of minor surgery by family physicians: study of a 'mock' skin biopsy procedure.

PubMed

Rodney, W M; Richards, E; Ounanian, L L; Morrison, J D

1987-03-01

Despite the availability of a procedure room equipped for the performance of common surgery procedures, physicians in a family medicine training programme have reported that minor surgery training objectives are not being accomplished. To examine this issue, the frequency of minor surgery procedures was audited among 357 randomly selected medical records. The frequency of documented sigmoidoscopy in this group of active patients over the age of 50 years was 4.8%. A similar low frequency for the performance of skin biopsy was also observed. All 15 senior residents participated in an attitude survey and a timed exercise in which they sought to find the necessary items for performance of a skin biopsy. In a questionnaire the group agreed that sigmoidoscopy and skin biopsies were procedures appropriate for their family practice goals. In their offices, these residents required over nine minutes to partially locate equipment chosen for skin biopsy. The attitude survey revealed few constraints other than insufficient time to perform indicated elective procedures. Further study of procedure room utilization and family physicians' office surgery skills is recommended.

Selection of multiple cued items is possible during visual short-term memory maintenance.

PubMed

Matsukura, Michi; Vecera, Shaun P

2015-07-01

Recent neuroimaging studies suggest that maintenance of a selected object feature held in visual short-term/working memory (VSTM/VWM) is supported by the same neural mechanisms that encode the sensory information. If VSTM operates by retaining "reasonable copies" of scenes constructed during sensory processing (Serences, Ester, Vogel, & Awh, 2009, p. 207, the sensory recruitment hypothesis), then attention should be able to select multiple items represented in VSTM as long as the number of these attended items does not exceed the typical VSTM capacity. It is well known that attention can select at least two noncontiguous locations at the same time during sensory processing. However, empirical reports from the studies that examined this possibility are inconsistent. In the present study, we demonstrate that (1) attention can indeed select more than a single item during VSTM maintenance when observers are asked to recognize a set of items in the manner that these items were originally attended, and (2) attention can select multiple cued items regardless of whether these items are perceptually organized into a single group (contiguous locations) or not (noncontiguous locations). The results also replicate and extend the recent finding that selective attention that operates during VSTM maintenance is sensitive to the observers' goal and motivation to use the cueing information.

A Review of ETS Differential Item Functioning Assessment Procedures: Flagging Rules, Minimum Sample Size Requirements, and Criterion Refinement. Research Report. ETS RR-12-08

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zwick, Rebecca

2012-01-01

Differential item functioning (DIF) analysis is a key component in the evaluation of the fairness and validity of educational tests. The goal of this project was to review the status of ETS DIF analysis procedures, focusing on three aspects: (a) the nature and stringency of the statistical rules used to flag items, (b) the minimum sample size…

Construction of a questionnaire measuring outpatients' opinion of quality of hospital consultation departments.

PubMed

Gasquet, Isabelle; Villeminot, Sylvie; Estaquio, Carla; Durieux, Pierre; Ravaud, Philippe; Falissard, Bruno

2004-08-04

Few questionnaires on outpatients' satisfaction with hospital exist. All have been constructed without giving enough room for the patient's point of view in the validation procedure. The main objective was to develop, according to psychometric standards, a self-administered generic outpatient questionnaire exploring opinion on quality of hospital care. First, a qualitative phase was conducted to generate items and identify domains using critical analysis incident technique and literature review. A list of easily comprehensible non-redundant items was defined using Delphi technique and a pilot study on outpatients. This phase involved outpatients, patient association representatives and experts. The second step was a quantitative validation phase comprised a multicenter study in 3 hospitals, 10 departments and 1007 outpatients. It was designed to select items, identify dimensions, measure reliability, internal and concurrent validity. Patients were randomized according to the place of questionnaire completion (hospital v. home) (participation rate = 65%). Third, a mail-back study on 2 departments and 248 outpatients was conducted to replicate the validation (participation rate = 57%). A 27-item questionnaire comprising 4 subscales (appointment making, reception facilities, waiting time and consultation with the doctor). The factorial structure was satisfactory (loading >0.50 on each subscale for all items, except one item). Interscale correlations ranged from 0.42 to 0.59, Cronbach alpha coefficients ranged from 0.79 to 0.94. All Item-scale correlations were higher than 0.40. Test-retest intraclass coefficients ranged from 0.69 to 0.85. A unidimensional 9-item version was produced by selection of one third of the items within each subscale with the strongest loading on the principal component and the best item-scale correlation corrected for overlap. Factors related to satisfaction level independent from departments were age, previous consultations in the department and satisfaction with life. Completion at hospital immediately after consultation led to an overestimation of satisfaction. No satisfaction score differences existed between spontaneous respondents and patients responding after reminder(s). Good estimation of patient opinion on hospital consultation performance was obtained with these questionnaires. When comparing performances between departments or the same department over time scores need to be adjusted on 3 variables that influence satisfaction independently from department. Completion of the questionnaire at home is preferable to completion in the consultation facility and reminders are not necessary to produce non-biased data.

Evidence-based algorithm for diagnosis and assessment in psoriatic arthritis: results by Italian DElphi in psoriatic Arthritis (IDEA).

PubMed

Lapadula, G; Marchesoni, A; Salaffi, F; Ramonda, R; Salvarani, C; Punzi, L; Costa, L; Caso, F; Simone, D; Baiocchi, G; Scioscia, C; Di Carlo, M; Scarpa, R; Ferraccioli, G

2016-12-16

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory disease involving skin, peripheral joints, entheses, and axial skeleton. The disease is frequently associated with extrarticular manifestations (EAMs) and comorbidities. In order to create a protocol for PsA diagnosis and global assessment of patients with an algorithm based on anamnestic, clinical, laboratory and imaging procedures, we established a DElphi study on a national scale, named Italian DElphi in psoriatic Arthritis (IDEA). After a literature search, a Delphi poll, involving 52 rheumatologists, was performed. On the basis of the literature search, 202 potential items were identified. The steering committee planned at least two Delphi rounds. In the first Delphi round, the experts judged each of the 202 items using a score ranging from 1 to 9 based on its increasing clinical relevance. The questions posed to experts were How relevant is this procedure/observation/sign/symptom for assessment of a psoriatic arthritis patient? Proposals of additional items, not included in the questionnaire, were also encouraged. The results of the poll were discussed by the Steering Committee, which evaluated the necessity for removing selected procedures or adding additional ones, according to criteria of clinical appropriateness and sustainability. A total of 43 recommended diagnosis and assessment procedures, recognized as items, were derived by combination of the Delphi survey and two National Expert Meetings, and grouped in different areas. Favourable opinion was reached in 100% of cases for several aspects covering the following areas: medical (familial and personal) history, physical evaluation, imaging tool, second level laboratory tests, disease activity measurement and extrarticular manifestations. After performing PsA diagnosis, identification of specific disease activity scores and clinimetric approaches were suggested for assessing the different clinical subsets. Further, results showed the need for investigation on the presence of several EAMs and risk factors. In the context of any area, a rank was assigned for each item by Expert Committee members, in order to create the logical sequence of the algorithm. The final list of recommended diagnosis and assessment procedures, by the Delphi survey and the two National Expert Meetings, was also reported as an algorithm. This study shows results obtained by the combination of a DElphi survey of a group of Italian rheumatologists and two National Expert Meetings, created with the aim of establishing a clinical procedure and algorithm for the diagnosis and the assessment of PsA patients. In order to find accurate and practical diagnostic and assessment items in clinical practice, we have focused our attention on evaluating the different PsA domains. Hence, we conceived the IDEA algorithm in order to address PsA diagnosis and assessment in the context of daily clinical practice. The IDEA algorithm might eventually lead to a multidimensional approach and could represent a useful and practical tool for addressing diagnosis and for assessing the disease appropriately. However, the elaborated algorithm needs to be further investigated in daily practice, for evidencing and proving its eventual efficacy in detecting and staging PsA and its heterogeneous spectrum appropriately.

Influence of Fallible Item Parameters on Test Information During Adaptive Testing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wetzel, C. Douglas; McBride, James R.

Computer simulation was used to assess the effects of item parameter estimation errors on different item selection strategies used in adaptive and conventional testing. To determine whether these effects reduced the advantages of certain optimal item selection strategies, simulations were repeated in the presence and absence of item parameter…

A Review of Classical Methods of Item Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

French, Christine L.

Item analysis is a very important consideration in the test development process. It is a statistical procedure to analyze test items that combines methods used to evaluate the important characteristics of test items, such as difficulty, discrimination, and distractibility of the items in a test. This paper reviews some of the classical methods for…

Modeling Item-Position Effects within an IRT Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debeer, Dries; Janssen, Rianne

2013-01-01

Changing the order of items between alternate test forms to prevent copying and to enhance test security is a common practice in achievement testing. However, these changes in item order may affect item and test characteristics. Several procedures have been proposed for studying these item-order effects. The present study explores the use of…

Bayesian SEM for Specification Search Problems in Testing Factorial Invariance.

PubMed

Shi, Dexin; Song, Hairong; Liao, Xiaolan; Terry, Robert; Snyder, Lori A

2017-01-01

Specification search problems refer to two important but under-addressed issues in testing for factorial invariance: how to select proper reference indicators and how to locate specific non-invariant parameters. In this study, we propose a two-step procedure to solve these issues. Step 1 is to identify a proper reference indicator using the Bayesian structural equation modeling approach. An item is selected if it is associated with the highest likelihood to be invariant across groups. Step 2 is to locate specific non-invariant parameters, given that a proper reference indicator has already been selected in Step 1. A series of simulation analyses show that the proposed method performs well under a variety of data conditions, and optimal performance is observed under conditions of large magnitude of non-invariance, low proportion of non-invariance, and large sample sizes. We also provide an empirical example to demonstrate the specific procedures to implement the proposed method in applied research. The importance and influences are discussed regarding the choices of informative priors with zero mean and small variances. Extensions and limitations are also pointed out.

The computation of equating errors in international surveys in education.

PubMed

Monseur, Christian; Berezner, Alla

2007-01-01

Since the IEA's Third International Mathematics and Science Study, one of the major objectives of international surveys in education has been to report trends in achievement. The names of the two current IEA surveys reflect this growing interest: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Similarly a central concern of the OECD's PISA is with trends in outcomes over time. To facilitate trend analyses these studies link their tests using common item equating in conjunction with item response modelling methods. IEA and PISA policies differ in terms of reporting the error associated with trends. In IEA surveys, the standard errors of the trend estimates do not include the uncertainty associated with the linking step while PISA does include a linking error component in the standard errors of trend estimates. In other words, PISA implicitly acknowledges that trend estimates partly depend on the selected common items, while the IEA's surveys do not recognise this source of error. Failing to recognise the linking error leads to an underestimation of the standard errors and thus increases the Type I error rate, thereby resulting in reporting of significant changes in achievement when in fact these are not significant. The growing interest of policy makers in trend indicators and the impact of the evaluation of educational reforms appear to be incompatible with such underestimation. However, the procedure implemented by PISA raises a few issues about the underlying assumptions for the computation of the equating error. After a brief introduction, this paper will describe the procedure PISA implemented to compute the linking error. The underlying assumptions of this procedure will then be discussed. Finally an alternative method based on replication techniques will be presented, based on a simulation study and then applied to the PISA 2000 data.

Utilizing Response Time Distributions for Item Selection in CAT

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fan, Zhewen; Wang, Chun; Chang, Hua-Hua; Douglas, Jeffrey

2012-01-01

Traditional methods for item selection in computerized adaptive testing only focus on item information without taking into consideration the time required to answer an item. As a result, some examinees may receive a set of items that take a very long time to finish, and information is not accrued as efficiently as possible. The authors propose two…

Controlling Type I Error Rates in Assessing DIF for Logistic Regression Method Combined with SIBTEST Regression Correction Procedure and DIF-Free-Then-DIF Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shih, Ching-Lin; Liu, Tien-Hsiang; Wang, Wen-Chung

2014-01-01

The simultaneous item bias test (SIBTEST) method regression procedure and the differential item functioning (DIF)-free-then-DIF strategy are applied to the logistic regression (LR) method simultaneously in this study. These procedures are used to adjust the effects of matching true score on observed score and to better control the Type I error…

Cross-informant and cross-national equivalence using item-response theory (IRT) linking: A case study using the behavioral assessment for children of African heritage in the United States and Jamaica.

PubMed

Lambert, Michael Canute; Ferguson, Gail M; Rowan, George T

2016-03-01

Cross-national study of adolescents' psychological adjustment requires measures that permit reliable and valid assessment across informants and nations, but such measures are virtually nonexistent. Item-response-theory-based linking is a promising yet underutilized methodological procedure that permits more accurate assessment across informants and nations. To demonstrate this procedure, the Resilience Scale of the Behavioral Assessment for Children of African Heritage (Lambert et al., 2005) was administered to 250 African American and 294 Jamaican nonreferred adolescents and their caregivers. Multiple items without significant differential item functioning emerged, allowing scale linking across informants and nations. Calibrating item parameters via item response theory linking can permit cross-informant cross-national assessment of youth. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

[Egypt: Selected Readings, Egyptian Mummies, and the Egyptian Pyramid.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC.

This resource packet presents information and resources on ancient Egypt. The bibliography includes readings divided into five sections: (1) "General Information" (46 items); (2) "Religion" (8 items); (3) "Art" (8 items); (4) "Hieroglyphics" (6 items); and (5) selections "For Young Readers" (11…

An Evaluation of Hierarchical Bayes Estimation for the Two- Parameter Logistic Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Seock-Ho

Hierarchical Bayes procedures for the two-parameter logistic item response model were compared for estimating item parameters. Simulated data sets were analyzed using two different Bayes estimation procedures, the two-stage hierarchical Bayes estimation (HB2) and the marginal Bayesian with known hyperparameters (MB), and marginal maximum…

Decimal Fraction Arithmetic: Logical Error Analysis and Its Validation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Standiford, Sally N.; And Others

This report illustrates procedures of item construction for addition and subtraction examples involving decimal fractions. Using a procedural network of skills required to solve such examples, an item characteristic matrix of skills analysis was developed to describe the characteristics of the content domain by projected student difficulties. Then…

Theft Reversal: An Overcorrection Procedure for Eliminating Stealing by Retarded Persons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azrin, N. H.; Wesolowski, M. D.

1974-01-01

To deal with the problem of stealing among 34 severely and profoundly retarded institutionalized adults, an overcorrection procedure was designed in which the thief was required to give his victim an item identical to the stolen one in addition to returning the stolen item. (Author)

Using the Entrustable Professional Activities Framework in the Assessment of Procedural Skills.

PubMed

Pugh, Debra; Cavalcanti, Rodrigo B; Halman, Samantha; Ma, Irene W Y; Mylopoulos, Maria; Shanks, David; Stroud, Lynfa

2017-04-01

The entrustable professional activity (EPA) framework has been identified as a useful approach to assessment in competency-based education. To apply an EPA framework for assessment, essential skills necessary for entrustment to occur must first be identified. Using an EPA framework, our study sought to (1) define the essential skills required for entrustment for 7 bedside procedures expected of graduates of Canadian internal medicine (IM) residency programs, and (2) develop rubrics for the assessment of these procedural skills. An initial list of essential skills was defined for each procedural EPA by focus groups of experts at 4 academic centers using the nominal group technique. These lists were subsequently vetted by representatives from all Canadian IM training programs through a web-based survey. Consensus (more than 80% agreement) about inclusion of each item was sought using a modified Delphi exercise. Qualitative survey data were analyzed using a framework approach to inform final assessment rubrics for each procedure. Initial lists of essential skills for procedural EPAs ranged from 10 to 24 items. A total of 111 experts completed the national survey. After 2 iterations, consensus was reached on all items. Following qualitative analysis, final rubrics were created, which included 6 to 10 items per procedure. These EPA-based assessment rubrics represent a national consensus by Canadian IM clinician educators. They provide a practical guide for the assessment of procedural skills in a competency-based education model, and a robust foundation for future research on their implementation and evaluation.

Item Analysis in Introductory Economics Testing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tinari, Frank D.

1979-01-01

Computerized analysis of multiple choice test items is explained. Examples of item analysis applications in the introductory economics course are discussed with respect to three objectives: to evaluate learning; to improve test items; and to help improve classroom instruction. Problems, costs and benefits of the procedures are identified. (JMD)

Do nonexercisers also share the positive exerciser stereotype?: An elicitation and comparison of beliefs about exercisers.

PubMed

Rodgers, Wendy M; Hall, Craig R; Wilson, Philip M; Berry, Tanya R

2009-02-01

The purpose of this research was to examine whether exercisers and nonexercisers are rated similarly on a variety of characteristics by a sample of randomly selected regular exercisers, nonexercisers who intend to exercise, and nonexercisers with no intention to exercise. Previous research by Martin Ginis et al. (2003) has demonstrated an exerciser stereotype that advantages exercisers. It is unknown, however, the extent to which an exerciser stereotype is shared by nonexercisers, particularly nonintenders. Following an item-generation procedure, a sample of 470 (n=218 men; n=252 women) people selected using random digit dialing responded to a questionnaire assessing the extent to which they agreed that exercisers and nonexercisers possessed 24 characteristics, such as "happy," "fit," "fat," and "lazy." The results strongly support a positive exerciser bias, with exercisers rated more favorably on 22 of the 24 items. The degree of bias was equivalent in all groups of respondents. Examination of the demographic characteristics revealed no differences among the three groups on age, work status, or child-care responsibilities, suggesting that there is a pervasive positive exerciser bias.

Criterion-Referenced Test Items for Small Engines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herd, Amon

This notebook contains criterion-referenced test items for testing students' knowledge of small engines. The test items are based upon competencies found in the Missouri Small Engine Competency Profile. The test item bank is organized in 18 sections that cover the following duties: shop procedures; tools and equipment; fasteners; servicing fuel…

Use of Jackknifing to Evaluate Effects of Anchor Item Selection on Equating with the Nonequivalent Groups with Anchor Test (NEAT) Design. Research Report. ETS RR-15-10

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Ru; Haberman, Shelby; Guo, Hongwen; Liu, Jinghua

2015-01-01

In this study, we apply jackknifing to anchor items to evaluate the impact of anchor selection on equating stability. In an ideal world, the choice of anchor items should have little impact on equating results. When this ideal does not correspond to reality, selection of anchor items can strongly influence equating results. This influence does not…

Teacher understanding of the nature of science and its impact on student learning about the nature of science in STS/Constructivist classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lieu, Sang-Chong

In the National Science Education Standards both STS/Constructivist teaching strategies and student understanding of the nature of science are stressed. If certain teaching practices can achieve both goals at one time, many problems will be solved. Such relationships were investigated in this study. Teacher subjects were selected based on two extremes of scores on the Testing on Understanding Science. The Secondary Teacher Analysis Matrix - Science Version was used to categorize teachers into their use of STS/Constructivist or more traditional strategies based on their teaching behaviors observed from video tapes. After the teacher subjects were selected, a non-equivalent control group design was adapted for the administration of items from the Views on Science-Technology-Society (VOSTS) to the students of these teachers. Pre- and post-test data were collected using 20 VOSTS items. VOSTS options were categorized into a Congruent/Partially Congruent/Naive format by a panel of six science educators. A special scoring procedure was devised for the VOSTS items to allow the use of inferential statistics. When performance on 17 VOSTS items were studied, more understanding of the nature of science by teachers, the presence of an STS/Constructivist learning environment in the classroom, or a combination of both factors was not found to help students learn more about the nature of science. Explanations for such results are offered. A McNemar test was performed to take a closer look at the 17 VOSTS items individually. The results indicated that students who were taught by STS/Constructivist teachers with high TOUS scores moved toward "congruent" views concerning the nature of science on a number of VOSTS items. Also, students who were taught by more traditional teachers with low TOUS scores moved toward "naive" views on other VOSTS items. The findings support the fact that teachers who know more about the nature of science and who practice many of the STS/Constructivist teaching strategies assist students in learning more about the nature of science.

Item Response Theory with Covariates (IRT-C): Assessing Item Recovery and Differential Item Functioning for the Three-Parameter Logistic Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tay, Louis; Huang, Qiming; Vermunt, Jeroen K.

2016-01-01

In large-scale testing, the use of multigroup approaches is limited for assessing differential item functioning (DIF) across multiple variables as DIF is examined for each variable separately. In contrast, the item response theory with covariate (IRT-C) procedure can be used to examine DIF across multiple variables (covariates) simultaneously. To…

Item Review and the Rearrangement Procedure: Its Process and Its Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papanastasiou, Elena C.

2005-01-01

Permitting item review is to the benefit of the examinees who typically increase their test scores with item review. However, testing companies do not prefer item review since it does not follow the logic on which adaptive tests are based, and since it is prone to cheating strategies. Consequently, item review is not permitted in many adaptive…

Item Reliabilities for a Family of Answer-Until-Correct (AUC) Scoring Rules.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kane, Michael T.; Moloney, James M.

The Answer-Until-Correct (AUC) procedure has been proposed in order to increase the reliability of multiple-choice items. A model for examinees' behavior when they must respond to each item until they answer it correctly is presented. An expression for the reliability of AUC items, as a function of the characteristics of the item and the scoring…

Numerical Differentiation Methods for Computing Error Covariance Matrices in Item Response Theory Modeling: An Evaluation and a New Proposal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tian, Wei; Cai, Li; Thissen, David; Xin, Tao

2013-01-01

In item response theory (IRT) modeling, the item parameter error covariance matrix plays a critical role in statistical inference procedures. When item parameters are estimated using the EM algorithm, the parameter error covariance matrix is not an automatic by-product of item calibration. Cai proposed the use of Supplemented EM algorithm for…

Utility of the Mantel-Haenszel Procedure for Detecting Differential Item Functioning in Small Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fidalgo, Angel M.; Ferreres, Doris; Muniz, Jose

2004-01-01

Sample-size restrictions limit the contingency table approaches based on asymptotic distributions, such as the Mantel-Haenszel (MH) procedure, for detecting differential item functioning (DIF) in many practical applications. Within this framework, the present study investigated the power and Type I error performance of empirical and inferential…

Equity in Testing after Golden Rule.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Harvey

The use of "bias elimination procedures" to reduce the racial bias of test items is discussed. These procedures were forwarded by G. R. Anrig (1988) and R. L. Linn and F. Drasgow (1987). Anrig stated that subjects who "know the same amount about a test item" should have a similar chance of answering it correctly…

40 CFR 86.513 - Fuel and engine lubricant specifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Regulations for 1978 and Later New Motorcycles; Test Procedures § 86.513 Fuel and engine lubricant... of § 86.513—Gasoline Test Fuel Specifications Item Value Procedure 1 Distillation Range: 1. Initial... of § 86.513—Natural Gas Test Fuel Specifications Item Value 1 Methane, CH4 Minimum, 89.0 mole percent...

A Comparison of Exposure Control Procedures in CATS Using the GPC Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leroux, Audrey J.; Dodd, Barbara G.

2016-01-01

The current study compares the progressive-restricted standard error (PR-SE) exposure control method with the Sympson-Hetter, randomesque, and no exposure control (maximum information) procedures using the generalized partial credit model with fixed- and variable-length CATs and two item pools. The PR-SE method administered the entire item pool…

Comparison of IRT Likelihood Ratio Test and Logistic Regression DIF Detection Procedures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atar, Burcu; Kamata, Akihito

2011-01-01

The Type I error rates and the power of IRT likelihood ratio test and cumulative logit ordinal logistic regression procedures in detecting differential item functioning (DIF) for polytomously scored items were investigated in this Monte Carlo simulation study. For this purpose, 54 simulation conditions (combinations of 3 sample sizes, 2 sample…

The Effects of Item by Item Feedback Given during an Ability Test.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whetton, C.; Childs, R.

1981-01-01

Answer-until-correct (AUC) is a procedure for providing feedback during a multiple-choice test, giving an increased range of scores. The performance of secondary students on a verbal ability test using AUC procedures was compared with a group using conventional instructions. AUC scores considerably enhanced reliability but not validity.…

15 CFR 922.198 - Procedures for determining watercraft and related items which sink on or after the date of...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and related items which sink on or after the date of Sanctuary designation to be an underwater... AND COASTAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY PROGRAM REGULATIONS Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve § 922.198 Procedures for determining watercraft and related...

Effect of Purification Procedures on DIF Analysis in IRTPRO

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fikis, David R. J.; Oshima, T. C.

2017-01-01

Purification of the test has been a well-accepted procedure in enhancing the performance of tests for differential item functioning (DIF). As defined by Lord, purification requires reestimation of ability parameters after removing DIF items before conducting the final DIF analysis. IRTPRO 3 is a recently updated program for analyses in item…

Can We Retrieve the Information Which Was Intentionally Forgotten? Electrophysiological Correlates of Strategic Retrieval in Directed Forgetting.

PubMed

Mao, Xinrui; Tian, Mengxi; Liu, Yi; Li, Bingcan; Jin, Yan; Wu, Yanhong; Guo, Chunyan

2017-01-01

Retrieval inhibition hypothesis of directed forgetting effects assumed TBF (to-be-forgotten) items were not retrieved intentionally, while selective rehearsal hypothesis assumed the memory representation of retrieved TBF (to-be-forgotten) items was weaker than TBR (to-be-remembered) items. Previous studies indicated that directed forgetting effects of item-cueing method resulted from selective rehearsal at encoding, but the mechanism of retrieval inhibition that affected directed forgetting of TBF (to-be-forgotten) items was not clear. Strategic retrieval is a control process allowing the selective retrieval of target information, which includes retrieval orientation and strategic recollection. Retrieval orientation via the comparison of tasks refers to the specific form of processing resulted by retrieval efforts. Strategic recollection is the type of strategies to recollect studied items for the retrieval success of targets. Using a "directed forgetting" paradigm combined with a memory exclusion task, our investigation of strategic retrieval in directed forgetting assisted to explore how retrieval inhibition played a role on directed forgetting effects. When TBF items were targeted, retrieval orientation showed more positive ERPs to new items, indicating that TBF items demanded more retrieval efforts. The results of strategic recollection indicated that: (a) when TBR items were retrieval targets, late parietal old/new effects were only evoked by TBR items but not TBF items, indicating the retrieval inhibition of TBF items; (b) when TBF items were retrieval targets, the late parietal old/new effect were evoked by both TBR items and TBF items, indicating that strategic retrieval could overcome retrieval inhibition of TBF items. These findings suggested the modulation of strategic retrieval on retrieval inhibition of directed forgetting, supporting that directed forgetting effects were not only caused by selective rehearsal, but also retrieval inhibition.

Can We Retrieve the Information Which Was Intentionally Forgotten? Electrophysiological Correlates of Strategic Retrieval in Directed Forgetting

PubMed Central

Mao, Xinrui; Tian, Mengxi; Liu, Yi; Li, Bingcan; Jin, Yan; Wu, Yanhong; Guo, Chunyan

2017-01-01

Retrieval inhibition hypothesis of directed forgetting effects assumed TBF (to-be-forgotten) items were not retrieved intentionally, while selective rehearsal hypothesis assumed the memory representation of retrieved TBF (to-be-forgotten) items was weaker than TBR (to-be-remembered) items. Previous studies indicated that directed forgetting effects of item-cueing method resulted from selective rehearsal at encoding, but the mechanism of retrieval inhibition that affected directed forgetting of TBF (to-be-forgotten) items was not clear. Strategic retrieval is a control process allowing the selective retrieval of target information, which includes retrieval orientation and strategic recollection. Retrieval orientation via the comparison of tasks refers to the specific form of processing resulted by retrieval efforts. Strategic recollection is the type of strategies to recollect studied items for the retrieval success of targets. Using a “directed forgetting” paradigm combined with a memory exclusion task, our investigation of strategic retrieval in directed forgetting assisted to explore how retrieval inhibition played a role on directed forgetting effects. When TBF items were targeted, retrieval orientation showed more positive ERPs to new items, indicating that TBF items demanded more retrieval efforts. The results of strategic recollection indicated that: (a) when TBR items were retrieval targets, late parietal old/new effects were only evoked by TBR items but not TBF items, indicating the retrieval inhibition of TBF items; (b) when TBF items were retrieval targets, the late parietal old/new effect were evoked by both TBR items and TBF items, indicating that strategic retrieval could overcome retrieval inhibition of TBF items. These findings suggested the modulation of strategic retrieval on retrieval inhibition of directed forgetting, supporting that directed forgetting effects were not only caused by selective rehearsal, but also retrieval inhibition. PMID:28900411

Bayesian Item Selection in Constrained Adaptive Testing Using Shadow Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veldkamp, Bernard P.

2010-01-01

Application of Bayesian item selection criteria in computerized adaptive testing might result in improvement of bias and MSE of the ability estimates. The question remains how to apply Bayesian item selection criteria in the context of constrained adaptive testing, where large numbers of specifications have to be taken into account in the item…

A Feedback Control Strategy for Enhancing Item Selection Efficiency in Computerized Adaptive Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weissman, Alexander

2006-01-01

A computerized adaptive test (CAT) may be modeled as a closed-loop system, where item selection is influenced by trait level ([theta]) estimation and vice versa. When discrepancies exist between an examinee's estimated and true [theta] levels, nonoptimal item selection is a likely result. Nevertheless, examinee response behavior consistent with…

Identifying image preferences based on demographic attributes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedorovskaya, Elena A.; Lawrence, Daniel R.

2014-02-01

The intent of this study is to determine what sorts of images are considered more interesting by which demographic groups. Specifically, we attempt to identify images whose interestingness ratings are influenced by the demographic attribute of the viewer's gender. To that end, we use the data from an experiment where 18 participants (9 women and 9 men) rated several hundred images based on "visual interest" or preferences in viewing images. The images were selected to represent the consumer "photo-space" - typical categories of subject matter found in consumer photo collections. They were annotated using perceptual and semantic descriptors. In analyzing the image interestingness ratings, we apply a multivariate procedure known as forced classification, a feature of dual scaling, a discrete analogue of principal components analysis (similar to correspondence analysis). This particular analysis of ratings (i.e., ordered-choice or Likert) data enables the investigator to emphasize the effect of a specific item or collection of items. We focus on the influence of the demographic item of gender on the analysis, so that the solutions are essentially confined to subspaces spanned by the emphasized item. Using this technique, we can know definitively which images' ratings have been influenced by the demographic item of choice. Subsequently, images can be evaluated and linked, on one hand, to their perceptual and semantic descriptors, and, on the other hand, to the preferences associated with viewers' demographic attributes.

An Efficiency Balanced Information Criterion for Item Selection in Computerized Adaptive Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Kyung T.

2012-01-01

Successful administration of computerized adaptive testing (CAT) programs in educational settings requires that test security and item exposure control issues be taken seriously. Developing an item selection algorithm that strikes the right balance between test precision and level of item pool utilization is the key to successful implementation…

Applying Bayesian Item Selection Approaches to Adaptive Tests Using Polytomous Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penfield, Randall D.

2006-01-01

This study applied the maximum expected information (MEI) and the maximum posterior-weighted information (MPI) approaches of computer adaptive testing item selection to the case of a test using polytomous items following the partial credit model. The MEI and MPI approaches are described. A simulation study compared the efficiency of ability…

Missouri Assessment Program (MAP), Spring 2000: Elementary Health/Physical Education, Released Items, Grade 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri State Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education, Jefferson City.

This document presents 10 released items from the Health/Physical Education Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) test given in the spring of 2000 to fifth graders. Items from the test sessions include: selected-response (multiple choice), constructed-response, and a performance event. The selected-response items consist of individual questions…

Inductive Selectivity in Children’s Cross-classified Concepts

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Simone P.

2012-01-01

Cross-classified items pose an interesting challenge to children’s induction since these items belong to many different categories, each of which may serve as a basis for a different type of inference. Inductive selectivity is the ability to appropriately make different types of inferences about a single cross-classifiable item based on its different category memberships. This research includes five experiments that examine the development of inductive selectivity in 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds (N = 272). Overall, the results show that by age 4 years, children have inductive selectivity with taxonomic and script categories. That is, children use taxonomic categories to make biochemical inferences about an item whereas children use script categories to make situational inferences about an item. PMID:22803510

Automatic processing influences free recall: converging evidence from the process dissociation procedure and remember-know judgments.

PubMed

McCabe, David P; Roediger, Henry L; Karpicke, Jeffrey D

2011-04-01

Dual-process theories of retrieval suggest that controlled and automatic processing contribute to memory performance. Free recall tests are often considered pure measures of recollection, assessing only the controlled process. We report two experiments demonstrating that automatic processes also influence free recall. Experiment 1 used inclusion and exclusion tasks to estimate recollection and automaticity in free recall, adopting a new variant of the process dissociation procedure. Dividing attention during study selectively reduced the recollection estimate but did not affect the automatic component. In Experiment 2, we replicated the results of Experiment 1, and subjects additionally reported remember-know-guess judgments during recall in the inclusion condition. In the latter task, dividing attention during study reduced remember judgments for studied items, but know responses were unaffected. Results from both methods indicated that free recall is partly driven by automatic processes. Thus, we conclude that retrieval in free recall tests is not driven solely by conscious recollection (or remembering) but also by automatic influences of the same sort believed to drive priming on implicit memory tests. Sometimes items come to mind without volition in free recall.

Methodological Concerns: The Feeling-of-Knowing Task Affects Resolution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Bennett L.; Boduroglu, Aysecan; Tekcan, Ali I.

2016-01-01

In traditional feeling-of-knowing procedures, participants make judgments on unrecalled items only (e.g. Hart 1965). However, many researchers elicit feeling-of-knowing judgments (FOKs) on all items. When FOKs are made on all items, participants may use recall as a basis for judgments, leading to higher magnitude judgments for recalled items, but…

Detection of Gender-Based Differential Item Functioning in a Mathematics Performance Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Ning; Lane, Suzanne

This study used three different differential item functioning (DIF) procedures to examine the extent to which items in a mathematics performance assessment functioned differently for matched gender groups. In addition to examining the appropriateness of individual items in terms of DIF with respect to gender, an attempt was made to identify…

Item Analysis Appropriate for Domain-Referenced Classroom Testing. (Project Technical Report Number 1).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nitko, Anthony J.; Hsu, Tse-chi

Item analysis procedures appropriate for domain-referenced classroom testing are described. A conceptual framework within which item statistics can be considered and promising statistics in light of this framework are presented. The sampling fluctuations of the more promising item statistics for sample sizes comparable to the typical classroom…

26 CFR 301.6501(o)-3 - Partnership items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Partnership items. 301.6501(o)-3 Section 301.6501(o)-3 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) PROCEDURE... § 301.6501(o)-3 Partnership items. (a) Partnership item defined. For purposes of section 6501(o) (as it...

The Development of Practical Item Analysis Program for Indonesian Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muhson, Ali; Lestari, Barkah; Supriyanto; Baroroh, Kiromim

2017-01-01

Item analysis has essential roles in the learning assessment. The item analysis program is designed to measure student achievement and instructional effectiveness. This study was aimed to develop item-analysis program and verify its feasibility. This study uses a Research and Development (R & D) model. The procedure includes designing and…

Development of Sex-Trait Stereotypes Among Young Children in the United States, England, and Ireland.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Best, Deborah L.; And Others

The Sex Stereotype Measure II (SSM II), a 32-item picture-story technique, was developed to assess children's knowledge of conventional, adult-defined, sex-trait stereotypes. The procedure was based on stereotype characteristics identified by college students using the Adjective Check List item pool. A second procedure, the Sex Attitude Measure…

On Studying Common Factor Dominance and Approximate Unidimensionality in Multicomponent Measuring Instruments with Discrete Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raykov, Tenko; Marcoulides, George A.

2018-01-01

This article outlines a procedure for examining the degree to which a common factor may be dominating additional factors in a multicomponent measuring instrument consisting of binary items. The procedure rests on an application of the latent variable modeling methodology and accounts for the discrete nature of the manifest indicators. The method…

Marginal Maximum A Posteriori Item Parameter Estimation for the Generalized Graded Unfolding Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, James S.; Thompson, Vanessa M.

2011-01-01

A marginal maximum a posteriori (MMAP) procedure was implemented to estimate item parameters in the generalized graded unfolding model (GGUM). Estimates from the MMAP method were compared with those derived from marginal maximum likelihood (MML) and Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) procedures in a recovery simulation that varied sample size,…

An Investigation of Item Fit Statistics for Mixed IRT Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chon, Kyong Hee

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate procedures for assessing model fit of IRT models for mixed format data. In this study, various IRT model combinations were fitted to data containing both dichotomous and polytomous item responses, and the suitability of the chosen model mixtures was evaluated based on a number of model fit procedures.…

Examining Measurement Invariance and Differential Item Functioning with Discrete Latent Construct Indicators: A Note on a Multiple Testing Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raykov, Tenko; Dimitrov, Dimiter M.; Marcoulides, George A.; Li, Tatyana; Menold, Natalja

2018-01-01

A latent variable modeling method for studying measurement invariance when evaluating latent constructs with multiple binary or binary scored items with no guessing is outlined. The approach extends the continuous indicator procedure described by Raykov and colleagues, utilizes similarly the false discovery rate approach to multiple testing, and…

Procedural justice and layoff survivors' commitment: a quantitative review.

PubMed

Grubb, W Lee

2006-10-01

Layoffs are common in today's organizations. Most studies that have examined the correlation between procedural justice and the organizational commitment of layoff survivors have yielded positive correlations, but the magnitude of the correlations varies widely. This study is the first to estimate the population correlation and to identify the primary sources that cause variation in the correlation across studies. The results indicated that justice and commitment correlations can always be expected to be positive. Based on a total sample size of 9080 individuals, the estimated mean population correlation was .34. Variation was primarily explained by attributes of the justice measure where multiple items scales and scales composed of both interactional and procedural justice items yielded higher correlations than single item measures. Therefore, it is important that employers recognize the substantial assuaging affect that procedural and interactional justice can have on survivors' organizational commitment.

Restricted interests and teacher presentation of items.

PubMed

Stocco, Corey S; Thompson, Rachel H; Rodriguez, Nicole M

2011-01-01

Restricted and repetitive behavior (RRB) is more pervasive, prevalent, frequent, and severe in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) than in their typical peers. One subtype of RRB is restricted interests in items or activities, which is evident in the manner in which individuals engage with items (e.g., repetitious wheel spinning), the types of items or activities they select (e.g., preoccupation with a phone book), or the range of items or activities they select (i.e., narrow range of items). We sought to describe the relation between restricted interests and teacher presentation of items. Overall, we observed 5 teachers interacting with 2 pairs of students diagnosed with an ASD. Each pair included 1 student with restricted interests. During these observations, teachers were free to present any items from an array of 4 stimuli selected by experimenters. We recorded student responses to teacher presentation of items and analyzed the data to determine the relation between teacher presentation of items and the consequences for presentation provided by the students. Teacher presentation of items corresponded with differential responses provided by students with ASD, and those with restricted preferences experienced a narrower array of items.

The Impact of Receiving the Same Items on Consecutive Computer Adaptive Test Administrations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neill, Thomas; Lunz, Mary E.; Thiede, Keith

2000-01-01

Studied item exposure in a computerized adaptive test when the item selection algorithm presents examinees with questions they were asked in a previous test administration. Results with 178 repeat examinees on a medical technologists' test indicate that the combined use of an adaptive algorithm to select items and latent trait theory to estimate…

Missouri Assessment Program (MAP), Spring 2000: High School Health/Physical Education, Released Items, Grade 9.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri State Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education, Jefferson City.

This document presents 10 released items from the Health/Physical Education Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) test given in the spring of 2000 to ninth graders. Items from the test sessions include: selected-response (multiple choice), constructed-response, and a performance event. The selected-response items consist of individual questions…

A Rapid Item-Search Procedure for Bayesian Adaptive Testing.

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-05-01

properties of the • procedure , they migh t well introduce undesirable psychological effects on test scores (e.g., Betz & Weiss , 1976r.’ , 1976b...ge of results and adaptive ability test .~~~~ (Research Rep . 76—4). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota , Departmen t of Psychology , Psychometric...t~~[AH ~~~ ~~~~ r _ _ _ _ A RAPID ITEM -SEARC H PROCEDURE FOR BAYESIAN ADAPTIVE TESTING C. David Vale d D D Can David J . Weiss RESEARCH REPORT 77-n

Service Quality Of Diagnostic Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology In A Tertiary Care Hospital Of Lahore (Process Measure As Patient's Perspective).

PubMed

Rizvi, Zainab; Usmani, Rabia Arshed; Rizvi, Amna; Wazir, Salim; Zahra, Taskeen; Rasool, Hafza

2017-01-01

Quality of any service is the most important aspect for the manufacturer as well as the consumer. The primary objective of any nation's health system is to provide supreme quality health care services to its patients. The objective of this study was to assess the quality of diagnostic fine needle aspiration cytology service in a tertiary care hospital. As Patient's perspectives provide valuable information on quality of process, therefore, patient's perception in terms of satisfaction with the service was measured. In this cross sectional analytical study, 291 patients undergoing fine needle aspiration cytology in Mayo Hospital were selected by systematic sampling technique. Information regarding satisfaction of patients with four dimensions of service quality process, namely "procedure, sterilization, conduct and competency of doctor" was collected through interview on questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed on SERVQUAL model, a measurement tool, for quality assessment of services provided to patients. All items were assessed on 2- point likert scale (0=dissatisfied, 1=satisfied). Frequencies and percentages of satisfied and dissatisfied patients were recorded for each item and all items in each dimension were scored. If the percentage of sum of all item scores of a dimension was ≥60, the dimension was 'good quality'. Whereas <60% was 'poor quality' dimension. Data was analysed using epi-info-3.5.1. Fisher test was applied to check statistical significance. (p-value <0.05). Out of the 4 dimensions of service quality process, Procedure (48.8%), Sterilization (51.5%) and practitioner conduct (50.9%) were perceived as 'poor' by the patients. Only practitioner competency (67.4%) was perceived as 'good'. Comparison of dimensions of service quality scoring with overall level of patient satisfaction revealed that all 4 dimensions were significantly related to patient dissatisfaction (p<.05). The study suggests that service quality of therapeutic and diagnostic procedures in public hospitals should be routinely monitored from the patients' point of view as most aspects of service quality in public hospitals of Pakistan, require improvements. In this manner patient's satisfaction regarding use of services in public hospitals can be made better.

Assessment of Differential Item Functioning in Testlet-Based Items Using the Rasch Testlet Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Wen-Chung; Wilson, Mark

2005-01-01

This study presents a procedure for detecting differential item functioning (DIF) for dichotomous and polytomous items in testlet-based tests, whereby DIF is taken into account by adding DIF parameters into the Rasch testlet model. Simulations were conducted to assess recovery of the DIF and other parameters. Two independent variables, test type…

Modeling the Hyperdistribution of Item Parameters To Improve the Accuracy of Recovery in Estimation Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews-Lopez, Joy L.; Hombo, Catherine M.

The purpose of this study was to examine the recovery of item parameters in simulated Automatic Item Generation (AIG) conditions, using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimation methods to attempt to recover the generating distributions. To do this, variability in item and ability parameters was manipulated. Realistic AIG conditions were…

Use of Item Parceling in Structural Equation Modeling with Missing Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orcan, Fatih

2013-01-01

Parceling is referred to as a procedure for computing sums or average scores across multiple items. Parcels instead of individual items are then used as indicators of latent factors in the structural equation modeling analysis (Bandalos 2002, 2008; Little et al., 2002; Yang, Nay, & Hoyle, 2010). Item parceling may be applied to alleviate some…

Statistically Comparing the Performance of Multiple Automated Raters across Multiple Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kieftenbeld, Vincent; Boyer, Michelle

2017-01-01

Automated scoring systems are typically evaluated by comparing the performance of a single automated rater item-by-item to human raters. This presents a challenge when the performance of multiple raters needs to be compared across multiple items. Rankings could depend on specifics of the ranking procedure; observed differences could be due to…

A Monte Carlo Study of an Iterative Wald Test Procedure for DIF Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cao, Mengyang; Tay, Louis; Liu, Yaowu

2017-01-01

This study examined the performance of a proposed iterative Wald approach for detecting differential item functioning (DIF) between two groups when preknowledge of anchor items is absent. The iterative approach utilizes the Wald-2 approach to identify anchor items and then iteratively tests for DIF items with the Wald-1 approach. Monte Carlo…

A MATERIAL COST-MINIMIZATION ANALYSIS FOR HERNIA REPAIRS AND MINOR PROCEDURES DURING A SURGICAL MISSION IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

PubMed Central

Cavallo, Jaime A.; Ousley, Jenny; Barrett, Christopher D.; Baalman, Sara; Ward, Kyle; Borchardt, Malgorzata; Thomas, J. Ross; Perotti, Gary; Frisella, Margaret M.; Matthews, Brent D.

2013-01-01

INTRODUCTION Expenditures on material supplies and medications constitute the greatest per capita costs for surgical missions. We hypothesized that supply acquisition at nonprofit organization (NPO) costs would lead to significant cost-savings compared to supply acquisition at US academic institution costs from the provider perspective for hernia repairs and minor procedures during a surgical mission in the Dominican Republic (DR). METHODS Items acquired for a surgical mission were uniquely QR-coded for accurate consumption accounting. Both NPO and US academic institution unit costs were associated with each item in an electronic inventory system. Medication doses were recorded and QR-codes for consumed items were scanned into a record for each sampled procedure. Mean material costs and cost savings ± SDs were calculated in US dollars for each procedure type. Cost-minimization analyses between the NPO and the US academic institution platforms for each procedure type ensued using a two-tailed Wilcoxon matched-pairs test with α=0.05. Item utilization analyses generated lists of most frequently used materials by procedure type. RESULTS The mean cost savings of supply acquisition at NPO costs for each procedure type were as follows: $482.86 ± $683.79 for unilateral inguinal hernia repair (IHR, n=13); $332.46 ± $184.09 for bilateral inguinal hernia repair (BIHR, n=3); $127.26 ± $13.18 for hydrocelectomy (HC, n=9); $232.92 ± $56.49 for femoral hernia repair (FHR, n=3); $120.90 ± $30.51 for umbilical hernia repair (UHR, n=8); $36.59 ± $17.76 for minor procedures (MP, n=26); and $120.66 ± $14.61 for pediatric inguinal hernia repair (PIHR, n=7). CONCLUSION Supply acquisition at NPO costs leads to significant cost-savings compared to supply acquisition at US academic institution costs from the provider perspective for IHR, HC, UHR, MP, and PIHR during a surgical mission to DR. Item utilization analysis can generate minimum-necessary material lists for each procedure type to reproduce cost-savings for subsequent missions. PMID:24162140

Managing dual warehouses with an incentive policy for deteriorating items

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Jonas C. P.; Wang, Kung-Jeng; Lin, Yu-Siang

2016-02-01

Distributors in a supply chain usually limit their own warehouse in finite capacity for cost reduction and excess stock is held in a rent warehouse. In this study, we examine inventory control for deteriorating items in a two-warehouse setting. Assuming that there is an incentive offered by a rent warehouse that allows the rental fee to decrease over time, the objective of this study is to maximise the joint profit of the manufacturer and the distributor. An optimisation procedure is developed to derive the optimal joint economic lot size policy. Several criteria are identified to select the most appropriate warehouse configuration and inventory policy on the basis of storage duration of materials in a rent warehouse. Sensitivity analysis is done to examine the results of model robustness. The proposed model enables a manufacturer with a channel distributor to coordinate the use of alternative warehouses, and to maximise the joint profit of the manufacturer and the distributor.

Item Selection and Pre-equating with Empirical Item Characteristic Curves.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Livingston, Samuel A.

An empirical item characteristic curve shows the probability of a correct response as a function of the student's total test score. These curves can be estimated from large-scale pretest data. They enable test developers to select items that discriminate well in the score region where decisions are made. A similar set of curves can be used to…

One portion size of foods frequently consumed by Korean adults

PubMed Central

Choi, Mi-Kyeong; Hyun, Wha-Jin; Lee, Sim-Yeol; Park, Hong-Ju; Kim, Se-Na

2010-01-01

This study aimed to define a one portion size of food items frequently consumed for convenient use by Koreans in food selection, diet planning, and nutritional evaluation. We analyzed using the original data on 5,436 persons (60.87%) aged 20 ~ 64 years among 8,930 persons to whom NHANES 2005 and selected food items consumed by the intake frequency of 30 or higher among the 500 most frequently consumed food items. A total of 374 varieties of food items of regular use were selected. And the portion size of food items was set on the basis of the median (50th percentile) of the portion size for a single intake by a single person was analyzed. In cereals, the portion size of well polished rice was 80 g. In meats, the portion size of Korean beef cattle was 25 g. Among vegetable items, the portion size of Baechukimchi was 40 g. The portion size of the food items of regular use set in this study will be conveniently and effectively used by general consumers in selecting food items for a nutritionally balanced diet. In addition, these will be used as the basic data in setting the serving size in meal planning. PMID:20198213

The reliability of a quality appraisal tool for studies of diagnostic reliability (QAREL).

PubMed

Lucas, Nicholas; Macaskill, Petra; Irwig, Les; Moran, Robert; Rickards, Luke; Turner, Robin; Bogduk, Nikolai

2013-09-09

The aim of this project was to investigate the reliability of a new 11-item quality appraisal tool for studies of diagnostic reliability (QAREL). The tool was tested on studies reporting the reliability of any physical examination procedure. The reliability of physical examination is a challenging area to study given the complex testing procedures, the range of tests, and lack of procedural standardisation. Three reviewers used QAREL to independently rate 29 articles, comprising 30 studies, published during 2007. The articles were identified from a search of relevant databases using the following string: "Reproducibility of results (MeSH) OR reliability (t.w.) AND Physical examination (MeSH) OR physical examination (t.w.)." A total of 415 articles were retrieved and screened for inclusion. The reviewers undertook an independent trial assessment prior to data collection, followed by a general discussion about how to score each item. At no time did the reviewers discuss individual papers. Reliability was assessed for each item using multi-rater kappa (κ). Multi-rater reliability estimates ranged from κ = 0.27 to 0.92 across all items. Six items were recorded with good reliability (κ > 0.60), three with moderate reliability (κ = 0.41 - 0.60), and two with fair reliability (κ = 0.21 - 0.40). Raters found it difficult to agree about the spectrum of patients included in a study (Item 1) and the correct application and interpretation of the test (Item 10). In this study, we found that QAREL was a reliable assessment tool for studies of diagnostic reliability when raters agreed upon criteria for the interpretation of each item. Nine out of 11 items had good or moderate reliability, and two items achieved fair reliability. The heterogeneity in the tests included in this study may have resulted in an underestimation of the reliability of these two items. We discuss these and other factors that could affect our results and make recommendations for the use of QAREL.

8 CFR 1003.15 - Contents of the order to show cause and notice to appear and notification of change of address.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR IMMIGRATION REVIEW, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE GENERAL PROVISIONS EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR... of any of these items shall not provide the alien with any substantive or procedural rights: (1) The... items shall not be construed as affording the alien any substantive or procedural rights. (1) The alien...

Differential Item Functioning Detection with the Mantel-Haenszel Procedure: The Effects of Matching Types and Other Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Socha, Alan; DeMars, Christine E.; Zilberberg, Anna; Phan, Ha

2015-01-01

The Mantel-Haenszel (MH) procedure is commonly used to detect items that function differentially for groups of examinees from various demographic and linguistic backgrounds--for example, in international assessments. As in some other DIF methods, the total score is used to match examinees on ability. In thin matching, each of the total score…

[Mokken scaling of the Cognitive Screening Test].

PubMed

Diesfeldt, H F A

2009-10-01

The Cognitive Screening Test (CST) is a twenty-item orientation questionnaire in Dutch, that is commonly used to evaluate cognitive impairment. This study applied Mokken Scale Analysis, a non-parametric set of techniques derived from item response theory (IRT), to CST-data of 466 consecutive participants in psychogeriatric day care. The full item set and the standard short version of fourteen items both met the assumptions of the monotone homogeneity model, with scalability coefficient H = 0.39, which is considered weak. In order to select items that would fulfil the assumption of invariant item ordering or the double monotonicity model, the subjects were randomly partitioned into a training set (50% of the sample) and a test set (the remaining half). By means of an automated item selection eleven items were found to measure one latent trait, with H = 0.67 and item H coefficients larger than 0.51. Cross-validation of the item analysis in the remaining half of the subjects gave comparable values (H = 0.66; item H coefficients larger than 0.56). The selected items involve year, place of residence, birth date, the monarch's and prime minister's names, and their predecessors. Applying optimal discriminant analysis (ODA) it was found that the full set of twenty CST items performed best in distinguishing two predefined groups of patients of lower or higher cognitive ability, as established by an independent criterion derived from the Amsterdam Dementia Screening Test. The chance corrected predictive value or prognostic utility was 47.5% for the full item set, 45.2% for the fourteen items of the standard short version of the CST, and 46.1% for the homogeneous, unidimensional set of selected eleven items. The results of the item analysis support the application of the CST in cognitive assessment, and revealed a more reliable 'short' version of the CST than the standard short version (CST14).

Contextual behavior and neural circuits

PubMed Central

Lee, Inah; Lee, Choong-Hee

2013-01-01

Animals including humans engage in goal-directed behavior flexibly in response to items and their background, which is called contextual behavior in this review. Although the concept of context has long been studied, there are differences among researchers in defining and experimenting with the concept. The current review aims to provide a categorical framework within which not only the neural mechanisms of contextual information processing but also the contextual behavior can be studied in more concrete ways. For this purpose, we categorize contextual behavior into three subcategories as follows by considering the types of interactions among context, item, and response: contextual response selection, contextual item selection, and contextual item–response selection. Contextual response selection refers to the animal emitting different types of responses to the same item depending on the context in the background. Contextual item selection occurs when there are multiple items that need to be chosen in a contextual manner. Finally, when multiple items and multiple contexts are involved, contextual item–response selection takes place whereby the animal either chooses an item or inhibits such a response depending on item–context paired association. The literature suggests that the rhinal cortical regions and the hippocampal formation play key roles in mnemonically categorizing and recognizing contextual representations and the associated items. In addition, it appears that the fronto-striatal cortical loops in connection with the contextual information-processing areas critically control the flexible deployment of adaptive action sets and motor responses for maximizing goals. We suggest that contextual information processing should be investigated in experimental settings where contextual stimuli and resulting behaviors are clearly defined and measurable, considering the dynamic top-down and bottom-up interactions among the neural systems for contextual behavior. PMID:23675321

Memory capacity, selective control, and value-directed remembering in children with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

PubMed

Castel, Alan D; Lee, Steve S; Humphreys, Kathryn L; Moore, Amy N

2011-01-01

The ability to select what is important to remember, to attend to this information, and to recall high-value items leads to the efficient use of memory. The present study examined how children with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) performed on an incentive-based selectivity task in which to-be-remembered items were worth different point values. Participants were 6-9 year old children with ADHD (n = 57) and without ADHD (n = 59). Using a selectivity task, participants studied words paired with point values and were asked to maximize their score, which was the overall value of the items they recalled. This task allows for measures of memory capacity and the ability to selectively remember high-value items. Although there were no significant between-groups differences in the number of words recalled (memory capacity), children with ADHD were less selective than children in the control group in terms of the value of the items they recalled (control of memory). All children recalled more high-value items than low-value items and showed some learning with task experience, but children with ADHD Combined type did not efficiently maximize memory performance (as measured by a selectivity index) relative to children with ADHD Inattentive type and healthy controls, who did not differ significantly from one another. Children with ADHD Combined type exhibit impairments in the strategic and efficient encoding and recall of high-value items. The findings have implications for theories of memory dysfunction in childhood ADHD and the key role of metacognition, cognitive control, and value-directed remembering when considering the strategic use of memory. (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved

Detection of Differential Item Functioning with Nonlinear Regression: A Non-IRT Approach Accounting for Guessing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drabinová, Adéla; Martinková, Patrícia

2017-01-01

In this article we present a general approach not relying on item response theory models (non-IRT) to detect differential item functioning (DIF) in dichotomous items with presence of guessing. The proposed nonlinear regression (NLR) procedure for DIF detection is an extension of method based on logistic regression. As a non-IRT approach, NLR can…

A Comparison of Methods of Vertical Equating.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loyd, Brenda H.; Hoover, H. D.

Rasch model vertical equating procedures were applied to three mathematics computation tests for grades six, seven, and eight. Each level of the test was composed of 45 items in three sets of 15 items, arranged in such a way that tests for adjacent grades had two sets (30 items) in common, and the sixth and eighth grades had 15 items in common. In…

Standard Errors and Confidence Intervals from Bootstrapping for Ramsay-Curve Item Response Theory Model Item Parameters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gu, Fei; Skorupski, William P.; Hoyle, Larry; Kingston, Neal M.

2011-01-01

Ramsay-curve item response theory (RC-IRT) is a nonparametric procedure that estimates the latent trait using splines, and no distributional assumption about the latent trait is required. For item parameters of the two-parameter logistic (2-PL), three-parameter logistic (3-PL), and polytomous IRT models, RC-IRT can provide more accurate estimates…

Development of the Sexual Minority Adolescent Stress Inventory

PubMed Central

Schrager, Sheree M.; Goldbach, Jeremy T.; Mamey, Mary Rose

2018-01-01

Although construct measurement is critical to explanatory research and intervention efforts, rigorous measure development remains a notable challenge. For example, though the primary theoretical model for understanding health disparities among sexual minority (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual) adolescents is minority stress theory, nearly all published studies of this population rely on minority stress measures with poor psychometric properties and development procedures. In response, we developed the Sexual Minority Adolescent Stress Inventory (SMASI) with N = 346 diverse adolescents ages 14–17, using a comprehensive approach to de novo measure development designed to produce a measure with desirable psychometric properties. After exploratory factor analysis on 102 candidate items informed by a modified Delphi process, we applied item response theory techniques to the remaining 72 items. Discrimination and difficulty parameters and item characteristic curves were estimated overall, within each of 12 initially derived factors, and across demographic subgroups. Two items were removed for excessive discrimination and three were removed following reliability analysis. The measure demonstrated configural and scalar invariance for gender and age; a three-item factor was excluded for demonstrating substantial differences by sexual identity and race/ethnicity. The final 64-item measure comprised 11 subscales and demonstrated excellent overall (α = 0.98), subscale (α range 0.75–0.96), and test–retest (scale r > 0.99; subscale r range 0.89–0.99) reliabilities. Subscales represented a mix of proximal and distal stressors, including domains of internalized homonegativity, identity management, intersectionality, and negative expectancies (proximal) and social marginalization, family rejection, homonegative climate, homonegative communication, negative disclosure experiences, religion, and work domains (distal). Thus, the SMASI development process illustrates a method to incorporate information from multiple sources, including item response theory models, to guide item selection in building a psychometrically sound measure. We posit that similar methods can be used to improve construct measurement across all areas of psychological research, particularly in areas where a strong theoretical framework exists but existing measures are limited. PMID:29599737

Effect of individual thinking styles on item selection during study time allocation.

PubMed

Jia, Xiaoyu; Li, Weijian; Cao, Liren; Li, Ping; Shi, Meiling; Wang, Jingjing; Cao, Wei; Li, Xinyu

2018-04-01

The influence of individual differences on learners' study time allocation has been emphasised in recent studies; however, little is known about the role of individual thinking styles (analytical versus intuitive). In the present study, we explored the influence of individual thinking styles on learners' application of agenda-based and habitual processes when selecting the first item during a study-time allocation task. A 3-item cognitive reflection test (CRT) was used to determine individuals' degree of cognitive reliance on intuitive versus analytical cognitive processing. Significant correlations between CRT scores and the choices of first item selection were observed in both Experiment 1a (study time was 5 seconds per triplet) and Experiment 1b (study time was 20 seconds per triplet). Furthermore, analytical decision makers constructed a value-based agenda (prioritised high-reward items), whereas intuitive decision makers relied more upon habitual responding (selected items from the leftmost of the array). The findings of Experiment 1a were replicated in Experiment 2 notwithstanding ruling out the possible effects from individual intelligence and working memory capacity. Overall, the individual thinking style plays an important role on learners' study time allocation and the predictive ability of CRT is reliable in learners' item selection strategy. © 2016 International Union of Psychological Science.

75 FR 11534 - Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-11

... EXPORT-IMPORT BANK OF THE UNITED STATES Sunshine Act Meeting ACTION: Notice of a Partially Open...., Washington, DC 20571. Open Agenda Items: Item No. 1 Revision of Eximbank's Environmental Procedures and.... Public Participation: The meeting will be open to public observation for Items No. 1 & 2 only. For...

78 FR 38031 - Sunshine Act Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-25

... EXPORT-IMPORT BANK Sunshine Act Meetings ACTION: Notice of a Partially Open Meeting of the Board...., Washington, DC 20571. OPEN AGENDA ITEMS: Item No. 1: Ex-Im Bank's Environmental Procedures and Guidelines. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: The meeting will be open to public observation for Item No. 1 only. FURTHER...

78 FR 36779 - Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-19

... EXPORT-IMPORT BANK Sunshine Act Meeting ACTION: Notice of a Partially Open Meeting of the Board of.... OPEN AGENDA ITEMS: Item No. 1: Ex-Im Bank's Environmental Procedures and Guidelines. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: The meeting will be open to public observation for Item No. 1 only. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION...

The development and validation of a questionnaire to measure the clinical learning environment for undergraduate dental students (DECLEI).

PubMed

Kossioni, A E; Lyrakos, G; Ntinalexi, I; Varela, R; Economu, I

2014-05-01

The aim of this study was to develop and validate according to psychometric standards a self-administered instrument to measure the students' self-perceptions of the undergraduate clinical dental environment (DECLEI). The initial questionnaire was developed using feedback from dental students, experts' opinion and an extensive literature review. Critical incident technique (CIT) analysis was used to generate items and identify domains. Thirty clinical dental students participated in a pilot validation that generated a 67-item questionnaire. To develop a shorter and more practical version of the instrument, DECLEI-67 was distributed to 153 clinical students at the University of Athens and its English version to 51 students from various dental schools, attending the 2012 European Dental Students Association meeting. This final procedure aimed to select items, identify subscales and measure internal consistency and discriminant validity. A total of 202 students returned the questionnaires (response rate 99%). The final instrument included 24 items divided into three subscales: (i) organisation and learning opportunities, (ii) professionalism and communication and (iii) satisfaction and commitment to the dental studies. Cronbach's α for the total questionnaire was 0.89. The interscale correlations ranged from 0.39 to 0.48. The instrument identified differences related to school of origin, age and duration of clinical experience. An interpretation of the scores (range 0–100) has been proposed. The 24-item DECLEI seemed to be a practical and valid instrument to measure a dental school's undergraduate clinical learning environment.

The effects of relative food item size on optimal tooth cusp sharpness during brittle food item processing

PubMed Central

Berthaume, Michael A.; Dumont, Elizabeth R.; Godfrey, Laurie R.; Grosse, Ian R.

2014-01-01

Teeth are often assumed to be optimal for their function, which allows researchers to derive dietary signatures from tooth shape. Most tooth shape analyses normalize for tooth size, potentially masking the relationship between relative food item size and tooth shape. Here, we model how relative food item size may affect optimal tooth cusp radius of curvature (RoC) during the fracture of brittle food items using a parametric finite-element (FE) model of a four-cusped molar. Morphospaces were created for four different food item sizes by altering cusp RoCs to determine whether optimal tooth shape changed as food item size changed. The morphospaces were also used to investigate whether variation in efficiency metrics (i.e. stresses, energy and optimality) changed as food item size changed. We found that optimal tooth shape changed as food item size changed, but that all optimal morphologies were similar, with one dull cusp that promoted high stresses in the food item and three cusps that acted to stabilize the food item. There were also positive relationships between food item size and the coefficients of variation for stresses in food item and optimality, and negative relationships between food item size and the coefficients of variation for stresses in the enamel and strain energy absorbed by the food item. These results suggest that relative food item size may play a role in selecting for optimal tooth shape, and the magnitude of these selective forces may change depending on food item size and which efficiency metric is being selected. PMID:25320068

Relationship of college student characteristics and inquiry-based geometrical optics instruction to knowledge of image formation with light-ray tracing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isik, Hakan

This study is premised on the fact that student conceptions of optics appear to be unrelated to student characteristics of gender, age, years since high school graduation, or previous academic experiences. This study investigated the relationships between student characteristics and student performance on image formation test items and the changes in student conceptions of optics after an introductory inquiry-based physics course. Data was collected from 39 college students who were involved in an inquiry-based physics course teaching topics of geometrical optics. Student data concerning characteristics and previous experiences with optics and mathematics were collected. Assessment of student understanding of optics knowledge for pinholes, plane mirrors, refraction, and convex lenses was collected with, the Test of Image Formation with Light-Ray Tracing instrument. Total scale and subscale scores representing the optics instrument content were derived from student pretest and posttest responses. The types of knowledge, needed to answer each optics item correctly, were categorized as situational, conceptual, procedural, and strategic knowledge. These types of knowledge were associated with student correct and incorrect responses to each item to explain the existences and changes in student scientific and naive conceptions. Correlation and stepwise multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify the student characteristics and academic experiences that significantly predicted scores on the subscales of the test. The results showed that student experience with calculus was a significant predictor of student performance on the total scale as well as on the refraction subscale of the Test of Image Formation with Light-Ray Tracing. A combination of student age and previous academic experience with precalculus was a significant predictor of student performance on the pretest pinhole subscale. Student characteristic of years since high school graduation significantly predicted the gain in student scores on pinhole and plane-mirror items from the pretest to the posttest with those students who were most recent graduates from high school doing better. Multivariate and univariate analyses of variance of the Test of Image Formation with Light-Ray Tracing pinhole scale and individual item changes from the pretest to the posttest resulted in statistically significant mean differences between total scores as well as between various individual pinhole items. There were no significant changes for individual plane-mirror items from pretest to posttest. Results revealed that there is a perceivable relationship between student optics-content knowledge and the types of knowledge required by items. At the pretest, the greatest selection of wrong responses related to the items requiring situational type of knowledge and the fewest selection of wrong responses was relate to the items requiring procedural type of knowledge. Student selection of wrong options for each item revealed the following naive optics conceptions: pinholes do not create reversed images (pretest), size and sharpness of pinhole images are related to the focus of a pinhole camera (pretest and posttest); propagation of light rays are interpreted as being radial rather than directional (pretest and posttest); no conception of image formation and observation for parallel mirrors (pretest and posttest), the place of an image depends on the position of the observer (pretest and posttest), a plane mirror reflects the images of the objects placed at one side of the mirror and the observers who were positioned at the other side of the mirror can see them (pretest and posttest); applying the law of reflection to plane mirrors without considering the variations in angles of incidence and reflection (pretest and posttest), and image observation is confused with the image formation in mirrors placed perpendicular to one another (pretest and posttest). Future research should focus on the acquisition, development, and identification of reliable measures of optics concepts, processes, types of knowledge, and specific optics understanding (i.e., pinhole, plane-mirror). Future research should focus on the identification of the more critical concepts such as changes in size and sharpness of pinhole images, image observation, image formation in general, and image formation and observation in parallel mirrors. Future research can be conducted with a larger set of participants so as to compare different instructional methods and address instructional deficiencies using more efficient statistical methods. Comparative studies can be conducted to investigate the relations of various instructional strategies on student conceptions of optics.

Random one-of-N selector

DOEpatents

Kronberg, J.W.

1993-04-20

An apparatus for selecting at random one item of N items on the average comprising counter and reset elements for counting repeatedly between zero and N, a number selected by the user, a circuit for activating and deactivating the counter, a comparator to determine if the counter stopped at a count of zero, an output to indicate an item has been selected when the count is zero or not selected if the count is not zero. Randomness is provided by having the counter cycle very often while varying the relatively longer duration between activation and deactivation of the count. The passive circuit components of the activating/deactivating circuit and those of the counter are selected for the sensitivity of their response to variations in temperature and other physical characteristics of the environment so that the response time of the circuitry varies. Additionally, the items themselves, which may be people, may vary in shape or the time they press a pushbutton, so that, for example, an ultrasonic beam broken by the item or person passing through it will add to the duration of the count and thus to the randomness of the selection.

Random one-of-N selector

DOEpatents

Kronberg, James W.

1993-01-01

An apparatus for selecting at random one item of N items on the average comprising counter and reset elements for counting repeatedly between zero and N, a number selected by the user, a circuit for activating and deactivating the counter, a comparator to determine if the counter stopped at a count of zero, an output to indicate an item has been selected when the count is zero or not selected if the count is not zero. Randomness is provided by having the counter cycle very often while varying the relatively longer duration between activation and deactivation of the count. The passive circuit components of the activating/deactivating circuit and those of the counter are selected for the sensitivity of their response to variations in temperature and other physical characteristics of the environment so that the response time of the circuitry varies. Additionally, the items themselves, which may be people, may vary in shape or the time they press a pushbutton, so that, for example, an ultrasonic beam broken by the item or person passing through it will add to the duration of the count and thus to the randomness of the selection.

MIL-STD-1750 Certification Study.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-02-29

act of conferring certification has associated with it certain liabilities . It is important that the study consider the procedural issues of...certification so that these liabilities are minimized. Some examples of these procedural issues follcw. Ihile the ideal goal of certification is to ensure 100...ccmponents. Vendor suplied and Air force supplied items are separately identified. Cost items are alsc identified as applying to either the vendor or to

Formulating the Rasch Differential Item Functioning Model under the Marginal Maximum Likelihood Estimation Context and Its Comparison with Mantel-Haenszel Procedure in Short Test and Small Sample Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paek, Insu; Wilson, Mark

2011-01-01

This study elaborates the Rasch differential item functioning (DIF) model formulation under the marginal maximum likelihood estimation context. Also, the Rasch DIF model performance was examined and compared with the Mantel-Haenszel (MH) procedure in small sample and short test length conditions through simulations. The theoretically known…

Scale Comparability between Nonaccommodated and Accommodated Forms of a Statewide High School Assessment: Assessment Using "l[subscript z]" Person-Fit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seo, Dong Gi; Hao, Shiqi

2016-01-01

Differential item/test functioning (DIF/DTF) are routine procedures to detect item/test unfairness as an explanation for group performance difference. However, unequal sample sizes and small sample sizes have an impact on the statistical power of the DIF/DTF detection procedures. Furthermore, DIF/DTF cannot be used for two test forms without…

Combining computer adaptive testing technology with cognitively diagnostic assessment.

PubMed

McGlohen, Meghan; Chang, Hua-Hua

2008-08-01

A major advantage of computerized adaptive testing (CAT) is that it allows the test to home in on an examinee's ability level in an interactive manner. The aim of the new area of cognitive diagnosis is to provide information about specific content areas in which an examinee needs help. The goal of this study was to combine the benefit of specific feedback from cognitively diagnostic assessment with the advantages of CAT. In this study, three approaches to combining these were investigated: (1) item selection based on the traditional ability level estimate (theta), (2) item selection based on the attribute mastery feedback provided by cognitively diagnostic assessment (alpha), and (3) item selection based on both the traditional ability level estimate (theta) and the attribute mastery feedback provided by cognitively diagnostic assessment (alpha). The results from these three approaches were compared for theta estimation accuracy, attribute mastery estimation accuracy, and item exposure control. The theta- and alpha-based condition outperformed the alpha-based condition regarding theta estimation, attribute mastery pattern estimation, and item exposure control. Both the theta-based condition and the theta- and alpha-based condition performed similarly with regard to theta estimation, attribute mastery estimation, and item exposure control, but the theta- and alpha-based condition has an additional advantage in that it uses the shadow test method, which allows the administrator to incorporate additional constraints in the item selection process, such as content balancing, item type constraints, and so forth, and also to select items on the basis of both the current theta and alpha estimates, which can be built on top of existing 3PL testing programs.

Effects of adding an Italian theme to a restaurant on the perceived ethnicity, acceptability, and selection of foods.

PubMed

Bell, R; Meiselman, H L; Pierson, B J; Reeve, W G

1994-02-01

We investigated whether a change in the perceived ethnicity of a food can be produced without manipulating the food item itself, and if that change in ethnic perception is accompanied by a change in acceptability and food selection behavior. Italian and British foods were offered in a British restaurant for four days. Foods were offered for 2 days under control conditions, when the restaurant was decorated as usual. The identical foods then were offered in the restaurant for 2 more days under experimental conditions, when ethnic names were used on the menu to describe foods, and the restaurant was decorated with an Italian theme. Perceived ethnicity and acceptability of items were rated by customers each day, and item selection was tracked. The Italian theme increased selection of pasta and dessert items, and decreased the selection of fish. The Italian theme also increased the perceived Italian ethnicity of British pasta items, fish and veal, and increased the perceived Italian ethnicity of the meal overall. These findings show that changes in perceived ethnicity and food selection can be accomplished without altering food items, but merely by manipulating the environment, and may imply a unique strategy for increasing perceived menu variety.

Specifying the role of the left prefrontal cortex in word selection

PubMed Central

Ries, S. K; Karzmark, C. R.; Navarrete, E.; Knight, R. T.; Dronkers, N. F.

2015-01-01

Word selection allows us to choose words during language production. This is often viewed as a competitive process wherein a lexical representation is retrieved among semantically-related alternatives. The left prefrontal cortex (LPFC) is thought to help overcome competition for word selection through top-down control. However, whether the LPFC is always necessary for word selection remains unclear. We tested 6 LPFC-injured patients and controls in two picture naming paradigms varying in terms of item repetition. Both paradigms elicited the expected semantic interference effects (SIE), reflecting interference caused by semantically-related representations in word selection. However, LPFC patients as a group showed a larger SIE than controls only in the paradigm involving item repetition. We argue that item repetition increases interference caused by semantically-related alternatives, resulting in increased LPFC-dependent cognitive control demands. The remaining network of brain regions associated with word selection appears to be sufficient when items are not repeated. PMID:26291289

DIFAS: Differential Item Functioning Analysis System. Computer Program Exchange

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penfield, Randall D.

2005-01-01

Differential item functioning (DIF) is an important consideration in assessing the validity of test scores (Camilli & Shepard, 1994). A variety of statistical procedures have been developed to assess DIF in tests of dichotomous (Hills, 1989; Millsap & Everson, 1993) and polytomous (Penfield & Lam, 2000; Potenza & Dorans, 1995) items. Some of these…

Item Content of the Group Personality Projective Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boudreaux, Ronald F.; Dreger, Ralph M.

1974-01-01

Examined the content factors of the GPPT using factor analytic procedures based on item intercorrelations, in contrast to the published version's use of part scores from a prior groupings of items. In terms of what it proposes to measure, it was concluded that the GPPT has very limited utility. (Author/RC)

48 CFR 12.502 - Procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... ACQUISITION OF COMMERCIAL ITEMS Applicability of Certain Laws to the Acquisition of Commercial Items and..., Subcontracts for Commercial Items and Commercial Components, reflect the applicability of the laws listed in 12... clause for each of the laws listed in 12.503 has been revised in the appropriate part to reflect its...

Classification Consistency and Accuracy for Complex Assessments Using Item Response Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Won-Chan

2010-01-01

In this article, procedures are described for estimating single-administration classification consistency and accuracy indices for complex assessments using item response theory (IRT). This IRT approach was applied to real test data comprising dichotomous and polytomous items. Several different IRT model combinations were considered. Comparisons…

Studies of Horst's Procedure for Binary Data Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, William M.; Hofmann, Richard J.

Most responses to educational and psychological test items may be represented in binary form. However, such dichotomously scored items present special problems when an analysis of correlational interrelationships among the items is attempted. Two general methods of analyzing binary data are proposed by Horst to partial out the effects of…

A Comparison of Methods for Nonparametric Estimation of Item Characteristic Curves for Binary Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Young-Sun

2007-01-01

This study compares the performance of three nonparametric item characteristic curve (ICC) estimation procedures: isotonic regression, smoothed isotonic regression, and kernel smoothing. Smoothed isotonic regression, employed along with an appropriate kernel function, provides better estimates and also satisfies the assumption of strict…

32 CFR 507.17 - Procurement and wear of heraldic items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... controlled heraldic items, when authorized by local procurement procedures, may forward a sample insignia to... 32 National Defense 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Procurement and wear of heraldic items. 507.17... AUTHORITIES AND PUBLIC RELATIONS MANUFACTURE AND SALE OF DECORATIONS, MEDALS, BADGES, INSIGNIA, COMMERCIAL USE...

The relative price of healthy and less healthy foods available in Australian school canteens.

PubMed

Billich, Natassja; Adderley, Marijke; Ford, Laura; Keeton, Isabel; Palermo, Claire; Peeters, Anna; Woods, Julie; Backholer, Kathryn

2018-04-12

School canteens have an important role in modelling a healthy food environment. Price is a strong predictor of food and beverage choice. This study compared the relative price of healthy and less healthy lunch and snack items sold within Australian school canteens. A convenience sample of online canteen menus from five Australian states were selected (100 primary and 100 secondary schools). State-specific canteen guidelines were used to classify menu items into 'green' (eat most), 'amber' (select carefully) and 'red' (not recommended in schools). The price of the cheapest 'healthy' lunch (vegetable-based 'green') and snack ('green' fruit) item was compared to the cheapest 'less healthy' ('amber/red') lunch and snack item, respectively, using an un-paired t-test. The relative price of the 'healthy' items and the 'less healthy' items was calculated to determine the proportion of schools that sold the 'less healthy' item cheaper. The mean cost of the 'healthy' lunch items was greater than the 'less healthy' lunch items for both primary (AUD $0.70 greater) and secondary schools ($0.50 greater; p < 0.01). For 75% of primary and 57% of secondary schools, the selected 'less healthy' lunch item was cheaper than the 'healthy' lunch item. For 41% of primary and 48% of secondary schools, the selected 'less healthy' snack was cheaper than the 'healthy' snack. These proportions were greatest for primary schools located in more, compared to less, disadvantaged areas. The relative price of foods sold within Australian school canteens appears to favour less healthy foods. School canteen healthy food policies should consider the price of foods sold.

Item Selection in Multidimensional Computerized Adaptive Testing--Gaining Information from Different Angles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Chun; Chang, Hua-Hua

2011-01-01

Over the past thirty years, obtaining diagnostic information from examinees' item responses has become an increasingly important feature of educational and psychological testing. The objective can be achieved by sequentially selecting multidimensional items to fit the class of latent traits being assessed, and therefore Multidimensional…

Direction of Wording Effects in Balanced Scales.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Timothy R.; Cleary, T. Anne

1993-01-01

The degree to which statistical item selection reduces direction-of-wording effects in balanced affective measures developed from relatively small item pools was investigated with 171 male and 228 female undergraduate and graduate students at 2 U.S. universities. Clearest direction-of-wording effects result from selection of items with high…

A Comparison Study of Item Exposure Control Strategies in MCAT

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mao, Xiuzhen; Ozdemir, Burhanettin; Wang, Yating; Xiu, Tao

2016-01-01

Four item selection indexes with and without exposure control are evaluated and compared in multidimensional computerized adaptive testing (CAT). The four item selection indices are D-optimality, Posterior expectation Kullback-Leibler information (KLP), the minimized error variance of the linear combination score with equal weight (V1), and the…

Assessing Correspondence Following Acquisition of an Exchange-Based Communication System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sigafoos, Jeff; Ganz, Jennifer B.; O'Reilly, Mark; Lancioni, Giulio E.; Schlosser, Ralf W.

2007-01-01

Two students with developmental disabilities were taught to request six snack items. Requesting involved giving a graphic symbol to the trainer in exchange for the matching snack item. Following acquisition, we assessed the correspondence between requests and subsequent item selections by requiring the student to select the previously requested…

A Comparison of Item Selection Techniques for Testlets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Daniel L.; Dodd, Barbara G.; Vaughn, Brandon K.

2010-01-01

This study examined the performance of the maximum Fisher's information, the maximum posterior weighted information, and the minimum expected posterior variance methods for selecting items in a computerized adaptive testing system when the items were grouped in testlets. A simulation study compared the efficiency of ability estimation among the…

Decision making: rational or hedonic?

PubMed Central

Cabanac, Michel; Bonniot-Cabanac, Marie-Claude

2007-01-01

Three experiments studied the hedonicity of decision making. Participants rated their pleasure/displeasure while reading item-sentences describing political and social problems followed by different decisions (Questionnaire 1). Questionnaire 2 was multiple-choice, grouping the items from Questionnaire 1. In Experiment 1, participants answered Questionnaire 2 rapidly or slowly. Both groups selected what they had rated as pleasant, but the 'leisurely' group maximized pleasure less. In Experiment 2, participants selected the most rational responses. The selected behaviors were pleasant but less than spontaneous behaviors. In Experiment 3, Questionnaire 2 was presented once with items grouped by theme, and once with items shuffled. Participants maximized the pleasure of their decisions, but the items selected on Questionnaires 2 were different when presented in different order. All groups maximized pleasure equally in their decisions. These results support that decisions are made predominantly in the hedonic dimension of consciousness. PMID:17848195

Using Distractor-Driven Standards-Based Multiple-Choice Assessments and Rasch Modeling to Investigate Hierarchies of Chemistry Misconceptions and Detect Structural Problems with Individual Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrmann-Abell, Cari F.; DeBoer, George E.

2011-01-01

Distractor-driven multiple-choice assessment items and Rasch modeling were used as diagnostic tools to investigate students' understanding of middle school chemistry ideas. Ninety-one items were developed according to a procedure that ensured content alignment to the targeted standards and construct validity. The items were administered to 13360…

Using DIF Dissection Method to Assess Effects of Item Deletion. Research Report No. 2005-10. ETS RR-05-23

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Yanling; Dorans, Neil J.; Matthews-López, Joy L.

2005-01-01

Statistical procedures for detecting differential item functioning (DIF) are often used as an initial step to screen items for construct irrelevant variance. This research applies a DIF dissection method and a two-way classification scheme to SAT Reasoning Test™ verbal section data and explores the effects of deleting sizable DIF items on reported…

Federal Logistics Information System. FLIS Procedures Manual Publications. Volume 15.

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-01-01

which provides for the processing of adjustments/revisions to established item identifications and characteristics in the FLIS Data Base. Item Logistics...A function in FLIS which provides for the processing of adjustments/revisions to established item identifications and characteristics in the FLIS...the materiel management functions for assigned items. Mechanization of Warehousing and Shipment Processing (MOWASP). A uniform data 6 system designed

Reliability of a rating procedure to monitor industry self-regulation codes governing alcohol advertising content.

PubMed

Babor, Thomas F; Xuan, Ziming; Proctor, Dwayne

2008-03-01

The purposes of this study were to develop reliable procedures to monitor the content of alcohol advertisements broadcast on television and in other media, and to detect violations of the content guidelines of the alcohol industry's self-regulation codes. A set of rating-scale items was developed to measure the content guidelines of the 1997 version of the U.S. Beer Institute Code. Six focus groups were conducted with 60 college students to evaluate the face validity of the items and the feasibility of the procedure. A test-retest reliability study was then conducted with 74 participants, who rated five alcohol advertisements on two occasions separated by 1 week. Average correlations across all advertisements using three reliability statistics (r, rho, and kappa) were almost all statistically significant and the kappas were good for most items, which indicated high test-retest agreement. We also found high interrater reliabilities (intraclass correlations) among raters for item-level and guideline-level violations, indicating that regardless of the specific item, raters were consistent in their general evaluations of the advertisements. Naïve (untrained) raters can provide consistent (reliable) ratings of the main content guidelines proposed in the U.S. Beer Institute Code. The rating procedure may have future applications for monitoring compliance with industry self-regulation codes and for conducting research on the ways in which alcohol advertisements are perceived by young adults and other vulnerable populations.

Best Design for Multidimensional Computerized Adaptive Testing With the Bifactor Model

PubMed Central

Seo, Dong Gi; Weiss, David J.

2015-01-01

Most computerized adaptive tests (CATs) have been studied using the framework of unidimensional item response theory. However, many psychological variables are multidimensional and might benefit from using a multidimensional approach to CATs. This study investigated the accuracy, fidelity, and efficiency of a fully multidimensional CAT algorithm (MCAT) with a bifactor model using simulated data. Four item selection methods in MCAT were examined for three bifactor pattern designs using two multidimensional item response theory models. To compare MCAT item selection and estimation methods, a fixed test length was used. The Ds-optimality item selection improved θ estimates with respect to a general factor, and either D- or A-optimality improved estimates of the group factors in three bifactor pattern designs under two multidimensional item response theory models. The MCAT model without a guessing parameter functioned better than the MCAT model with a guessing parameter. The MAP (maximum a posteriori) estimation method provided more accurate θ estimates than the EAP (expected a posteriori) method under most conditions, and MAP showed lower observed standard errors than EAP under most conditions, except for a general factor condition using Ds-optimality item selection. PMID:29795848

Conditions for positive and negative recencies in running memory-span recognition.

PubMed

Ruiz, R Marcos; Elosúa, M Rosa

2013-10-01

A positive recency effect in a running-span recognition procedure was obtained in Experiment 1 for hits and for intratrial false alarms. In running recall procedures, recency does not fit well with an active updating hypothesis. In Experiment 2, in which the beginning of the target set was marked with a cue upon presentation, the recency effects disappeared. In Experiments 3 and 4 participants were forced to maintain 2 items in memory until the last one was presented for recognition. These three items were the target set. When the last item presentation was uncertain-because of the variable length list-an unexpected negative recency effect appeared. An explanation for this change from positive to negative recency is offered based on the sharing of attentional resources put forward by others for similar procedures. © 2013.

Contextual control over selective attention: evidence from a two-target method.

PubMed

MacLellan, Ellen; Shore, David I; Milliken, Bruce

2015-07-01

Selective attention is generally studied with conflict tasks, using response time as the dependent measure. Here, we study the impact of selective attention to a first target, T1, presented simultaneously with a distractor, on the accuracy of subsequent encoding of a second target item, T2. This procedure produces an "attentional blink" (AB) effect much like that reported in other studies, and allowed us to study the influence of context on cognitive control with a novel method. In particular, we examined whether preparation to attend selectively to T1 had an impact on the selective encoding of T1 that would translate to report of T2. Preparation to attend selectively was manipulated by varying whether difficult selective attention T1 trials were presented in the context of other difficult selective attention T1 trials. The results revealed strong context effects of this nature, with smaller AB effects when difficult selective attention T1 trials were embedded in a context with many, rather than few, other difficult selective attention T1 trials. Further, the results suggest that both the trial-to-trial local context and the block-wide global context modulate performance in this task.

Selecting Soldiers and Civilians into the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School : Developing Empirical Selection Composites

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-01

a biographical instrument measuring personality ; (b) a Work Values instrument representing work preferences investigated in prior officer and...items used in SelectOCS Phase 2 (see Table 2.5). TAPAS uses multidimensional pairwise preference (MDPP) personality items scored using item response...presented respondents with a list of 30 traits and 30 skills (derived from leadership and personality literature) and instructed them to rate the

Directed forgetting of visual symbols: evidence for nonverbal selective rehearsal.

PubMed

Hourihan, Kathleen L; Ozubko, Jason D; MacLeod, Colin M

2009-12-01

Is selective rehearsal possible for nonverbal information? Two experiments addressed this question using the item method directed forgetting paradigm, where the advantage of remember items over forget items is ascribed to selective rehearsal favoring the remember items. In both experiments, difficult-to-name abstract symbols were presented for study, followed by a recognition test. Directed forgetting effects were evident for these symbols, regardless of whether they were or were not spontaneously named. Critically, a directed forgetting effect was observed for unnamed symbols even when the symbols were studied under verbal suppression to prevent verbal rehearsal. This pattern indicates that a form of nonverbal rehearsal can be used strategically (i.e., selectively) to enhance memory, even when verbal rehearsal is not possible.

Development of a short version of the new brief job stress questionnaire.

PubMed

Inoue, Akiomi; Kawakami, Norito; Shimomitsu, Teruichi; Tsutsumi, Akizumi; Haratani, Takashi; Yoshikawa, Toru; Shimazu, Akihito; Odagiri, Yuko

2014-01-01

This study was aimed to investigate the test-retest reliability and validity of a short version of the New Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (New BJSQ) whose scales have one item selected from a standard version. Based on the results from an anonymous web-based questionnaire of occupational health staffs and personnel/labor staffs, we selected higher-priority scales from the standard version. After selecting one item with highest item-total correlation coefficient from each scale, a 23-item questionnaire was developed. A nationally representative survey was administered to Japanese employees (n=1,633) to examine test-retest reliability and validity. Most scales (or items) showed modest but adequate levels of test-retest reliability (r>0.50). Furthermore, job demands and job resources scales (or items) were associated with mental and physical stress reactions while job resources scales (or items) were also associated with positive outcomes. These findings provided a piece of evidence that the short version of the New BJSQ is reliable and valid.

Development of a Short Version of the New Brief Job Stress Questionnaire

PubMed Central

INOUE, Akiomi; KAWAKAMI, Norito; SHIMOMITSU, Teruichi; TSUTSUMI, Akizumi; HARATANI, Takashi; YOSHIKAWA, Toru; SHIMAZU, Akihito; ODAGIRI, Yuko

2014-01-01

This study was aimed to investigate the test-retest reliability and validity of a short version of the New Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (New BJSQ) whose scales have one item selected from a standard version. Based on the results from an anonymous web-based questionnaire of occupational health staffs and personnel/labor staffs, we selected higher-priority scales from the standard version. After selecting one item with highest item-total correlation coefficient from each scale, a 23-item questionnaire was developed. A nationally representative survey was administered to Japanese employees (n=1,633) to examine test-retest reliability and validity. Most scales (or items) showed modest but adequate levels of test-retest reliability (r>0.50). Furthermore, job demands and job resources scales (or items) were associated with mental and physical stress reactions while job resources scales (or items) were also associated with positive outcomes. These findings provided a piece of evidence that the short version of the New BJSQ is reliable and valid. PMID:24975108

Using Response-Time Constraints in Item Selection To Control for Differential Speededness in Computerized Adaptive Testing. LSAC Research Report Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Linden, Wim J.; Scrams, David J.; Schnipke, Deborah L.

This paper proposes an item selection algorithm that can be used to neutralize the effect of time limits in computer adaptive testing. The method is based on a statistical model for the response-time distributions of the test takers on the items in the pool that is updated each time a new item has been administered. Predictions from the model are…

TEDS-M 2008 User Guide for the International Database. Supplement 4: TEDS-M Released Mathematics and Mathematics Pedagogy Knowledge Assessment Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brese, Falk, Ed.

2012-01-01

The goal for selecting the released set of test items was to have approximately 25% of each of the full item sets for mathematics content knowledge (MCK) and mathematics pedagogical content knowledge (MPCK) that would represent the full range of difficulty, content, and item format used in the TEDS-M study. The initial step in the selection was to…

Two Simple Approaches to Overcome a Problem with the Mantel-Haenszel Statistic: Comments on Wang, Bradlow, Wainer, and Muller (2008)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinharay, Sandip; Dorans, Neil J.

2010-01-01

The Mantel-Haenszel (MH) procedure (Mantel and Haenszel) is a popular method for estimating and testing a common two-factor association parameter in a 2 x 2 x K table. Holland and Holland and Thayer described how to use the procedure to detect differential item functioning (DIF) for tests with dichotomously scored items. Wang, Bradlow, Wainer, and…

Children's patterns of reasoning about reading and addition concepts.

PubMed

Farrington-Flint, Lee; Canobi, Katherine H; Wood, Clare; Faulkner, Dorothy

2010-06-01

Children's reasoning was examined within two educational contexts (word reading and addition) so as to understand the factors that contribute to relational reasoning in the two domains. Sixty-seven 5- to 7-year-olds were given a series of related words to read or single-digit addition items to solve (interspersed with unrelated items). The frequency, accuracy, and response times of children's self-reports on the conceptually related items provided a measure of relational reasoning, while performance on the unrelated addition and reading items provided a measure of procedural skill. The results indicated that the children's ability to use conceptual relations to solve both reading and addition problems enhanced speed and accuracy levels, increased with age, and was related to procedural skill. However, regression analyses revealed that domain-specific competencies can best explain the use of conceptual relations in both reading and addition. Moreover, a cluster analysis revealed that children differ according to the academic domain in which they first apply conceptual relations and these differences are related to individual variation in their procedural skills within these particular domains. These results highlight the developmental significance of relational reasoning in the context of reading and addition and underscore the importance of concept-procedure links in explaining children's literacy and arithmetical development.

Operating room waste: disposable supply utilization in neurosurgical procedures.

PubMed

Zygourakis, Corinna C; Yoon, Seungwon; Valencia, Victoria; Boscardin, Christy; Moriates, Christopher; Gonzales, Ralph; Lawton, Michael T

2017-02-01

OBJECTIVE Disposable supplies constitute a large portion of operating room (OR) costs and are often left over at the end of a surgical case. Despite financial and environmental implications of such waste, there has been little evaluation of OR supply utilization. The goal of this study was to quantify the utilization of disposable supplies and the costs associated with opened but unused items (i.e., "waste") in neurosurgical procedures. METHODS Every disposable supply that was unused at the end of surgery was quantified through direct observation of 58 neurosurgical cases at the University of California, San Francisco, in August 2015. Item costs (in US dollars) were determined from the authors' supply catalog, and statistical analyses were performed. RESULTS Across 58 procedures (36 cranial, 22 spinal), the average cost of unused supplies was $653 (range $89-$3640, median $448, interquartile range $230-$810), or 13.1% of total surgical supply cost. Univariate analyses revealed that case type (cranial versus spinal), case category (vascular, tumor, functional, instrumented, and noninstrumented spine), and surgeon were important predictors of the percentage of unused surgical supply cost. Case length and years of surgical training did not affect the percentage of unused supply cost. Accounting for the different case distribution in the 58 selected cases, the authors estimate approximately $968 of OR waste per case, $242,968 per month, and $2.9 million per year, for their neurosurgical department. CONCLUSIONS This study shows a large variation and significant magnitude of OR waste in neurosurgical procedures. At the authors' institution, they recommend price transparency, education about OR waste to surgeons and nurses, preference card reviews, and clarification of supplies that should be opened versus available as needed to reduce waste.

Spacelab mission development tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dalton, B. P.

1978-01-01

The paper describes Spacelab Mission Development Test III (SMD III) whose principal scientific objective was to demonstrate the feasibility of conducting biological research in the Life Sciences Spacelab. The test also provided an opportunity to try out several items of Common Operational Research Equipment (CORE) hardware being developed for operational use in Shuttle/Spacelab, such as rodent and primate handling, transportation units, and a 'zero-g' surgical bench. Operational concepts planned for Spacelab were subjected to evaluation, including animal handling procedures, animal logistics, crew selection and training, and a 'remote' ground station concept. It is noted that all the objectives originally proposed for SMD III were accomplished

A Procedure to Detect Item Bias Present Simultaneously in Several Items

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-04-25

exhibit a coherent and major biasing influence at the test level. In partic- ular, this can be true even if each individual item displays only a minor...response functions (IRFs) without the use of item parameter estimation algorithms when the sample size is too small for their use. Thissen, Steinberg...convention). A random sample of examinees is drawn from each group, and a test of N items is administered to them. Typically it is suspected that a

Assessment of economic factors affecting the satellite power system. Volume 1: System cost factors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hazelrigg, G. A., Jr.

1978-01-01

The factors relevant to SPS costing and selection of preferred SPS satellite configurations were studied. The issues discussed are: (1) consideration of economic factors in the SPS system that relate to selection of SPS satellite configuration; (2) analysis of the proper rate of interest for use in SPS system definition studies; and (3) the impacts of differential inflation on SPS system definition costing procedures. A cost-risk comparison of the SPS satellite configurations showed a significant difference in the levelized cost of power from them. It is concluded, that this difference is the result more of differences in the procedures for assessing costs rather than in the satellite technologies required or of any advantages of one satellite configuration over the other. Analysis of the proper rate of interest for use in SPS system is 4 percent. The major item of differential inflation to be expected over this period of time is the real cost of labor. This cost is likely to double between today and the period of SPS construction.

Inductive Selectivity in Children's Cross-Classified Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Simone P.

2012-01-01

Cross-classified items pose an interesting challenge to children's induction as these items belong to many different categories, each of which may serve as a basis for a different type of inference. Inductive selectivity is the ability to appropriately make different types of inferences about a single cross-classifiable item based on its different…

Automated Test-Form Generation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Linden, Wim J.; Diao, Qi

2011-01-01

In automated test assembly (ATA), the methodology of mixed-integer programming is used to select test items from an item bank to meet the specifications for a desired test form and optimize its measurement accuracy. The same methodology can be used to automate the formatting of the set of selected items into the actual test form. Three different…

[Measuring job satisfaction: development of a multidimensional scale].

PubMed

Faraci, Palmira; Valenti, Giusy

2016-01-01

Although numerous studies have been done on the topic ofjob satisfaction, as regards the Italian research, the construction of specific psychometric instruments is lacking. The present paper is aimed to develop a scale to measure job satisfaction referring to our cultural context. Participants were 222 workers (36.5% males, 63.5% females) with an average age of 38.39 years (SD = 10.91). The formulated items were selected from a large item pool on the basis of the evaluation by a group of expert judges, and the item analysis procedure. In order to establish test validity, the following instruments were also administered: Occupational Stress Indicator, Satisfaction With Life Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Beck Depression Inventory. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses highlighted a 6-factor structure. Those factors were responsible for 51.30% of the total variance. Reliability analyses indicated satisfying internal consistency (ranging from alpha = .73 to alpha = .86). Construct validity was supported by results obtained calculating correlations with the theoretically associated variables. Our findings suggest promising psychometric properties for the presented measure. The instrument could be used in specific programs developed to promote well-being conditions in work settings.

Customizing Survey Instruments and Data Collection to Reach Hispanic/Latino Adults in Border Communities in Texas

PubMed Central

Pederson, Linda L.; Thorne, Stacy L.; Caraballo, Ralph S.; Evans, Brian; Athey, Leslie; McMichael, Joseph

2010-01-01

Objectives. We sought to modify an instrument and to use it to collect information on smoking knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors among Hispanics/Latinos, and to adapt survey methods to obtain high participation levels. Methods. Promotoras (outreach workers) conducted face-to-face interviews with 1485 Hispanic adults (July 2007–April 2008). The project team used GeoFrame field enumeration methods to develop a sampling frame from households in randomly selected colonias (residential areas along the Texas–Mexico border that may lack some basic necessities (e.g. portable water), in El Paso, Texas. Results. The revised questionnaire included 36 unchanged items from the State Adult Tobacco Survey, 7 modified items, and 17 new items focusing on possible culturally specific quitting methods, secondhand smoke issues, and attitudes and knowledge about tobacco use that might be unique for Hispanic/Latino groups. The eligibility rate was 90.2%, and the conservative combined completed screener and interview response rate was 80.0%. Conclusions. Strategic, targeted, carefully designed methods and surveys can achieve high reach and response rates in hard-to-reach populations. Similar procedures could be used to obtain cooperation of groups who may not be accessible with traditional methods. PMID:20147687

The revised transliminality scale: reliability and validity data from a Rasch top-down purification procedure.

PubMed

Lange, R; Thalbourne, M A; Houran, J; Storm, L

2000-12-01

The concept of transliminality ("a hypothesized tendency for psychological material to cross thresholds into or out of consciousness") was anticipated by William James (1902/1982), but it was only recently given an empirical definition by Thalbourne in terms of a 29-item Transliminality Scale. This article presents the 17-item Revised Transliminality Scale (or RTS) that corrects age and gender biases, is unidimensional by a Rasch criterion, and has a reliability of.82. The scale defines a probabilistic hierarchy of items that address magical ideation, mystical experience, absorption, hyperaesthesia, manic experience, dream interpretation, and fantasy proneness. These findings validate the suggestions by James and Thalbourne that some mental phenomena share a common underlying dimension with selected sensory experiences (such being overwhelmed by smells, bright lights, sights, and sounds). Low scores on transliminality remain correlated with "tough mindedness" in on Cattell 16PF test, as well as "self-control" and "rule consciousness," whereas high scores are associated with "abstractedness" and an "openness to change" on that test. An independent validation study confirmed the predictions implied by our definition of transliminality. Implications for test construction are discussed. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Emperical Tests of Acceptance Sampling Plans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, K. Preston, Jr.; Johnson, Kenneth L.

2012-01-01

Acceptance sampling is a quality control procedure applied as an alternative to 100% inspection. A random sample of items is drawn from a lot to determine the fraction of items which have a required quality characteristic. Both the number of items to be inspected and the criterion for determining conformance of the lot to the requirement are given by an appropriate sampling plan with specified risks of Type I and Type II sampling errors. In this paper, we present the results of empirical tests of the accuracy of selected sampling plans reported in the literature. These plans are for measureable quality characteristics which are known have either binomial, exponential, normal, gamma, Weibull, inverse Gaussian, or Poisson distributions. In the main, results support the accepted wisdom that variables acceptance plans are superior to attributes (binomial) acceptance plans, in the sense that these provide comparable protection against risks at reduced sampling cost. For the Gaussian and Weibull plans, however, there are ranges of the shape parameters for which the required sample sizes are in fact larger than the corresponding attributes plans, dramatically so for instances of large skew. Tests further confirm that the published inverse-Gaussian (IG) plan is flawed, as reported by White and Johnson (2011).

The Value of the Studied Item in the Matching Criterion in Differential Item Functioning (DIF) Analysis. Research Report. ETS RR-10-13

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Xuan; Xiang, Bihua; Dorans, Neil J.; Qu, Yanxuan

2010-01-01

The nature of the matching criterion (usually the total score) in the study of differential item functioning (DIF) has been shown to impact the accuracy of different DIF detection procedures. One of the topics related to the nature of the matching criterion is whether the studied item should be included. Although many studies exist that suggest…

Using the Free-Response Scoring Tool To Automatically Score the Formulating-Hypotheses Item. GRE Board Professional Report No. 90-02bP.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan, Randy M.; Bennett, Randy Elliot

This study explores the potential for using a computer-based scoring procedure for the formulating-hypotheses (F-H) item. This item type presents a situation and asks the examinee to generate explanations for it. Each explanation is judged right or wrong, and the number of creditable explanations is summed to produce an item score. Scores were…

Kernel-Smoothing Estimation of Item Characteristic Functions for Continuous Personality Items: An Empirical Comparison with the Linear and the Continuous-Response Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferrando, Pere J.

2004-01-01

This study used kernel-smoothing procedures to estimate the item characteristic functions (ICFs) of a set of continuous personality items. The nonparametric ICFs were compared with the ICFs estimated (a) by the linear model and (b) by Samejima's continuous-response model. The study was based on a conditioned approach and used an error-in-variables…

A Bayesian Method for the Detection of Item Preknowledge in CAT. Law School Admission Council Computerized Testing Report. LSAC Research Report Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLeod, Lori D.; Lewis, Charles; Thissen, David.

With the increased use of computerized adaptive testing, which allows for continuous testing, new concerns about test security have evolved, one being the assurance that items in an item pool are safeguarded from theft. In this paper, the risk of score inflation and procedures to detect test takers using item preknowledge are explored. When test…

Developing a minimum dataset for nursing team leader handover in the intensive care unit: A focus group study.

PubMed

Spooner, Amy J; Aitken, Leanne M; Corley, Amanda; Chaboyer, Wendy

2018-01-01

Despite increasing demand for structured processes to guide clinical handover, nursing handover tools are limited in the intensive care unit. The study aim was to identify key items to include in a minimum dataset for intensive care nursing team leader shift-to-shift handover. This focus group study was conducted in a 21-bed medical/surgical intensive care unit in Australia. Senior registered nurses involved in team leader handovers were recruited. Focus groups were conducted using a nominal group technique to generate and prioritise minimum dataset items. Nurses were presented with content from previous team leader handovers and asked to select which content items to include in a minimum dataset. Participant responses were summarised as frequencies and percentages. Seventeen senior nurses participated in three focus groups. Participants agreed that ISBAR (Identify-Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendations) was a useful tool to guide clinical handover. Items recommended to be included in the minimum dataset (≥65% agreement) included Identify (name, age, days in intensive care), Situation (diagnosis, surgical procedure), Background (significant event(s), management of significant event(s)) and Recommendations (patient plan for next shift, tasks to follow up for next shift). Overall, 30 of the 67 (45%) items in the Assessment category were considered important to include in the minimum dataset and focused on relevant observations and treatment within each body system. Other non-ISBAR items considered important to include related to the ICU (admissions to ICU, staffing/skill mix, theatre cases) and patients (infectious status, site of infection, end of life plan). Items were further categorised into those to include in all handovers and those to discuss only when relevant to the patient. The findings suggest a minimum dataset for intensive care nursing team leader shift-to-shift handover should contain items within ISBAR along with unit and patient specific information to maintain continuity of care and patient safety across shift changes. Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving the measurement of health-related quality of life in adolescent with idiopathic scoliosis: the SRS-7, a Rasch-developed short form of the SRS-22 questionnaire.

PubMed

Caronni, Antonio; Zaina, Fabio; Negrini, Stefano

2014-04-01

Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22) questionnaire was developed to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQL) in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients. Rasch analysis (RA) is a statistical procedure which turns questionnaire ordinal scores into interval measures. Measures from Rasch-compatible questionnaires can be used, similar to body temperature or blood pressure, to quantify disease severity progression and treatment efficacy. Purpose of the current work is to present Rasch analysis (RA) of the SRS-22 questionnaire and to develop an SRS-22 Rasch-approved short form. 300 SRS-22 were randomly collected from 2447 consecutive IS adolescents at their first evaluation (229 females; 13.9 ± 1.9 years; 26.9 ± 14.7 Cobb°) in a scoliosis outpatient clinic. RA showed both disordered thresholds and overall misfit of the SRS-22. Sixteen items were re-scored and two misfitting items (6 and 14) removed to obtain a Rasch-compatible questionnaire. Participants HRQL measured too high with the rearranged questionnaire, indicating a severe SRS-22 ceiling effect. RA also highlighted SRS-22 multidimensionality, with pain/function not merging with self-image/mental health items. Item 3 showed differential item functioning (DIF) for both curve and hump amplitude. A 7-item questionnaire (SRS-7) was prepared by selecting single items from the original SRS-22. SRS-7 showed fit to the model, unidimensionality and no DIF. Compared with the SRS-22, the short form scale shows better targeting of the participants' population. RA shows that SRS-22 has poor clinimetric properties; moreover, when used with AIS at first evaluation, SRS-22 is affected by a severe ceiling effect. SRS-7, an SRS-22 7-item short form questionnaire, provides an HRQL interval measure better tailored to these participants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

28 CFR 553.13 - Procedures for handling contraband.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... purchase, or as a gift) without staff authorization may be considered nuisance contraband for which a claim of ownership is ordinarily not accepted. (iii) If the inmate establishes ownership, but the item is... evidence of ownership of the listed items. A claim of ownership may not be accepted for an item made from...

40 CFR 60.113b - Testing and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., the owner or operator shall repair the items before filling the storage vessel. (2) For Vessels... repair the items or empty and remove the storage vessel from service within 45 days. If a failure that is... percent open area, the owner or operator shall repair the items as necessary so that none of the...

40 CFR 60.113b - Testing and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., the owner or operator shall repair the items before filling the storage vessel. (2) For Vessels... repair the items or empty and remove the storage vessel from service within 45 days. If a failure that is... percent open area, the owner or operator shall repair the items as necessary so that none of the...

40 CFR 60.113b - Testing and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., the owner or operator shall repair the items before filling the storage vessel. (2) For Vessels... repair the items or empty and remove the storage vessel from service within 45 days. If a failure that is... percent open area, the owner or operator shall repair the items as necessary so that none of the...

40 CFR 60.113b - Testing and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., the owner or operator shall repair the items before filling the storage vessel. (2) For Vessels... repair the items or empty and remove the storage vessel from service within 45 days. If a failure that is... percent open area, the owner or operator shall repair the items as necessary so that none of the...

25 CFR 542.17 - What are the minimum internal control standards for complimentary services or items?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... complimentary services or items? 542.17 Section 542.17 Indians NATIONAL INDIAN GAMING COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF... control standards for complimentary services or items? (a) Each Tribal gaming regulatory authority or gaming operation shall establish and the gaming operation shall comply with procedures for the...

Automatic Scoring of Paper-and-Pencil Figural Responses. Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Michael E.; And Others

Large-scale testing is dominated by the multiple-choice question format. Widespread use of the format is due, in part, to the ease with which multiple-choice items can be scored automatically. This paper examines automatic scoring procedures for an alternative item type: figural response. Figural response items call for the completion or…

An Extension of IRT-Based Equating to the Dichotomous Testlet Response Theory Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tao, Wei; Cao, Yi

2016-01-01

Current procedures for equating number-correct scores using traditional item response theory (IRT) methods assume local independence. However, when tests are constructed using testlets, one concern is the violation of the local item independence assumption. The testlet response theory (TRT) model is one way to accommodate local item dependence.…

Five-Point Likert Items: t Test versus Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Winter, Joost C. F.; Dodou, Dimitra

2010-01-01

Likert questionnaires are widely used in survey research, but it is unclear whether the item data should be investigated by means of parametric or nonparametric procedures. This study compared the Type I and II error rates of the "t" test versus the Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon (MWW) for five-point Likert items. Fourteen population…

A Proposed System of "Project Management" for Study Items.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worcester Public Schools, MA.

The purposes of the proposed system are to provide a standard operating procedure for a systematic and effective handling of project-type study items as differentiated from informational-type items; to assign definite singular responsibility for projects; to suggest specific sequential steps to be taken in the preparation of the project report;…

Investigating the Stability of Four Methods for Estimating Item Bias.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perlman, Carole L.; And Others

The reliability of item bias estimates was studied for four methods: (1) the transformed delta method; (2) Shepard's modified delta method; (3) Rasch's one-parameter residual analysis; and (4) the Mantel-Haenszel procedure. Bias statistics were computed for each sample using all methods. Data were from administration of multiple-choice items from…

Measuring cardiac waste: the premier cardiac waste measures.

PubMed

Lowe, Timothy J; Partovian, Chohreh; Kroch, Eugene; Martin, John; Bankowitz, Richard

2014-01-01

The authors developed 8 measures of waste associated with cardiac procedures to assist hospitals in comparing their performance with peer facilities. Measure selection was based on review of the research literature, clinical guidelines, and consultation with key stakeholders. Development and validation used the data from 261 hospitals in a split-sample design. Measures were risk adjusted using Premier's CareScience methodologies or mean peer value based on Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Group assignment. High variability was found in resource utilization across facilities. Validation of the measures using item-to-total correlations (range = 0.27-0.78), Cronbach α (.88), and Spearman rank correlation (0.92) showed high reliability and discriminatory power. Because of the level of variability observed among hospitals, this study suggests that there is opportunity for facilities to design successful waste reduction programs targeting cardiac-device procedures.

77 FR 22807 - Sunshine Act Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-17

... it is necessary for the Board to consider items in executive session. MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: (1... scenarios report; (5) Board procedures and governance. PORTIONS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC: All agenda items except...

[The psychometric properties of the new Turkish generic health-related quality of life questionnaire for children (Kid-KINDL)].

PubMed

Eser, Erhan; Yüksel, Hasan; Baydur, Hakan; Erhart, Michael; Saatli, Gül; Cengiz Ozyurt, Beyhan; Ozcan, Cemil; Ravens-Sieberer, Ulrike

2008-01-01

There are few health-related quality of life (HRQOL) instruments available that have been validated for use with Turkish children. The Kid-KINDL is a generic measure of children's (8-12 years) HRQOL, which contains 24 categorical items that assess 6 dimensions (physical well-being, emotional well-being, self-esteem, family, friends, and school). The Kid-KINDL is available in many languages. Following an elaborate translation procedure and cognitive focus group interviews, the Kid-KINDL was adopted into Turkish. This paper describes the psychometric properties of the new Turkish Kid-KINDL. In total, 1918 children aged 8-12 years at a school in Manisa completed the Kid-KINDL. A confirmatory approach was used for validity and reliability analysis. Using the Multi-trait/Multi-item analysis program (MAP) item-internal consistency and item-discriminant validity were calculated to confirm the instrument's structure. Likert scaling assumptions were tested and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied as well. After modification of 2 unsatisfactory items the Kid-KINDL was administered to a different group of 84 randomly selected children and the analyses were repeated. Cronbach's alpha was 0.35-0.78 before and 0.54-0.78 after the scales was modified. MAP-scaling success was 60%-100% before and 90%-100% after the modification. CFA confirmed the Kid-KINDL structure for the original version (RMSEA = 0.077) was less than the modified version (RMSEA = 0.059), although for the latter the sample was rather small. Floor effects were negligible, and ceiling effects reached 19%. The results indicate that the Turkish Kid-KINDL was a reliable and factorially valid assessment of the children's HRQOL. The modifications made to the 2 unsatisfactory items increased the psychometric quality of the scale.

Research in VLSI Systems. Heuristic Programming Project and VLSI Theory Project. A Fast Turn Around Facility for Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI)

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-11-01

to occur). When a rectangle is inserted, all currently selected items are de -selected, and the newly inserted rectangle is selected. This makes it...Items are de - * selected before the selection takes place. A selected symbol instance is displayed with a bold outline, and a selected rectangle edge...symbol instance or set of rectangle edges, everything previously selected is first de -selected. If the selected object is a reference point the old

Measurement versus prediction in the construction of patient-reported outcome questionnaires: can we have our cake and eat it?

PubMed

Smits, Niels; van der Ark, L Andries; Conijn, Judith M

2017-11-02

Two important goals when using questionnaires are (a) measurement: the questionnaire is constructed to assign numerical values that accurately represent the test taker's attribute, and (b) prediction: the questionnaire is constructed to give an accurate forecast of an external criterion. Construction methods aimed at measurement prescribe that items should be reliable. In practice, this leads to questionnaires with high inter-item correlations. By contrast, construction methods aimed at prediction typically prescribe that items have a high correlation with the criterion and low inter-item correlations. The latter approach has often been said to produce a paradox concerning the relation between reliability and validity [1-3], because it is often assumed that good measurement is a prerequisite of good prediction. To answer four questions: (1) Why are measurement-based methods suboptimal for questionnaires that are used for prediction? (2) How should one construct a questionnaire that is used for prediction? (3) Do questionnaire-construction methods that optimize measurement and prediction lead to the selection of different items in the questionnaire? (4) Is it possible to construct a questionnaire that can be used for both measurement and prediction? An empirical data set consisting of scores of 242 respondents on questionnaire items measuring mental health is used to select items by means of two methods: a method that optimizes the predictive value of the scale (i.e., forecast a clinical diagnosis), and a method that optimizes the reliability of the scale. We show that for the two scales different sets of items are selected and that a scale constructed to meet the one goal does not show optimal performance with reference to the other goal. The answers are as follows: (1) Because measurement-based methods tend to maximize inter-item correlations by which predictive validity reduces. (2) Through selecting items that correlate highly with the criterion and lowly with the remaining items. (3) Yes, these methods may lead to different item selections. (4) For a single questionnaire: Yes, but it is problematic because reliability cannot be estimated accurately. For a test battery: Yes, but it is very costly. Implications for the construction of patient-reported outcome questionnaires are discussed.

An economic production model for deteriorating items and time dependent demand with rework and multiple production setups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uthayakumar, R.; Tharani, S.

2017-12-01

Recently, much emphasis has given to study the control and maintenance of production inventories of the deteriorating items. Rework is one of the main issues in reverse logistic and green supply chain, since it can reduce production cost and the environmental problem. Many researchers have focused on developing rework model, but few of them have developed model for deteriorating items. Due to this fact, we take up productivity and rework with deterioration as the major concern in this paper. In this paper, a production-inventory model with deteriorative items in which one cycle has n production setups and one rework setup (n, 1) policy is considered for deteriorating items with stock-dependent demand in case 1 and exponential demand in case 2. An effective iterative solution procedure is developed to achieve optimal time, so that the total cost of the system is minimized. Numerical and sensitivity analyses are discussed to examine the outcome of the proposed solution procedure presented in this research.

Effects of Content Balancing and Item Selection Method on Ability Estimation in Computerized Adaptive Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Alper; Ozbasi, Durmus

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to reveal effects of content balancing and item selection method on ability estimation in computerized adaptive tests by comparing Fisher's maximum information (FMI) and likelihood weighted information (LWI) methods. Research Methods: Four groups of examinees (250, 500, 750, 1000) and a bank of 500 items with 10 different…

Using Response Times for Item Selection in Adaptive Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Linden, Wim J.

2008-01-01

Response times on items can be used to improve item selection in adaptive testing provided that a probabilistic model for their distribution is available. In this research, the author used a hierarchical modeling framework with separate first-level models for the responses and response times and a second-level model for the distribution of the…

Optimizing the Use of Response Times for Item Selection in Computerized Adaptive Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choe, Edison M.; Kern, Justin L.; Chang, Hua-Hua

2018-01-01

Despite common operationalization, measurement efficiency of computerized adaptive testing should not only be assessed in terms of the number of items administered but also the time it takes to complete the test. To this end, a recent study introduced a novel item selection criterion that maximizes Fisher information per unit of expected response…

Specifying the role of the left prefrontal cortex in word selection.

PubMed

Riès, S K; Karzmark, C R; Navarrete, E; Knight, R T; Dronkers, N F

2015-10-01

Word selection allows us to choose words during language production. This is often viewed as a competitive process wherein a lexical representation is retrieved among semantically-related alternatives. The left prefrontal cortex (LPFC) is thought to help overcome competition for word selection through top-down control. However, whether the LPFC is always necessary for word selection remains unclear. We tested 6 LPFC-injured patients and controls in two picture naming paradigms varying in terms of item repetition. Both paradigms elicited the expected semantic interference effects (SIE), reflecting interference caused by semantically-related representations in word selection. However, LPFC patients as a group showed a larger SIE than controls only in the paradigm involving item repetition. We argue that item repetition increases interference caused by semantically-related alternatives, resulting in increased LPFC-dependent cognitive control demands. The remaining network of brain regions associated with word selection appears to be sufficient when items are not repeated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validity of a semantically cued recall procedure for the mini-mental state examination.

PubMed

Yuspeh, R L; Vanderploeg, R D; Kershaw, D A

1998-10-01

The validity of supplementing the three-item recall portion of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) with a cued recall procedure to help specify the nature of patients' memory problems was examined. Subjects were 247 individuals representing three diagnostic groups: Alzheimer's disease (AD), subcortical vascular ischemic dementia (SVaD), and normal controls. Individuals were administered a battery of neuropsychological tests, including the MMSE, as part of a comprehensive evaluation for the presence of dementia or other neurologic disorder. MMSE performance differed among groups. The three-item free recall performance also differed among groups, with post hoc analyses revealing the AD and SVaD groups were more impaired than controls but did not differ significantly from each other. Following a cued recall procedure of the MMSE three-items, groups differed, with post hoc analyses showing that AD patients failed to benefit from cues, whereas SVaD patients performed significantly better and comparable to control subjects. Significant correlations between the MMSE three-item cued recall performance and other memory measures demonstrated concurrent validity. Consistent with previous research indicating that SVaD is associated with memory encoding and retrieval deficits, whereas AD is associated with consolidation and storage problems, the present study supported the validity of the cued recall procedure of the three items on the MMSE in helping to distinguish between patients with AD and those with a vascular dementia with primarily subcortical pathology; however, despite these findings, a more extensive battery of neuropsychological measures is still recommended to consistently assess subtle diagnostic differences in these memory processes.

Development of Elderly Quality of Life Index – Eqoli: Item Reduction and Distribution into Dimensions

PubMed Central

Paschoal, Sérgio Márcio Pacheco; Filho, Wilson Jacob; Litvoc, Júlio

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVE To describe item reduction and its distribution into dimensions in the construction process of a quality of life evaluation instrument for the elderly. METHODS The sampling method was chosen by convenience through quotas, with selection of elderly subjects from four programs to achieve heterogeneity in the “health status”, “functional capacity”, “gender”, and “age” variables. The Clinical Impact Method was used, consisting of the spontaneous and elicited selection by the respondents of relevant items to the construct Quality of Life in Old Age from a previously elaborated item pool. The respondents rated each item’s importance using a 5-point Likert scale. The product of the proportion of elderly selecting the item as relevant (frequency) and the mean importance score they attributed to it (importance) represented the overall impact of that item in their quality of life (impact). The items were ordered according to their impact scores and the top 46 scoring items were grouped in dimensions by three experts. A review of the negative items was performed. RESULTS One hundred and ninety three people (122 women and 71 men) were interviewed. Experts distributed the 46 items into eight dimensions. Closely related items were grouped and dimensions not reaching the minimum expected number of items received additional items resulting in eight dimensions and 43 items. DISCUSSION The sample was heterogeneous and similar to what was expected. The dimensions and items demonstrated the multidimensionality of the construct. The Clinical Impact Method was appropriate to construct the instrument, which was named Elderly Quality of Life Index - EQoLI. An accuracy process will be examined in the future. PMID:18438571

Interest Inventory Items as Attitude Eliciting Stimuli in Classical Conditioning: A Test of the A-R-D Theory. Language, Personality, and Cross-Cultural Study and Measurement of the Human A-R-D (Motivational) System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gross, Michael C.; Staats, Arthur W.

An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that interest inventory items elicit classically conditionable attitudinal responses. A higher-order conditioning procedure was used in which items from the Strong Vocational Interest Blank were employed as unconditioned stimuli and nonsense syllables as conditioned stimuli. Items for which the…

Measurement equivalence of seven selected items of posttraumatic growth between black and white adult survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

PubMed

Rhodes, Alison M; Tran, Thanh V

2013-02-01

This study examined the equivalence or comparability of the measurement properties of seven selected items measuring posttraumatic growth among self-identified Black (n = 270) and White (n = 707) adult survivors of Hurricane Katrina, using data from the Baseline Survey of the Hurricane Katrina Community Advisory Group Study. Internal consistency reliability was equally good for both groups (Cronbach's alphas = .79), as were correlations between individual scale items and their respective overall scale. Confirmatory factor analysis of a congeneric measurement model of seven selected items of posttraumatic growth showed adequate measures of fit for both groups. The results showed only small variation in magnitude of factor loadings and measurement errors between the two samples. Tests of measurement invariance showed mixed results, but overall indicated that factor loading, error variance, and factor variance were similar between the two samples. These seven selected items can be useful for future large-scale surveys of posttraumatic growth.

Item response theory - A first approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nunes, Sandra; Oliveira, Teresa; Oliveira, Amílcar

2017-07-01

The Item Response Theory (IRT) has become one of the most popular scoring frameworks for measurement data, frequently used in computerized adaptive testing, cognitively diagnostic assessment and test equating. According to Andrade et al. (2000), IRT can be defined as a set of mathematical models (Item Response Models - IRM) constructed to represent the probability of an individual giving the right answer to an item of a particular test. The number of Item Responsible Models available to measurement analysis has increased considerably in the last fifteen years due to increasing computer power and due to a demand for accuracy and more meaningful inferences grounded in complex data. The developments in modeling with Item Response Theory were related with developments in estimation theory, most remarkably Bayesian estimation with Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms (Patz & Junker, 1999). The popularity of Item Response Theory has also implied numerous overviews in books and journals, and many connections between IRT and other statistical estimation procedures, such as factor analysis and structural equation modeling, have been made repeatedly (Van der Lindem & Hambleton, 1997). As stated before the Item Response Theory covers a variety of measurement models, ranging from basic one-dimensional models for dichotomously and polytomously scored items and their multidimensional analogues to models that incorporate information about cognitive sub-processes which influence the overall item response process. The aim of this work is to introduce the main concepts associated with one-dimensional models of Item Response Theory, to specify the logistic models with one, two and three parameters, to discuss some properties of these models and to present the main estimation procedures.

Evolution of a Test Item

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spaan, Mary

2007-01-01

This article follows the development of test items (see "Language Assessment Quarterly", Volume 3 Issue 1, pp. 71-79 for the article "Test and Item Specifications Development"), beginning with a review of test and item specifications, then proceeding to writing and editing of items, pretesting and analysis, and finally selection of an item for a…

The Utility of Routine Intensive Care Admission for Patients Undergoing Intracranial Neurosurgical Procedures: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

de Almeida, Cesar Cimonari; Boone, M Dustin; Laviv, Yosef; Kasper, Burkhard S; Chen, Clark C; Kasper, Ekkehard M

2018-02-01

Patients who have undergone intracranial neurosurgical procedures have traditionally been admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) for close postoperative neurological observation. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the evidence for routine ICU admission in patients undergoing intracranial neurosurgical procedures and to evaluate the safety of alternative postoperative pathways. We were interested in identifying studies that examined selected patients who presented for elective, non-emergent intracranial surgery whose postoperative outcomes were compared as a function of ICU versus non-ICU admission. A systematic review was performed in July 2016 using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist of the Medline database. The search strategy was created based on the following key words: "craniotomy," "neurosurgical procedure," and "intensive care unit." The nine articles that satisfied the inclusion criteria yielded a total of 2227 patients. Of these patients, 879 were observed in a non-ICU setting. The most frequent diagnoses were supratentorial brain tumors, followed by patients with cerebrovascular diseases and infratentorial brain tumors. Three percent (30/879) of the patients originally assigned to floor or intermediate care status were transferred to the ICU. The most frequently observed neurological complications leading to ICU transfer were delayed postoperative neurological recovery, seizures, worsening of neurological deficits, hemiparesis, and cranial nerves deficits. Our systematic review demonstrates that routine postoperative ICU admission may not benefit carefully selected patients who have undergone elective intracranial neurosurgical procedures. In addition, limiting routine ICU admission may result in significant cost savings.

Stepwise Analysis of Differential Item Functioning Based on Multiple-Group Partial Credit Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muraki, Eiji

1999-01-01

Extended an Item Response Theory (IRT) method for detection of differential item functioning to the partial credit model and applied the method to simulated data using a stepwise procedure. Then applied the stepwise DIF analysis based on the multiple-group partial credit model to writing trend data from the National Assessment of Educational…

Strategies for Controlling Item Exposure in Computerized Adaptive Testing with the Generalized Partial Credit Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Laurie Laughlin

2004-01-01

Choosing a strategy for controlling item exposure has become an integral part of test development for computerized adaptive testing (CAT). This study investigated the performance of six procedures for controlling item exposure in a series of simulated CATs under the generalized partial credit model. In addition to a no-exposure control baseline…

A Comparison of Measurement Equivalence Methods Based on Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Item Response Theory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flowers, Claudia P.; Raju, Nambury S.; Oshima, T. C.

Current interest in the assessment of measurement equivalence emphasizes two methods of analysis, linear, and nonlinear procedures. This study simulated data using the graded response model to examine the performance of linear (confirmatory factor analysis or CFA) and nonlinear (item-response-theory-based differential item function or IRT-Based…

Item Response Modeling: An Evaluation of the Children's Fruit and Vegetable Self-Efficacy Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Kathy; Baranowski, Tom; Thompson, Debbe

2006-01-01

Perceived self-efficacy (SE) for eating fruit and vegetables (FV) is a key variable mediating FV change in interventions. This study applies item response modeling (IRM) to a fruit, juice and vegetable self-efficacy questionnaire (FVSEQ) previously validated with classical test theory (CTT) procedures. The 24-item (five-point Likert scale) FVSEQ…

Using Cochran's Z Statistic to Test the Kernel-Smoothed Item Response Function Differences between Focal and Reference Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Yinggan; Gierl, Mark J.; Cui, Ying

2010-01-01

This study combined the kernel smoothing procedure and a nonparametric differential item functioning statistic--Cochran's Z--to statistically test the difference between the kernel-smoothed item response functions for reference and focal groups. Simulation studies were conducted to investigate the Type I error and power of the proposed…

A Model-Based Analysis of Semi-Automated Data Discovery and Entry Using Automated Content Extraction

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

Accomplish Goal) to (a) visually search the contents of a file folder until the icon corresponding to the desired file is located (Choose...Item_from_set), and (b) move the mouse to that icon and double click to open it (Double_select Object). Note that Choose Item_from_set and Double_select...argument, which Open File fills with <found_item>, a working memory pointer to the file icon that Choose_item_from Set finds. Look_at, Point_to

Selective attention and recognition: effects of congruency on episodic learning.

PubMed

Rosner, Tamara M; D'Angelo, Maria C; MacLellan, Ellen; Milliken, Bruce

2015-05-01

Recent research on cognitive control has focused on the learning consequences of high selective attention demands in selective attention tasks (e.g., Botvinick, Cognit Affect Behav Neurosci 7(4):356-366, 2007; Verguts and Notebaert, Psychol Rev 115(2):518-525, 2008). The current study extends these ideas by examining the influence of selective attention demands on remembering. In Experiment 1, participants read aloud the red word in a pair of red and green spatially interleaved words. Half of the items were congruent (the interleaved words had the same identity), and the other half were incongruent (the interleaved words had different identities). Following the naming phase, participants completed a surprise recognition memory test. In this test phase, recognition memory was better for incongruent than for congruent items. In Experiment 2, context was only partially reinstated at test, and again recognition memory was better for incongruent than for congruent items. In Experiment 3, all of the items contained two different words, but in one condition the words were presented close together and interleaved, while in the other condition the two words were spatially separated. Recognition memory was better for the interleaved than for the separated items. This result rules out an interpretation of the congruency effects on recognition in Experiments 1 and 2 that hinges on stronger relational encoding for items that have two different words. Together, the results support the view that selective attention demands for incongruent items lead to encoding that improves recognition.

Information disclosure in clinical informed consent: “reasonable” patient’s perception of norm in high-context communication culture

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The current doctrine of informed consent for clinical care has been developed in cultures characterized by low-context communication and monitoring-style coping. There are scarce empirical data on patients’ norm perception of information disclosure in other cultures. Methods We surveyed 470 adults who were planning to undergo or had recently undergone a written informed consent-requiring procedure in a tertiary healthcare hospital in Saudi Arabia. Perceptions of norm and current practice were explored using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly agree with disclosure) and 30 information items in 7 domains: practitioners’ details, benefits, risks, complications’ management, available alternatives, procedure’s description, and post-procedure’s issues. Results Respondents’ mean (SD) age was 38.4 (12.5); 50.2% were males, 57.2% had ≥ college education, and 37.9% had undergone a procedure. According to norm perception, strongly agree/agree responses ranged from 98.0% (major benefits) to 50.5% (assistant/trainee’s name). Overall, items related to benefits and post-procedure’s issues were ranked better (more agreeable) than items related to risks and available alternatives. Ranking scores were better in post-procedure respondents for 4 (13.3%) items (p < 0.001 to 0.001) and in males for 8 (26.7%) items (p = 0.008 to <0.001). Older age was associated with better ranking scores for 3 (10.0%) items and worse for one (p < 0.001 to 0.006). According to current practice perception, strongly agree/agree responses ranged from 93.3% (disclosure of procedure’s name) to 13.9% (lead practitioner’s training place), ranking scores were worse for all items compared to norm perception (p < 0.001), and post-procedure status, younger age, and lower educational level were associated with better ranking scores for 15 (50.0%), 12 (40.0%), and 4 (13.3%) items, respectively (p < 0.001 to 0.009). Conclusions 1) even in an overall high-context communication culture, extensive and more information than is currently disclosed is perceived as norm, 2) the focus of the desired information is closer to benefits and post-procedure’s issues than risks and available alternatives, 3) male, post-procedure, and older patients are in favor of more information disclosure, 4) male, older, and more educated patients may be particularly dissatisfied with current information disclosure. The focus and extent of information disclosure for clinical informed consent may need to be adjusted if a “reasonable” patient’s standard is to be met. PMID:24406055

The emotion-induced memory trade-off: more than an effect of overt attention?

PubMed

Steinmetz, Katherine R Mickley; Kensinger, Elizabeth A

2013-01-01

Although it has been suggested that many effects of emotion on memory are attributable to attention, in the present study we addressed the hypothesis that such effects may relate to a number of different factors during encoding or postencoding. One way to look at the effects of emotion on memory is by examining the emotion-induced memory trade-off, whereby enhanced memory for emotional items often comes at the cost of memory for surrounding background information. We present evidence that this trade-off cannot be explained solely by overt attention (measured via eyetracking) directed to the emotional items during encoding. Participants did not devote more overt attention to emotional than to neutral items when those items were selectively remembered (at the expense of their backgrounds). Only when participants were asked to answer true/false questions about the items and the backgrounds--a manipulation designed to affect both overt attention and poststimulus elaboration--was there a reduction in selective emotional item memory due to an increase in background memory. These results indicate that the allocation of overt visual attention during encoding is not sufficient to predict the occurrence of selective item memory for emotional items.

The Impact of Presentation Format on Younger and Older Adults' Self-Regulated Learning.

PubMed

Price, Jodi

2017-01-01

Background/Study Context: Self-regulated learning involves deciding what to study and for how long. Debate surrounds whether individuals' selections are influenced more by item complexity, point values, or if instead people select in a left-to-right reading order, ignoring item complexity and value. The present study manipulated whether point values and presentation format favored selection of simple or complex Chinese-English pairs to assess the impact on younger and older adults' selection behaviors. One hundred and five younger (M age  = 20.26, SD = 2.38) and 102 older adults (M age  = 70.28, SD = 6.37) participated in the experiment. Participants studied four different 3 × 3 grids (two per trial), each containing three simple, three medium, and three complex Chinese-English vocabulary pairs presented in either a simple-first or complex-first order, depending on condition. Point values were assigned in either a 2-4-8 or 8-4-2 order so that either simple or complex items were favored. Points did not influence the order in which either age group selected items, whereas presentation format did. Younger and older adults selected more simple or complex items when they appeared in the first column. However, older adults selected and allocated more time to simpler items but recalled less overall than did younger adults. Memory beliefs and working memory capacity predicted study time allocation, but not item selection, behaviors. Presentation format must be considered when evaluating which theory of self-regulated learning best accounts for younger and older adults' study behaviors and whether there are age-related differences in self-regulated learning. The results of the present study combine with others to support the importance of also considering the role of external factors (e.g., working memory capacity and memory beliefs) in each age group's self-regulated learning decisions.

Graduates' perceptions of their clinical competencies in allergy and immunology: results of a survey.

PubMed

Li, James T-C; Stoll, Doris A; Smith, June E; Lin, John J; Swing, Susan R

2003-09-01

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) have identified six areas of general competency. This study surveyed graduates of allergy and immunology training programs about their perceived clinical competency and the adequacy of their subspecialty training. In August 2000 and May 2001, a questionnaire was mailed to 373 physicians who had completed a fellowship in allergy and immunology in the United States between 1995 and 2001. Physicians were asked to rate the perceived importance and adequacy of their training in, and their level of competency for, 57 general competencies and subspecialty-specific competencies and procedures. A total of 253 physicians responded (68%). All items in the six ACGME/ABMS general competencies had high ratings (>/= 90%) for perceived importance. One item in the practice-based learning area had low ratings for adequacy of training (57%) and intermediate for competency (75%). Two items in the system-based practice area had low ratings for training (65% and 67%) and intermediate for competency (86% and 88%). Generally, core specialty-specific items (allergic rhinitis, asthma, and urticaria) had high ratings (>/= 90%) for importance, training, and competency. Without exception, items with ratings of less than 70% for adequacy of training also had ratings of less than 90% for competency. The general competencies were considered important, but training in system-based practice and practice-based learning may be deficient. Although self-perceived competency in core areas of allergy and immunology was high, weaknesses in training and self-perceived competency in selected areas were identified.

Methods for Streamlining Intervention Fidelity Checklists: An Example from the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program

PubMed Central

Ahn, SangNam; Smith, Matthew Lee; Altpeter, Mary; Belza, Basia; Post, Lindsey; Ory, Marcia G.

2015-01-01

Maintaining intervention fidelity should be part of any programmatic quality assurance (QA) plan and is often a licensure requirement. However, fidelity checklists designed by original program developers are often lengthy, which makes compliance difficult once programs become widely disseminated in the field. As a case example, we used Stanford’s original Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) fidelity checklist of 157 items to demonstrate heuristic procedures for generating shorter fidelity checklists. Using an expert consensus approach, we sought feedback from active master trainers registered with the Stanford University Patient Education Research Center about which items were most essential to, and also feasible for, assessing fidelity. We conducted three sequential surveys and one expert group-teleconference call. Three versions of the fidelity checklist were created using different statistical and methodological criteria. In a final group-teleconference call with seven national experts, there was unanimous agreement that all three final versions (e.g., a 34-item version, a 20-item version, and a 12-item version) should be made available because the purpose and resources for administering a checklist might vary from one setting to another. This study highlights the methodology used to generate shorter versions of a fidelity checklist, which has potential to inform future QA efforts for this and other evidence-based programs (EBP) for older adults delivered in community settings. With CDSMP and other EBP, it is important to differentiate between program fidelity as mandated by program developers for licensure, and intervention fidelity tools for providing an “at-a-glance” snapshot of the level of compliance to selected program indicators. PMID:25964941

A comparison of the dose of anesthetic agents and the effective interval from the block procedure to skin incision for ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block in upper extremity surgery.

PubMed

Nakayama, Masanori; Sakuma, Yu; Imamura, Hitoshi; Yano, Koichiro; Kodama, Takao; Ikari, Katsunori

2017-12-01

The aim of this study was to review and evaluate the selection and dose of anesthetic agents and the interval from the block procedure to skin incision for supraclavicular brachial plexus block in upper extremity surgery. We reviewed our cases that underwent upper extremity surgery using only ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block in our hospital between 2011 and 2016. Adverse events during surgery were evaluated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to investigate the relationship between the time from the end of the block procedure to skin incision and the use of local anesthesia on the surgical site. There were 255 patients who were divided into three groups according to the anesthetic agents used: group 1, 1% lidocaine (L) 10 ml + 0.75% ropivacaine (R) 20 ml (n = 62); group 2, L 20 ml + R 10 ml (n = 93); and group 3, L 10 ml + R 15 ml (n = 100). The rate of use of local anesthesia on the surgical site was significantly higher in group 3 than in the other two groups. There were no significant differences in the other evaluated items among the three groups. ROC curve analysis indicated that ≥24 min from the end of the block procedure to skin incision might reduce the use of local anesthesia. The total volume of anesthetic agents had an important influence on the rate of the addition of local anesthesia for surgical pain; however, the combined dose of agents did not influence the evaluation items. For effective analgesia, ≥24 min should elapse from the end of the block procedure to skin incision. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The SPAI-18, a brief version of the social phobia and anxiety inventory: reliability and validity in clinically referred and non-referred samples.

PubMed

de Vente, Wieke; Majdandžić, Mirjana; Voncken, Marisol J; Beidel, Deborah C; Bögels, Susan M

2014-03-01

We developed a new version of the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory (SPAI) in order to have a brief instrument for measuring social anxiety and social anxiety disorder (SAD) with a strong conceptual foundation. In the construction phase, a set of items representing 5 core aspects of social anxiety was selected by a panel of social anxiety experts. The selected item pool was validated using factor analysis, reliability analysis, and diagnostic analysis in a sample of healthy participants (N = 188) and a sample of clinically referred participants diagnosed with SAD (N = 98). This procedure resulted in an abbreviated version of the Social Phobia Subscale of the SPAI consisting of 18 items (i.e. the SPAI-18), which correlated strongly with the Social Phobia Subscale of the original SPAI (both groups r = .98). Internal consistency and diagnostic characteristics using a clinical cut-off score > 48 were good to excellent (Cronbach's alpha healthy group = .93; patient group = .91; sensitivity: .94; specificity: .88). The SPAI-18 was further validated in a community sample of parents-to-be without SAD (N = 237) and with SAD (N = 65). Internal consistency was again excellent (both groups Cronbach's alpha = .93) and a screening cut-off of > 36 proved to result in good sensitivity and specificity. The SPAI-18 also correlated strongly with other social anxiety instruments, supporting convergent validity. In sum, the SPAI-18 is a psychometrically sound instrument with good screening capacity for social anxiety disorder in clinical as well as community samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Knowledge and attitudes of health professionals to the living will declaration process].

PubMed

Contreras-Fernández, Eugenio; Rivas-Ruiz, Francisco; Castilla-Soto, Jose; Méndez-Martínez, Camila

2015-10-01

To identify the underlying interests of the Living Will Declaration (LWD) process and to determine the consensus, using a questionnaire, of the knowledge and attitudes of health professionals. A study was performed in two phases using a Delphi technique with a Rand method. 1. Dimensions proposed: generation of ideas and their subsequent prioritizing; 2. Proposal and prioritizing of items grouped into blocks of Knowledge and Attitudes, developed between August 2012 and January 2013. The work was carried out by initial telephone contact with panellists, and then later by the panellists belonged to the Andalusia Public Health System. The criteria for selecting the eight components of the panel were knowledge and experience in the field of the freedom of the patient in Andalusia. The Knowledge identified included: 1 A) Legal and general aspects; 2 A) A conceptual definition; 3 A) Standardised LWD documents: 4 A) Practical experience; 5 A) Procedure and registering of the LWDs. The second block included Attitudes: 1 B) Attitudes of the professional in the application of LWDs in clinical practice, and 2 B) Attitudes of the professional in «complex» ethical scenarios The 7 panellists who finally took part proposed 165 items. After applying the prioritizing criteria, scores, and scenario selection, 58 (35.2%) items were identified as suitable scenarios. The proposed questionnaire included wide parcels of concepts and contents that, once validated, will help to measure the training interventions carried out on health professionals in order to improve knowledge and attitudes on the subject of LWDs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Operating room waste reduction in plastic and hand surgery.

PubMed

Albert, Mark G; Rothkopf, Douglas M

2015-01-01

Operating rooms (ORs), combined with labour and delivery suites, account for approximately 70% of hospital waste. Previous studies have reported that recycling can have a considerable financial impact on a hospital-wide basis; however, its importance in the OR has not been demonstrated. To propose a method of decreasing cost through judicious selection of instruments and supplies, and initiation of recycling in plastic and hand surgery. The authors identified disposable supplies and instruments that are routinely opened and wasted in common plastic and hand surgery procedures, and calculated the savings that can result from eliminating extraneous items. A cost analysis was performed, which compared the expense of OR waste versus single-stream recycling and the benefit of recycling HIPAA documents and blue wrap. Fifteen total items were removed from disposable plastic packs and seven total items from hand packs. A total of US$17,381.05 could be saved per year from these changes alone. Since initiating single-stream recycling, the authors' institution has saved, on average, US$3,487 per month at the three campuses. After extrapolating at the current savings rate, one would expect to save a minimum of US$41,844 per year. OR waste reduction is an effective method of decreasing cost in the surgical setting. By revising the contents of current disposable packs and instrument sets designated for plastic and hand surgery, hospitals can reduce the amount of opened and unused material. Significant financial savings and environmental benefit can result from this judicious supply and instrument selection, as well as implementation of recycling.

Using the Self-Directed Search in Research: Selecting a Representative Pool of Items to Measure Vocational Interests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poitras, Sarah-Caroline; Guay, Frederic; Ratelle, Catherine F.

2012-01-01

Using Item Response Theory (IRT) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), the goal of this study was to select a reduced pool of items from the French Canadian version of the Self-Directed Search--Activities Section (Holland, Fritzsche, & Powell, 1994). Two studies were conducted. Results of Study 1, involving 727 French Canadian students,…

Evidence against global attention filters selective for absolute bar-orientation in human vision.

PubMed

Inverso, Matthew; Sun, Peng; Chubb, Charles; Wright, Charles E; Sperling, George

2016-01-01

The finding that an item of type A pops out from an array of distractors of type B typically is taken to support the inference that human vision contains a neural mechanism that is activated by items of type A but not by items of type B. Such a mechanism might be expected to yield a neural image in which items of type A produce high activation and items of type B low (or zero) activation. Access to such a neural image might further be expected to enable accurate estimation of the centroid of an ensemble of items of type A intermixed with to-be-ignored items of type B. Here, it is shown that as the number of items in stimulus displays is increased, performance in estimating the centroids of horizontal (vertical) items amid vertical (horizontal) distractors degrades much more quickly and dramatically than does performance in estimating the centroids of white (black) items among black (white) distractors. Together with previous findings, these results suggest that, although human vision does possess bottom-up neural mechanisms sensitive to abrupt local changes in bar-orientation, and although human vision does possess and utilize top-down global attention filters capable of selecting multiple items of one brightness or of one color from among others, it cannot use a top-down global attention filter capable of selecting multiple bars of a given absolute orientation and filtering bars of the opposite orientation in a centroid task.

Impaired verbal short-term memory in Down syndrome reflects a capacity limitation rather than atypically rapid forgetting.

PubMed

M Purser, Harry R; Jarrold, Christopher

2005-05-01

Individuals with Down syndrome suffer from relatively poor verbal short-term memory. Recent work has indicated that this deficit is not caused by problems of audition, speech, or articulatory rehearsal within the phonological loop component of Baddeley and Hitch's working memory model. Given this, two experiments were conducted to investigate whether abnormally rapid decay underlies the deficit. In a first experiment, we attempted to vary the time available for decay using a modified serial recall procedure that had both verbal and visuospatial conditions. No evidence was found to suggest that forgetting is abnormally rapid in phonological memory in Down syndrome, but a selective phonological memory deficit was indicated. A second experiment further investigated possible problems of decay in phonological memory, restricted to item information. The results indicated that individuals with Down syndrome do not show atypically rapid item forgetting from phonological memory but may have a limited-capacity verbal short-term memory system.

Item Response Models for Examinee-Selected Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Wen-Chung; Jin, Kuan-Yu; Qiu, Xue-Lan; Wang, Lei

2012-01-01

In some tests, examinees are required to choose a fixed number of items from a set of given items to answer. This practice creates a challenge to standard item response models, because more capable examinees may have an advantage by making wiser choices. In this study, we developed a new class of item response models to account for the choice…

Investigating Item Exposure Control Methods in Computerized Adaptive Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozturk, Nagihan Boztunc; Dogan, Nuri

2015-01-01

This study aims to investigate the effects of item exposure control methods on measurement precision and on test security under various item selection methods and item pool characteristics. In this study, the Randomesque (with item group sizes of 5 and 10), Sympson-Hetter, and Fade-Away methods were used as item exposure control methods. Moreover,…

Testing manifest monotonicity using order-constrained statistical inference.

PubMed

Tijmstra, Jesper; Hessen, David J; van der Heijden, Peter G M; Sijtsma, Klaas

2013-01-01

Most dichotomous item response models share the assumption of latent monotonicity, which states that the probability of a positive response to an item is a nondecreasing function of a latent variable intended to be measured. Latent monotonicity cannot be evaluated directly, but it implies manifest monotonicity across a variety of observed scores, such as the restscore, a single item score, and in some cases the total score. In this study, we show that manifest monotonicity can be tested by means of the order-constrained statistical inference framework. We propose a procedure that uses this framework to determine whether manifest monotonicity should be rejected for specific items. This approach provides a likelihood ratio test for which the p-value can be approximated through simulation. A simulation study is presented that evaluates the Type I error rate and power of the test, and the procedure is applied to empirical data.

Development, awareness and inductive selectivity.

PubMed

Hayes, Brett K; Lim, Melissa

2013-05-01

Two studies examined whether adults and children could learn to make context-dependent inferences about novel stimuli and the role of awareness of context cues in such learning. Participants were trained to match probes to targets on the basis of shape or color with the relevant dimension shifting according to item context. A selective induction test then examined context-dependent responding in a more complex matching task. Awareness of the role of context was assessed using a behavioral task and explicit questions. Experiment 1 showed that after training with the procedure described by Sloutsky and Fisher (2008), only a minority of adults showed evidence of context-dependent responding in the selective induction test. Experiment 2 used a modified training protocol that promoted attention to context cues. This led to reliable selective induction in a majority of adults and a sizeable proportion of 4- to 6-year-olds. Crucially, in both age groups, selective induction was dependent on awareness of context. Hence, children as young as 4 can learn to make selective inferences about novel stimuli, but only when they are aware of the relevant context cues. These results challenge previous claims that selective induction in children is the product of implicit learning.

The Effect of SSM Grading on Reliability When Residual Items Have No Discriminating Power.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kane, Michael T.; Moloney, James M.

Gilman and Ferry have shown that when the student's score on a multiple choice test is the total number of responses necessary to get all items correct, substantial increases in reliability can occur. In contrast, similar procedures giving partial credit on multiple choice items have resulted in relatively small gains in reliability. The analysis…

Estimating Non-Normal Latent Trait Distributions within Item Response Theory Using True and Estimated Item Parameters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sass, D. A.; Schmitt, T. A.; Walker, C. M.

2008-01-01

Item response theory (IRT) procedures have been used extensively to study normal latent trait distributions and have been shown to perform well; however, less is known concerning the performance of IRT with non-normal latent trait distributions. This study investigated the degree of latent trait estimation error under normal and non-normal…

A Comparison of Item Exposure Control Procedures with the Generalized Partial Credit Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, Edgar Isaac

2008-01-01

To enhance test security of high stakes tests, it is vital to understand the way various exposure control strategies function under various IRT models. To that end the present dissertation focused on the performance of several exposure control strategies under the generalized partial credit model with an item pool of 100 and 200 items. These…

The Picture Superiority Effect in Recognition Memory: A Developmental Study Using the Response Signal Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Defeyter, Margaret Anne; Russo, Riccardo; McPartlin, Pamela Louise

2009-01-01

Items studied as pictures are better remembered than items studied as words even when test items are presented as words. The present study examined the development of this picture superiority effect in recognition memory. Four groups ranging in age from 7 to 20 years participated. They studied words and pictures, with test stimuli always presented…

Item Discrimination and Type I Error in the Detection of Differential Item Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Yanju; Brooks, Gordon P.; Johanson, George A.

2012-01-01

In 2009, DeMars stated that when impact exists there will be Type I error inflation, especially with larger sample sizes and larger discrimination parameters for items. One purpose of this study is to present the patterns of Type I error rates using Mantel-Haenszel (MH) and logistic regression (LR) procedures when the mean ability between the…

Refinement of a Bias-Correction Procedure for the Weighted Likelihood Estimator of Ability. Research Report. ETS RR-07-23

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Jinming; Lu, Ting

2007-01-01

In practical applications of item response theory (IRT), item parameters are usually estimated first from a calibration sample. After treating these estimates as fixed and known, ability parameters are then estimated. However, the statistical inferences based on the estimated abilities can be misleading if the uncertainty of the item parameter…

Encoding and Retrieval Processes Involved in the Access of Source Information in the Absence of Item Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ball, B. Hunter; DeWitt, Michael R.; Knight, Justin B.; Hicks, Jason L.

2014-01-01

The current study sought to examine the relative contributions of encoding and retrieval processes in accessing contextual information in the absence of item memory using an extralist cuing procedure in which the retrieval cues used to query memory for contextual information were "related" to the target item but never actually studied.…

An NCME Instructional Module on Estimating Item Response Theory Models Using Markov Chain Monte Carlo Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Jee-Seon; Bolt, Daniel M.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this ITEMS module is to provide an introduction to Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimation for item response models. A brief description of Bayesian inference is followed by an overview of the various facets of MCMC algorithms, including discussion of prior specification, sampling procedures, and methods for evaluating chain…

Bayesian Analysis of Item Response Curves. Research Report 84-1. Mathematical Sciences Technical Report No. 132.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsutakawa, Robert K.; Lin, Hsin Ying

Item response curves for a set of binary responses are studied from a Bayesian viewpoint of estimating the item parameters. For the two-parameter logistic model with normally distributed ability, restricted bivariate beta priors are used to illustrate the computation of the posterior mode via the EM algorithm. The procedure is illustrated by data…

Item Parameter Invariance of the Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test across Male and Female Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Immekus, Jason C.; Maller, Susan J.

2009-01-01

The Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test (KAIT[TM]) is an individually administered test of intelligence for individuals ranging in age from 11 to 85+ years. The item response theory-likelihood ratio procedure, based on the two-parameter logistic model, was used to detect differential item functioning (DIF) in the KAIT across males and…

[Development of a cell phone addiction scale for korean adolescents].

PubMed

Koo, Hyun Young

2009-12-01

This study was done to develop a cell phone addiction scale for Korean adolescents. The process included construction of a conceptual framework, generation of initial items, verification of content validity, selection of secondary items, preliminary study, and extraction of final items. The participants were 577 adolescents in two middle schools and three high schools. Item analysis, factor analysis, criterion related validity, and internal consistency were used to analyze the data. Twenty items were selected for the final scale, and categorized into 3 factors explaining 55.45% of total variance. The factors were labeled as withdrawal/tolerance (7 items), life dysfunction (6 items), and compulsion/persistence (7 items). The scores for the scale were significantly correlated with self-control, impulsiveness, and cell phone use. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the 20 items was .92. Scale scores identified students as cell phone addicted, heavy users, or average users. The above findings indicate that the cell phone addiction scale has good validity and reliability when used with Korean adolescents.

Characteristics of dental fear among Arabic-speaking children: a descriptive study.

PubMed

El-Housseiny, Azza A; Alamoudi, Najlaa M; Farsi, Najat M; El Derwi, Douaa A

2014-09-22

Dental fear has not only been linked to poor dental health in children but also persists across the lifespan, if unaddressed, and can continue to affect oral, systemic, and psychological health. The aim of this study was to assess the factor structure of the Arabic version of the Children's Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS), and to assess the difference in factor structure between boys and girls. Participants were 220 consecutive paediatric dental patients 6-12 years old seeking dental care at the Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia. Participants completed the 15-item Arabic version of the CFSS-DS questionnaire at the end of the visit. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Factor analysis (principal components, varimax rotation) was employed to assess the factor structure of the scale. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.86. Four factors with eigenvalues above 1.00 were identified, which collectively explained 64.45% of the variance. These factors were as follows: Factor 1, 'fear of usual dental procedures' consisted of 8 items such as 'drilling' and 'having to open the mouth', Factor 2, 'fear of health care personnel and injections' consisted of three items, Factor 3, 'fear of strangers', consisted of 2 items. Factor 4, 'fear of general medical aspects of treatment', consisted of 2 items. Notably, four factors of dental fear were found in girls, while five were found in boys. Four factors of different strength pertaining to dental fear were identified in Arabic-speaking children, indicating a simple structure. Most items loaded high on the factor related to fear of usual dental procedures. The fear-provoking aspects of dental procedures differed in boys and girls. Use of the scale may enable dentists to determine the item/s of dental treatment that a given child finds most fear-provoking and guide the child's behaviour accordingly.

Development and psychometric testing of the Canine Owner-Reported Quality of Life questionnaire, an instrument designed to measure quality of life in dogs with cancer.

PubMed

Giuffrida, Michelle A; Brown, Dorothy Cimino; Ellenberg, Susan S; Farrar, John T

2018-05-01

OBJECTIVE To describe development and initial psychometric testing of an owner-reported questionnaire designed to standardize measurement of general quality of life (QOL) in dogs with cancer. DESIGN Key-informant interviews, questionnaire development, and field trial. SAMPLE Owners of 25 dogs with cancer for item development and pretesting and owners of 90 dogs with cancer for reliability and validity testing. PROCEDURES Standard methods for development and testing of questionnaire instruments intended to measure subjective states were used. Items were generated, selected, scaled, and pretested for content, meaning, and readability. Response items were evaluated with exploratory factor analysis and by assessing internal consistency (Cronbach α) and convergence with global QOL as determined with a visual analog scale. Preliminary tests of stability and responsiveness were performed. RESULTS The final questionnaire-which was named the Canine Owner-Reported Quality of Life (CORQ) questionnaire-contained 17 items related to observable behaviors commonly used by owners to evaluate QOL in their dogs. Several items pertaining to physical symptoms performed poorly and were omitted. The 17 items were assigned to 4 factors-vitality, companionship, pain, and mobility-on the basis of the items they contained. The CORQ questionnaire and its factors had high internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.68 to 0.90) and moderate to strong correlations (r = 0.49 to 0.71) with global QOL as measured on a visual analog scale. Preliminary testing indicated good test-retest reliability and responsiveness to improvements in overall QOL. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The CORQ questionnaire was a valid, reliable owner-reported questionnaire that measured general QOL in dogs with cancer and showed promise as a clinical trial outcome measure for quantifying changes in individual dog QOL occurring in response to cancer treatment and progression.

Development of a Multidimensional Functional Health Scale for Older Adults in China.

PubMed

Mao, Fanzhen; Han, Yaofeng; Chen, Junze; Chen, Wei; Yuan, Manqiong; Alicia Hong, Y; Fang, Ya

2016-05-01

A first step to achieve successful aging is assessing functional wellbeing of older adults. This study reports the development of a culturally appropriate brief scale (the Multidimensional Functional Health Scale for Chinese Elderly, MFHSCE) to assess the functional health of Chinese elderly. Through systematic literature review, Delphi method, cultural adaptation, synthetic statistical item selection, Cronbach's alpha and confirmatory factor analysis, we conducted development of item pool, two rounds of item selection, and psychometric evaluation. Synthetic statistical item selection and psychometric evaluation was processed among 539 and 2032 older adults, separately. The MFHSCE consists of 30 items, covering activities of daily living, social relationships, physical health, mental health, cognitive function, and economic resources. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.92, and the comparative fit index was 0.917. The MFHSCE has good internal consistency and construct validity; it is also concise and easy to use in general practice, especially in communities in China.

Effects of promotional materials on vending sales of low-fat items in teachers' lounges.

PubMed

Fiske, Amy; Cullen, Karen Weber

2004-01-01

This study examined the impact of an environmental intervention in the form of promotional materials and increased availability of low-fat items on vending machine sales. Ten vending machines were selected and randomly assigned to one of three conditions: control, or one of two experimental conditions. Vending machines in the two intervention conditions received three additional low-fat selections. Low-fat items were promoted at two levels: labels (intervention I), and labels plus signs (intervention II). The number of individual items sold and the total revenue generated was recorded weekly for each machine for 4 weeks. Use of promotional materials resulted in a small, but not significant, increase in the number of low-fat items sold, although machine sales were not significantly impacted by the change in product selection. Results of this study, although not statistically significant, suggest that environmental change may be a realistic means of positively influencing consumer behavior.

Assessment of the Item Selection and Weighting in the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score for Wegener's Granulomatosis

PubMed Central

MAHR, ALFRED D.; NEOGI, TUHINA; LAVALLEY, MICHAEL P.; DAVIS, JOHN C.; HOFFMAN, GARY S.; MCCUNE, W. JOSEPH; SPECKS, ULRICH; SPIERA, ROBERT F.; ST.CLAIR, E. WILLIAM; STONE, JOHN H.; MERKEL, PETER A.

2013-01-01

Objective To assess the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score for Wegener's Granulomatosis (BVAS/WG) with respect to its selection and weighting of items. Methods This study used the BVAS/WG data from the Wegener's Granulomatosis Etanercept Trial. The scoring frequencies of the 34 predefined items and any “other” items added by clinicians were calculated. Using linear regression with generalized estimating equations in which the physician global assessment (PGA) of disease activity was the dependent variable, we computed weights for all predefined items. We also created variables for clinical manifestations frequently added as other items, and computed weights for these as well. We searched for the model that included the items and their generated weights yielding an activity score with the highest R2 to predict the PGA. Results We analyzed 2,044 BVAS/WG assessments from 180 patients; 734 assessments were scored during active disease. The highest R2 with the PGA was obtained by scoring WG activity based on the following items: the 25 predefined items rated on ≥5 visits, the 2 newly created fatigue and weight loss variables, the remaining minor other and major other items, and a variable that signified whether new or worse items were present at a specific visit. The weights assigned to the items ranged from 1 to 21. Compared with the original BVAS/WG, this modified score correlated significantly more strongly with the PGA. Conclusion This study suggests possibilities to enhance the item selection and weighting of the BVAS/WG. These changes may increase this instrument's ability to capture the continuum of disease activity in WG. PMID:18512722

Perforator-based propeller flaps reliability in upper extremity soft tissue reconstruction: a systematic review.

PubMed

Vitse, J; Bekara, F; Bertheuil, N; Sinna, R; Chaput, B; Herlin, C

2017-02-01

Current data on upper extremity propeller flaps are poor and do not allow the assessment of the safety of this technique. A systematic literature review was conducted searching PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library electronic databases, and the selection process was adapted from the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis statement. The final analysis included ten relevant articles involving 117 flaps. The majority of flaps were used for the hand, distal wrist, and elbow. The radial artery perforator and ulnar artery perforator were the most frequently used flaps. The were 7% flaps with venous congestion and 3% with complete necrosis. No difference in complications rate was found for different flaps sites. Perforator-based propeller flaps appear to be an interesting procedure for covering soft tissue defects involving the upper extremities, even for large defects, but the procedure requires experience and close monitoring. II.

Focused, Unfocused, and Defocused Information in Working Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rerko, Laura; Oberauer, Klaus

2013-01-01

The study investigated the effect of selection cues in working memory (WM) on the fate of not-selected contents of WM. Experiments 1A and 1B showed that focusing on 1 cued item in WM does not impair memory for the remaining items. The nonfocused items are maintained in WM even when this is not required by the task. Experiments 2 and 3 showed that…

American College Student Values: Their Relationship to Selected Personal and Academic Variables.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritter, Carolyn E.

A 20-item chi-square test of independence was administered to a selected sample of college students that was stratified 50% male and 50% female. Male and female responses showed a significant difference on 18 of the 20 items. The 2 items on which attitudes of both sexes were the same were the role of government in business and a solution to the…

7 CFR 610.23 - State Technical Committee meetings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Technical Committee member. (b) NRCS will establish and maintain national standard operating procedures... standard operating procedures will outline items such as: The best practice approach to establishing... standard operating procedures established under paragraph (b) of this section, the State Conservationist...

7 CFR 610.23 - State Technical Committee meetings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Technical Committee member. (b) NRCS will establish and maintain national standard operating procedures... standard operating procedures will outline items such as: The best practice approach to establishing... standard operating procedures established under paragraph (b) of this section, the State Conservationist...

7 CFR 610.23 - State Technical Committee meetings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Technical Committee member. (b) NRCS will establish and maintain national standard operating procedures... standard operating procedures will outline items such as: The best practice approach to establishing... standard operating procedures established under paragraph (b) of this section, the State Conservationist...

7 CFR 610.23 - State Technical Committee meetings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Technical Committee member. (b) NRCS will establish and maintain national standard operating procedures... standard operating procedures will outline items such as: The best practice approach to establishing... standard operating procedures established under paragraph (b) of this section, the State Conservationist...

7 CFR 610.23 - State Technical Committee meetings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Technical Committee member. (b) NRCS will establish and maintain national standard operating procedures... standard operating procedures will outline items such as: The best practice approach to establishing... standard operating procedures established under paragraph (b) of this section, the State Conservationist...

24 CFR 180.650 - Public document items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY CONSOLIDATED HUD HEARING PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL RIGHTS MATTERS Procedures at..., opinion, or published scientific or economic statistical data issued by any of the executive departments...

Determining the Capacity of Time-Based Selection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Derrick G.; Kunar, Melina A.

2012-01-01

In visual search, a set of distractor items can be suppressed from future selection if they are presented (previewed) before a second set of search items arrive. This "visual marking" mechanism provides a top-down way of prioritizing the selection of new stimuli, at the expense of old stimuli already in the field (Watson & Humphreys,…

IRT Model Selection Methods for Dichotomous Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Taehoon; Cohen, Allan S.

2007-01-01

Fit of the model to the data is important if the benefits of item response theory (IRT) are to be obtained. In this study, the authors compared model selection results using the likelihood ratio test, two information-based criteria, and two Bayesian methods. An example illustrated the potential for inconsistency in model selection depending on…

[Development of a consented set of criteria to evaluate post-rehabilitation support services].

PubMed

Parzanka, Susanne; Himstedt, Christian; Deck, Ruth

2015-01-01

Existing rehabilitation aftercare offers in Germany are heterogeneous, and there is a lack of transparency in terms of indications and methods as well as of (nationwide) availability and financial coverage. Also, there is no systematic and transparent synopsis. To close this gap a systematic review was conducted and a web-based database created for post-rehabilitation support. To allow a consistent assessment of the included aftercare offers, a quality profile of universally valid criteria was developed. This paper aims to outline the scientific approach. The procedure adapts the RAND/UCLA method, with the participation of the advisory board of the ReNa project. Preparations for the set included systematic searches in order to find possible criteria to assess the quality of aftercare offers. These criteria first were collected without any pre-selection involved. Every item of the adjusted collection was evaluated by every single member of the advisory board considering the topics "relevance", "feasibility" and "suitability for public coverage". Interpersonal analysis was conducted by relating the median and classification into consensus and dissent. All items that were considered to be "relevant" and "feasible" in the three stages of consensus building and deemed "suitable for public coverage" were transferred into the final set of criteria (ReNa set). A total of 82 publications were selected out of the 656 findings taken into account, which delivered 3,603 criteria of possible initial relevance. After a further removal of 2,598 redundant criteria, the panel needed to assess a set of 1,005 items. Finally we performed a quality assessment of aftercare offers using a set of 35 descriptive criteria merged into 8 conceptual clusters. The consented ReNa set of 35 items delivers a first generally valid tool to describe quality of structures, standards and processes of aftercare offers. So finally, the project developed into a complete collection of profiles characterizing each post-rehabilitation support service included in the database. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Relevance of Item Analysis in Standardizing an Achievement Test in Teaching of Physical Science in B.Ed Syllabus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marie, S. Maria Josephine Arokia; Edannur, Sreekala

2015-01-01

This paper focused on the analysis of test items constructed in the paper of teaching Physical Science for B.Ed. class. It involved the analysis of difficulty level and discrimination power of each test item. Item analysis allows selecting or omitting items from the test, but more importantly item analysis is a tool to help the item writer improve…

Arctic Small Rodents Have Diverse Diets and Flexible Food Selection

PubMed Central

Soininen, Eeva M.; Ravolainen, Virve T.; Bråthen, Kari Anne; Yoccoz, Nigel G.; Gielly, Ludovic; Ims, Rolf A.

2013-01-01

The ecology of small rodent food selection is poorly understood, as mammalian herbivore food selection theory has mainly been developed by studying ungulates. Especially, the effect of food availability on food selection in natural habitats where a range of food items are available is unknown. We studied diets and selectivity of grey-sided voles (Myodes rufocanus) and tundra voles (Microtus oeconomus), key herbivores in European tundra ecosystems, using DNA metabarcoding, a novel method enabling taxonomically detailed diet studies. In order to cover the range of food availabilities present in the wild, we employed a large-scale study design for sampling data on food availability and vole diets. Both vole species had ingested a range of plant species and selected particularly forbs and grasses. Grey-sided voles also selected ericoid shrubs and tundra voles willows. Availability of a food item rarely affected its utilization directly, although seasonal changes of diets and selection suggest that these are positively correlated with availability. Moreover, diets and selectivity were affected by availability of alternative food items. These results show that the focal sub-arctic voles have diverse diets and flexible food preferences and rarely compensate low availability of a food item with increased searching effort. Diet diversity itself is likely to be an important trait and has previously been underrated owing to methodological constraints. We suggest that the roles of alternative food item availability and search time limitations for small rodent feeding ecology should be investigated. Nomenclature Annotated Checklist of the Panarctic Flora (PAF), Vascular plants. Available at: http://nhm2.uio.no/paf/, accessed 15.6.2012. PMID:23826371

Designing P-Optimal Item Pools in Computerized Adaptive Tests with Polytomous Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Xuechun

2012-01-01

Current CAT applications consist of predominantly dichotomous items, and CATs with polytomously scored items are limited. To ascertain the best approach to polytomous CAT, a significant amount of research has been conducted on item selection, ability estimation, and impact of termination rules based on polytomous IRT models. Few studies…

Comparison of Alternate and Original Items on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment.

PubMed

Lebedeva, Elena; Huang, Mei; Koski, Lisa

2016-03-01

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a screening tool for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in elderly individuals. We hypothesized that measurement error when using the new alternate MoCA versions to monitor change over time could be related to the use of items that are not of comparable difficulty to their corresponding originals of similar content. The objective of this study was to compare the difficulty of the alternate MoCA items to the original ones. Five selected items from alternate versions of the MoCA were included with items from the original MoCA administered adaptively to geriatric outpatients (N = 78). Rasch analysis was used to estimate the difficulty level of the items. None of the five items from the alternate versions matched the difficulty level of their corresponding original items. This study demonstrates the potential benefits of a Rasch analysis-based approach for selecting items during the process of development of parallel forms. The results suggest that better match of the items from different MoCA forms by their difficulty would result in higher sensitivity to changes in cognitive function over time.

Aging, Memory Efficiency and the Strategic Control of Attention at Encoding: Impairments of Value-Directed Remembering in Alzheimer's Disease

PubMed Central

Castel, Alan D.; Balota, David A.; McCabe, David P.

2009-01-01

Selecting what is important to remember, attending to this information, and then later recalling it can be thought of in terms of the strategic control of attention and the efficient use of memory. In order to examine whether aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD) influenced this ability, the present study used a selectivity task, where studied items were worth various point values and participants were asked to maximize the value of the items they recalled. Relative to younger adults (N=35) and healthy older adults (N=109), individuals with very mild AD (N=41) and mild AD (N=13) showed impairments in the strategic and efficient encoding and recall of high value items. Although individuals with AD recalled more high value items than low value items, they did not efficiently maximize memory performance (as measured by a selectivity index) relative to healthy older adults. Performance on complex working memory span tasks was related to the recall of the high value items but not low value items. This pattern suggests that relative to healthy aging, AD leads to impairments in strategic control at encoding and value-directed remembering. PMID:19413444

Process Synchronization and Data Communication between Processes in Real Time Local Area Networks.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-12-01

52 APPENDIX A: PROCEDURE MAKETABLE .............. 54 APPENDIX B: PROCEDURE MAKEMESSAGE ............. 56 APPENDIX C: PROCEDURE...item. The relation table is built by the driver during system initialization by the procedure maketable , see Appendix A. This procedure reads the file... MAKETABLE Procedure maketable is the first procedure called by the driver. It sets up the relation table in local RAM of SBC 1 by reading the information

14 CFR 35.15 - Safety analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., maintenance checks, and other similar equipment or procedures. If items of the safety system are outside the... Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT AIRWORTHINESS.... (1) Maintenance actions being carried out at stated intervals. This includes verifying that items...

23 CFR 635.116 - Subcontracting and contractor responsibilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... TRAFFIC OPERATIONS CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE Contract Procedures § 635.116 Subcontracting and contractor responsibilities. (a) Contracts for projects shall specify the minimum percentage of work that a... total original contract price excluding any identified specialty items. Specialty items may be performed...

Item Performance Across Native Language Groups on the Test of English as a Foreign Language. TOEFL Research Reports, 9.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alderman, Donald L.; Holland, Paul W.

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) was examined for instances in which the item performance of examinees with comparable scores differed according to their native languages. A chi-square procedure, sensitive to deviations of less than ten percent from the expected frequencies of correct item responses across several language groups,…

Assessing Mindfulness in Children and Adolescents: Development and Validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greco, Laurie A.; Baer, Ruth A.; Smith, Gregory T.

2011-01-01

This article presents 4 studies (N = 1,413) describing the development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). In Study 1 (n = 428), the authors determined procedures for item development and examined comprehensibility of the initial 25 items. In Study 2 (n = 334), they reduced the initial item pool from 25 to 10…

The Construction and Validation of an Abridged Version of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ-Short)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoekstra, Rosa A.; Vinkhuyzen, Anna A. E.; Wheelwright, Sally; Bartels, Meike; Boomsma, Dorret I.; Baron-Cohen, Simon; Posthuma, Danielle; van der Sluis, Sophie

2011-01-01

This study reports on the development and validation of an abridged version of the 50-item Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), a self-report measure of autistic traits. We aimed to reduce the number of items whilst retaining high validity and a meaningful factor structure. The item reduction procedure was performed on data from 1,263 Dutch students and…

Non-ignorable missingness item response theory models for choice effects in examinee-selected items.

PubMed

Liu, Chen-Wei; Wang, Wen-Chung

2017-11-01

Examinee-selected item (ESI) design, in which examinees are required to respond to a fixed number of items in a given set, always yields incomplete data (i.e., when only the selected items are answered, data are missing for the others) that are likely non-ignorable in likelihood inference. Standard item response theory (IRT) models become infeasible when ESI data are missing not at random (MNAR). To solve this problem, the authors propose a two-dimensional IRT model that posits one unidimensional IRT model for observed data and another for nominal selection patterns. The two latent variables are assumed to follow a bivariate normal distribution. In this study, the mirt freeware package was adopted to estimate parameters. The authors conduct an experiment to demonstrate that ESI data are often non-ignorable and to determine how to apply the new model to the data collected. Two follow-up simulation studies are conducted to assess the parameter recovery of the new model and the consequences for parameter estimation of ignoring MNAR data. The results of the two simulation studies indicate good parameter recovery of the new model and poor parameter recovery when non-ignorable missing data were mistakenly treated as ignorable. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

ADSORPTIVE MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES: MEDIA SELECTION

EPA Science Inventory

The presentation provides information on six items to be considered when selecting an adsorptive media for removing arsenic from drinking water; performance, EBCT, pre-treatment, regeneration, residuals, and cost. Each item is discussed in general and data and photographs from th...

Equating Multidimensional Tests under a Random Groups Design: A Comparison of Various Equating Procedures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Eunjung

2013-01-01

The purpose of this research was to compare the equating performance of various equating procedures for the multidimensional tests. To examine the various equating procedures, simulated data sets were used that were generated based on a multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) framework. Various equating procedures were examined, including…

New Method of Calibrating IRT Models.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Hai; Tang, K. Linda

This discussion of new methods for calibrating item response theory (IRT) models looks into new optimization procedures, such as the Genetic Algorithm (GA) to improve on the use of the Newton-Raphson procedure. The advantages of using a global optimization procedure like GA is that this kind of procedure is not easily affected by local optima and…

Self-Regulated Learning in Younger and Older Adults: Does Aging Affect Metacognitive Control?

PubMed Central

Price, Jodi; Hertzog, Christopher; Dunlosky, John

2011-01-01

Two experiments examined whether younger and older adults’ self-regulated study (item selection and study time) conformed to the region of proximal learning (RPL) model when studying normatively easy, medium, and difficult vocabulary pairs. Experiment 2 manipulated the value of recalling different pairs and provided learning goals for words recalled and points earned. Younger and older adults in both experiments selected items for study in an easy-to-difficult order, indicating the RPL model applies to older adults’ self-regulated study. Individuals allocated more time to difficult items, but prioritized easier items when given less time or point values favoring difficult items. Older adults studied more items for longer but realized lower recall than did younger adults. Older adults’ lower memory self-efficacy and perceived control correlated with their greater item restudy and avoidance of difficult items with high point values. Results are discussed in terms of RPL and agenda-based regulation models. PMID:19866382

Digital Library Selection: Maximum Access, Not Buying the Best Titles: Libraries Should Become Full-Text Amazon.coms's.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Anthony W.

2000-01-01

Discusses new ways of selecting information for digital libraries. Topics include increasing the quantity of information acquired versus item by item selection that is more costly than the value it adds; library-publisher relationships; netLibrary; electronic journals; and the SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition)…

The Empirical Selection of Anchor Items Using a Multistage Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craig, Brandon

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if using a multistage approach for the empirical selection of anchor items would lead to more accurate DIF detection rates than the anchor selection methods proposed by Kopf, Zeileis, & Strobl (2015b). A simulation study was conducted in which the sample size, percentage of DIF, and balance of DIF…

Assembling a Computerized Adaptive Testing Item Pool as a Set of Linear Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Linden, Wim J.; Ariel, Adelaide; Veldkamp, Bernard P.

2006-01-01

Test-item writing efforts typically results in item pools with an undesirable correlational structure between the content attributes of the items and their statistical information. If such pools are used in computerized adaptive testing (CAT), the algorithm may be forced to select items with less than optimal information, that violate the content…

Partial report and other sampling procedures overestimate the duration of iconic memory.

PubMed

Appelman, I B

1980-03-01

In three experiments, subjects estimated the duration of a brief visual image (iconic memory) either directly by adjusting onset of a click to offset of the visual image, or indirectly with a Sperling partial report (sampling) procedure. The results indicated that partial report and other sampling procedures may reflect other brief phenomena along with iconic memory. First, the partial report procedure yields a greater estimate of the duration of iconic memory than the more direct click method. Second, the partial report estimate of the duration of iconic memory is affected if the subject is required to simultaneously retain a list of distractor items (memory load), while the click method estimate of the duration of iconic memory is not affected by a memory load. Finally, another sampling procedure based on visual cuing yields different estimates of the duration of iconic memory depending on how many items are cued. It was concluded that partial report and other sampling procedures overestimate the duration of iconic memory.

Comparison of Procedures for Detecting Test-Item Bias with Both Internal and External Ability Criteria.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepard, Lorrie, And Others

1981-01-01

Sixteen approaches for detecting item bias were compared on samples of Black, White, and Chicano elementary school pupils using the Lorge-Thorndike and Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices tests. Recommendations for practical use are made. (JKS)

The associative memory deficit in aging is related to reduced selectivity of brain activity during encoding

PubMed Central

Saverino, Cristina; Fatima, Zainab; Sarraf, Saman; Oder, Anita; Strother, Stephen C.; Grady, Cheryl L.

2016-01-01

Human aging is characterized by reductions in the ability to remember associations between items, despite intact memory for single items. Older adults also show less selectivity in task-related brain activity, such that patterns of activation become less distinct across multiple experimental tasks. This reduced selectivity, or dedifferentiation, has been found for episodic memory, which is often reduced in older adults, but not for semantic memory, which is maintained with age. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate whether there is a specific reduction in selectivity of brain activity during associative encoding in older adults, but not during item encoding, and whether this reduction predicts associative memory performance. Healthy young and older adults were scanned while performing an incidental-encoding task for pictures of objects and houses under item or associative instructions. An old/new recognition test was administered outside the scanner. We used agnostic canonical variates analysis and split-half resampling to detect whole brain patterns of activation that predicted item vs. associative encoding for stimuli that were later correctly recognized. Older adults had poorer memory for associations than did younger adults, whereas item memory was comparable across groups. Associative encoding trials, but not item encoding trials, were predicted less successfully in older compared to young adults, indicating less distinct patterns of associative-related activity in the older group. Importantly, higher probability of predicting associative encoding trials was related to better associative memory after accounting for age and performance on a battery of neuropsychological tests. These results provide evidence that neural distinctiveness at encoding supports associative memory and that a specific reduction of selectivity in neural recruitment underlies age differences in associative memory. PMID:27082043

Health measurement using the ICF: Test-retest reliability study of ICF codes and qualifiers in geriatric care

PubMed Central

Okochi, Jiro; Utsunomiya, Sakiko; Takahashi, Tai

2005-01-01

Background The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) was published by the World Health Organization (WHO) to standardize descriptions of health and disability. Little is known about the reliability and clinical relevance of measurements using the ICF and its qualifiers. This study examines the test-retest reliability of ICF codes, and the rate of immeasurability in long-term care settings of the elderly to evaluate the clinical applicability of the ICF and its qualifiers, and the ICF checklist. Methods Reliability of 85 body function (BF) items and 152 activity and participation (AP) items of the ICF was studied using a test-retest procedure with a sample of 742 elderly persons from 59 institutional and at home care service centers. Test-retest reliability was estimated using the weighted kappa statistic. The clinical relevance of the ICF was estimated by calculating immeasurability rate. The effect of the measurement settings and evaluators' experience was analyzed by stratification of these variables. The properties of each item were evaluated using both the kappa statistic and immeasurability rate to assess the clinical applicability of WHO's ICF checklist in the elderly care setting. Results The median of the weighted kappa statistics of 85 BF and 152 AP items were 0.46 and 0.55 respectively. The reproducibility statistics improved when the measurements were performed by experienced evaluators. Some chapters such as genitourinary and reproductive functions in the BF domain and major life area in the AP domain contained more items with lower test-retest reliability measures and rated as immeasurable than in the other chapters. Some items in the ICF checklist were rated as unreliable and immeasurable. Conclusion The reliability of the ICF codes when measured with the current ICF qualifiers is relatively low. The result in increase in reliability according to evaluators' experience suggests proper education will have positive effects to raise the reliability. The ICF checklist contains some items that are difficult to be applied in the geriatric care settings. The improvements should be achieved by selecting the most relevant items for each measurement and by developing appropriate qualifiers for each code according to the interest of the users. PMID:16050960

42 CFR 460.156 - Other enrollment procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... (CONTINUED) PROGRAMS OF ALL-INCLUSIVE CARE FOR THE ELDERLY (PACE) PROGRAMS OF ALL-INCLUSIVE CARE FOR THE ELDERLY (PACE) Participant Enrollment and Disenrollment § 460.156 Other enrollment procedures. (a) Items a...

42 CFR 460.156 - Other enrollment procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... (CONTINUED) PROGRAMS OF ALL-INCLUSIVE CARE FOR THE ELDERLY (PACE) PROGRAMS OF ALL-INCLUSIVE CARE FOR THE ELDERLY (PACE) Participant Enrollment and Disenrollment § 460.156 Other enrollment procedures. (a) Items a...

Construction inspection manual of procedures

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-01-01

This manual provides highway construction personnel with relevant, practical information in order to perform accurate inspections and provide relevant construction procedural information for the various roadway and structures items of work. It is the...

Web Cast on Arsenic Demonstration Program: Lessons Learned

EPA Science Inventory

Web cast presentation covered 10 Lessons Learned items selected from the Arsenic Demonstration Program with supporting information. The major items discussed include system design and performance items and the cost of the technologies.

Computerized Adaptive Testing: Overview and Introduction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meijer, Rob R.; Nering, Michael L.

1999-01-01

Provides an overview of computerized adaptive testing (CAT) and introduces contributions to this special issue. CAT elements discussed include item selection, estimation of the latent trait, item exposure, measurement precision, and item-bank development. (SLD)

Linking Parameter Estimates Derived from an Item Response Model through Separate Calibrations. Research Report. ETS RR-09-40

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haberman, Shelby J.

2009-01-01

A regression procedure is developed to link simultaneously a very large number of item response theory (IRT) parameter estimates obtained from a large number of test forms, where each form has been separately calibrated and where forms can be linked on a pairwise basis by means of common items. An application is made to forms in which a…

LLWnotes - Volume 11, Number 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-04-01

This document is the April 1996 issue of LLWnotes. It contains articles and news items on the following topics: news items related to states and compacts, Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLW) Forum activities, and court rulings and calendars. State and compact items featured include Texas licensing procedures, renewal of Envirocare`s license, and Ward Valley. Massachusetts Board suspension of some siting tasks and Massachusetts Court rules for US DOE regarding rebates are also reported.

Procedures for Scaling the 1990 Edition of the Nevada Proficiency Examinations in Reading and Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Thomas W.

Steps involved in the item analysis and scaling of the 1990 edition of Forms A and B of the Nevada High School Proficiency Examinations (NHSPEs) are described. Pilot tests of Forms A and B of the 47-item reading and 45-item mathematics tests were each administered to random samples of more than 600 eleventh-grade students. A computer program was…

Reliability of a store observation tool in measuring availability of alcohol and selected foods.

PubMed

Cohen, Deborah A; Schoeff, Diane; Farley, Thomas A; Bluthenthal, Ricky; Scribner, Richard; Overton, Adrian

2007-11-01

Alcohol and food items can compromise or contribute to health, depending on the quantity and frequency with which they are consumed. How much people consume may be influenced by product availability and promotion in local retail stores. We developed and tested an observational tool to objectively measure in-store availability and promotion of alcoholic beverages and selected food items that have an impact on health. Trained observers visited 51 alcohol outlets in Los Angeles and southeastern Louisiana. Using a standardized instrument, two independent observations were conducted documenting the type of outlet, the availability and shelf space for alcoholic beverages and selected food items, the purchase price of standard brands, the placement of beer and malt liquor, and the amount of in-store alcohol advertising. Reliability of the instrument was excellent for measures of item availability, shelf space, and placement of malt liquor. Reliability was lower for alcohol advertising, beer placement, and items that measured the "least price" of apples and oranges. The average kappa was 0.87 for categorical items and the average intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.83 for continuous items. Overall, systematic observation of the availability and promotion of alcoholic beverages and food items was feasible, acceptable, and reliable. Measurement tools such as the one we evaluated should be useful in studies of the impact of availability of food and beverages on consumption and on health outcomes.

Scoring correction for MMPI-2 Hs scale with patients experiencing a traumatic brain injury: a test of measurement invariance.

PubMed

Alkemade, Nathan; Bowden, Stephen C; Salzman, Louis

2015-02-01

It has been suggested that MMPI-2 scoring requires removal of some items when assessing patients after a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Gass (1991. MMPI-2 interpretation and closed head injury: A correction factor. Psychological assessment, 3, 27-31) proposed a correction procedure in line with the hypothesis that MMPI-2 endorsement may be affected by symptoms of TBI. This study assessed the validity of the Gass correction procedure. A sample of patients with a TBI (n = 242), and a random subset of the MMPI-2 normative sample (n = 1,786). The correction procedure implies a failure of measurement invariance across populations. This study examined measurement invariance of one of the MMPI-2 scales (Hs) that includes TBI correction items. A four-factor model of the MMPI-2 Hs items was defined. The factor model was found to meet the criteria for partial measurement invariance. Analysis of the change in sensitivity and specificity values implied by partial measurement invariance failed to indicate significant practical impact of partial invariance. Overall, the results support continued use of all Hs items to assess psychological well-being in patients with TBI. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

15 CFR 904.244 - Production of documents and inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... (Continued) NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE GENERAL REGULATIONS CIVIL PROCEDURES Hearing and Appeal Procedures Discovery § 904.244 Production of documents and inspection. (a... the request is served. (b) Procedure. The request must set forth: (1) The items to be produced or...

15 CFR 904.244 - Production of documents and inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... (Continued) NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE GENERAL REGULATIONS CIVIL PROCEDURES Hearing and Appeal Procedures Discovery § 904.244 Production of documents and inspection. (a... the request is served. (b) Procedure. The request must set forth: (1) The items to be produced or...

10 CFR 32.110 - Acceptance sampling procedures under certain specific licenses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Acceptance sampling procedures under certain specific licenses. 32.110 Section 32.110 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION SPECIFIC DOMESTIC LICENSES TO MANUFACTURE OR TRANSFER CERTAIN ITEMS CONTAINING BYPRODUCT MATERIAL Quality Control Sampling Procedures § 32...

10 CFR 32.110 - Acceptance sampling procedures under certain specific licenses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Acceptance sampling procedures under certain specific licenses. 32.110 Section 32.110 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION SPECIFIC DOMESTIC LICENSES TO MANUFACTURE OR TRANSFER CERTAIN ITEMS CONTAINING BYPRODUCT MATERIAL Quality Control Sampling Procedures § 32...

Effect of a promotional campaign on heart-healthy menu choices in community restaurants.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Catherine M; Kannan, Srimathi; Sheldon, Sharon; Eagle, Kim Allen

2004-03-01

The research question examined in this study was: Does a promotional campaign impact the sales of heart-healthy menu items at community restaurants? The 8-week promotional campaign used professionally developed advertisements in daily and monthly print publications and posters and table tents in local restaurants. Nine restaurants tracked the sales of selected heart-healthy menu items and comparable menu items sold before and after a promotional campaign. The percentage of heart-healthy items sold after the campaign showed a trend toward a slight increase in heart-healthy menu item selections, although it was not statistically significant. This study and others indicate that dietetics professionals must continue to develop strategies to promote heart-healthy food choices in community restaurants.

Efforts Toward the Development of Unbiased Selection and Assessment Instruments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudner, Lawrence M.

Investigations into item bias provide an empirical basis for the identification and elimination of test items which appear to measure different traits across populations or cultural groups. The Psychometric rationales for six approaches to the identification of biased test items are reviewed: (1) Transformed item difficulties: within-group…

32 CFR 171.5 - Sale procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION AIRCRAFT TRANSFER ACT OF 1996 § 171.5 Sale procedures. Disposal of aircraft and..., DRMS is vested with the discretion to reject all bids and reoffer the item: (i) On another wildfire...

Developing and investigating the use of single-item measures in organizational research.

PubMed

Fisher, Gwenith G; Matthews, Russell A; Gibbons, Alyssa Mitchell

2016-01-01

The validity of organizational research relies on strong research methods, which include effective measurement of psychological constructs. The general consensus is that multiple item measures have better psychometric properties than single-item measures. However, due to practical constraints (e.g., survey length, respondent burden) there are situations in which certain single items may be useful for capturing information about constructs that might otherwise go unmeasured. We evaluated 37 items, including 18 newly developed items as well as 19 single items selected from existing multiple-item scales based on psychometric characteristics, to assess 18 constructs frequently measured in organizational and occupational health psychology research. We examined evidence of reliability; convergent, discriminant, and content validity assessments; and test-retest reliabilities at 1- and 3-month time lags for single-item measures using a multistage and multisource validation strategy across 3 studies, including data from N = 17 occupational health subject matter experts and N = 1,634 survey respondents across 2 samples. Items selected from existing scales generally demonstrated better internal consistency reliability and convergent validity, whereas these particular new items generally had higher levels of content validity. We offer recommendations regarding when use of single items may be more or less appropriate, as well as 11 items that seem acceptable, 14 items with mixed results that might be used with caution due to mixed results, and 12 items we do not recommend using as single-item measures. Although multiple-item measures are preferable from a psychometric standpoint, in some circumstances single-item measures can provide useful information. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Location Indices for Ordinal Polytomous Items Based on Item Response Theory. Research Report. ETS RR-15-20

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ali, Usama S.; Chang, Hua-Hua; Anderson, Carolyn J.

2015-01-01

Polytomous items are typically described by multiple category-related parameters; situations, however, arise in which a single index is needed to describe an item's location along a latent trait continuum. Situations in which a single index would be needed include item selection in computerized adaptive testing or test assembly. Therefore single…

48 CFR 23.405 - Procedures

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE...-designated items (available via the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/cpg/products.htm and to their agencies... officers should refer to USDA's list of USDA-designated items (available through the Internet at http://www...

48 CFR 23.405 - Procedures

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE...-designated items (available via the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/cpg/products.htm and to their agencies... officers should refer to USDA's list of USDA-designated items (available through the Internet at http://www...

48 CFR 12.000 - Scope of part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... (Public Law 103-355) by establishing acquisition policies more closely resembling those of the commercial... ACQUISITION OF COMMERCIAL ITEMS 12.000 Scope of part. This part prescribes policies and procedures unique to the acquisition of commercial items. It implements the Federal Government's preference for the...

Comparison of Alternate and Original Items on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment

PubMed Central

Lebedeva, Elena; Huang, Mei; Koski, Lisa

2016-01-01

Background The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a screening tool for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in elderly individuals. We hypothesized that measurement error when using the new alternate MoCA versions to monitor change over time could be related to the use of items that are not of comparable difficulty to their corresponding originals of similar content. The objective of this study was to compare the difficulty of the alternate MoCA items to the original ones. Methods Five selected items from alternate versions of the MoCA were included with items from the original MoCA administered adaptively to geriatric outpatients (N = 78). Rasch analysis was used to estimate the difficulty level of the items. Results None of the five items from the alternate versions matched the difficulty level of their corresponding original items. Conclusions This study demonstrates the potential benefits of a Rasch analysis-based approach for selecting items during the process of development of parallel forms. The results suggest that better match of the items from different MoCA forms by their difficulty would result in higher sensitivity to changes in cognitive function over time. PMID:27076861

Evaluating measurement models in clinical research: covariance structure analysis of latent variable models of self-conception.

PubMed

Hoyle, R H

1991-02-01

Indirect measures of psychological constructs are vital to clinical research. On occasion, however, the meaning of indirect measures of psychological constructs is obfuscated by statistical procedures that do not account for the complex relations between items and latent variables and among latent variables. Covariance structure analysis (CSA) is a statistical procedure for testing hypotheses about the relations among items that indirectly measure a psychological construct and relations among psychological constructs. This article introduces clinical researchers to the strengths and limitations of CSA as a statistical procedure for conceiving and testing structural hypotheses that are not tested adequately with other statistical procedures. The article is organized around two empirical examples that illustrate the use of CSA for evaluating measurement models with correlated error terms, higher-order factors, and measured and latent variables.

Continuously Variable Rating: a new, simple and logical procedure to evaluate original scientific publications

PubMed Central

Silva, Mauricio Rocha e

2011-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Impact Factors (IF) are widely used surrogates to evaluate single articles, in spite of known shortcomings imposed by cite distribution skewness. We quantify this asymmetry and propose a simple computer-based procedure for evaluating individual articles. METHOD: (a) Analysis of symmetry. Journals clustered around nine Impact Factor points were selected from the medical “Subject Categories” in Journal Citation Reports 2010. Citable items published in 2008 were retrieved and ranked by granted citations over the Jan/2008 - Jun/2011 period. Frequency distribution of cites, normalized cumulative cites and absolute cites/decile were determined for each journal cluster. (b) Positive Predictive Value. Three arbitrarily established evaluation classes were generated: LOW (1.3≤IF<2.6); MID: (2.6≤IF<3.9); HIGH: (IF≥3.9). Positive Predictive Value for journal clusters within each class range was estimated. (c) Continuously Variable Rating. An alternative evaluation procedure is proposed to allow the rating of individually published articles in comparison to all articles published in the same journal within the same year of publication. The general guiding lines for the construction of a totally dedicated software program are delineated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Skewness followed the Pareto Distribution for (1

The Music Attentiveness Screening Assessment, Revised (MASA-R): A Study of Technical Adequacy.

PubMed

Waldon, Eric G; Lesser, Alexander; Weeden, Lydia; Messick, Emily

2016-01-01

Evidence suggests that attention is an important consideration when designing procedural support interventions for children undergoing distressing medical procedures. As such, the extent to which children can attend to musical stimuli used during music-based procedural support interventions would seem important. The Music Attentiveness Screening Assessment (MASA) was designed to assess a child's ability to attend to musical stimuli, but further revisions were deemed necessary to improve administration, test-retest reliability, and interobserver agreement for the measure's items. This study investigated the technical adequacy of the Music Attentiveness Screening Assessment, Revised (MASA-R), with a non-clinical sample of children aged 4 to 9 years by examining (a) Construct validity using comparator instruments measuring auditory attention; (b) Test-retest reliability following a two-week delay; and (c) Interobserver agreement when administered by two independent examiners. This non-clinical sample included 69 children who were administered both items from MASA-R and two comparator instruments: the Auditory Attention subtest from the NEPSY-II (NII-AA) for children aged 5 to 9 years (n = 47); and the Auditory Attention subtest from the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities, 3rd ed. (WJIII-AA), for children aged 4 years (n = 22). A significant proportion of score variance was shared by both MASA-R items and the comparator measures: R (2) = .16, F(2, 66) = 6.30, p = .003. MASA-R score estimates with regard to test-retest reliability (Item I, intra-class correlation [ICC] = .88; Item II, ICC = .91) and interobserver agreement (Item I, ICC = .99; Item II, ICC = .98) also fell into acceptable ranges. Estimates of MASA-R score construct validity, test-retest reliability, and interobserver agreement appear improved over its predecessor, MASA. While findings are promising, additional investigation of its use with a clinical sample is needed before it can be confidently used in pediatrics. © the American Music Therapy Association 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Specialty Training's Organizational Readiness for curriculum Change (STORC): development of a questionnaire in a Delphi study.

PubMed

Bank, Lindsay; Jippes, Mariëlle; van Luijk, Scheltus; den Rooyen, Corry; Scherpbier, Albert; Scheele, Fedde

2015-08-05

In postgraduate medical education (PGME), programs have been restructured according to competency-based frameworks. The scale and implications of these adjustments justify a comprehensive implementation plan. Organizational Readiness for Change (ORC) is seen as a critical precursor for a successful implementation of change initiatives. Though, ORC in health care settings is mostly assessed in small scale settings and in relation to new policies and practices rather than educational change. Therefore our aim with this work was to develop an instrument to asses Specialty Training's Organizational Readiness for curriculum Change (STORC). A Delphi procedure was conducted to examine the applicability of a preliminary questionnaire in PGME, which was based on existing instruments designed for business and health care organizations. The 41 panellists (19 trainees and 22 supervisors from 6 specialties) from four different countries who were confronted with an apparent curriculum change, or would be in the near future, were asked to rate the relevance of a 89-item web-based questionnaire with regard to changes in specialty training on a 5-point Likert scale. Furthermore, they were invited to make qualitative comments on the items. In two rounds the 89-item preliminary questionnaire was reduced to 44 items. Items were either removed, kept, adapted or added based on individual item scores and qualitative comments. In the absence of a gold standard, this Delphi procedure was considered complete when the overall questionnaire rating exceeded 4.0 (scale 0-5). The overall item score reached 4.1 in the second round, meeting our criteria for completion of this Delphi procedure. This Delphi study describes the initial validating step in the development of an instrument to asses Specialty Training's Organisational Readiness for curriculum Change (STORC). Since ORC is measured on various subscales and presented as such, its strength lies in analysing these subscales. The latter makes it possible for educational leaders to identify and anticipate on hurdles in the implementation process and subsequently optimize efforts for successful curriculum change.

Relationship between affective determinants and achievement in science for seventeen-year-olds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Napier, John D.; Riley, Joseph P.

Data collected in the 1976-1977 NAEP survey of seventeen-year-olds was used to reanalyze the hypothesis that there are affective determinates of science achievement. Factor and item analysis procedures were used to examine affective and cognitive items from Booklet 4. Eight affective scales and one cognitive achievement scale were identified. Using stepwise multiple regression procedures, the four affective scales of Motivation, Anxiety, Student Choice, and Teacher Support were found to account for the majority of the correlation between the affective determinants and achievement.

5 CFR 591.215 - Where does OPM collect prices in the COLA and DC areas?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...-housing data throughout the survey area, and for selected items such as golf, snow skiing, and air travel..., City of Manassas, and City of Manassas Park. 1 1 For selected items, such as golf, snow skiing, and air...

7 CFR 1753.29 - Force account procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Force account procedures. 1753.29 Section 1753.29... Force account procedures. (a) The borrower must obtain RUS approval of the force account method of... item not provided for in the approved loan. (d) Force Account construction to be financed with loan...

Evaluation of the CATSIB DIF Procedure in a Pretest Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nandakumar, Ratna; Roussos, Louis

2004-01-01

A new procedure, CATSIB, for assessing differential item functioning (DIF) on computerized adaptive tests (CATs) is proposed. CATSIB, a modified SIBTEST procedure, matches test takers on estimated ability and controls for impact-induced Type 1 error inflation by employing a CAT version of the IBTEST "regression correction." The…

Test Operations Procedure (TOP) 10-2-400 Open End Compressed Gas Driven Shock Tube

DTIC Science & Technology

gas-driven shock tube. Procedures are provided for instrumentation, test item positioning, estimation of key test parameters, operation of the shock...tube, data collection, and reporting. The procedures in this document are based on the use of helium gas and Mylar film diaphragms.

48 CFR 23.405 - Procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE...-designated items (available via the Internet at “http://www.epa.gov/cpg/products.htm” and to their agencies... officers should refer to USDA's list of USDA-designated items (available through the Internet at http://www...

48 CFR 23.405 - Procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE...-designated items (available via the Internet at “http://www.epa.gov/cpg/products.htm” and to their agencies... officers should refer to USDA's list of USDA-designated items (available through the Internet at http://www...

Assessing Dimensionality of Noncompensatory Multidimensional Item Response Theory with Complex Structures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Svetina, Dubravka

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of complex structure on dimensionality assessment in noncompensatory multidimensional item response models using dimensionality assessment procedures based on DETECT (dimensionality evaluation to enumerate contributing traits) and NOHARM (normal ogive harmonic analysis robust method). Five…

Feature-based and spatial attentional selection in visual working memory.

PubMed

Heuer, Anna; Schubö, Anna

2016-05-01

The contents of visual working memory (VWM) can be modulated by spatial cues presented during the maintenance interval ("retrocues"). Here, we examined whether attentional selection of representations in VWM can also be based on features. In addition, we investigated whether the mechanisms of feature-based and spatial attention in VWM differ with respect to parallel access to noncontiguous locations. In two experiments, we tested the efficacy of valid retrocues relying on different kinds of information. Specifically, participants were presented with a typical spatial retrocue pointing to two locations, a symbolic spatial retrocue (numbers mapping onto two locations), and two feature-based retrocues: a color retrocue (a blob of the same color as two of the items) and a shape retrocue (an outline of the shape of two of the items). The two cued items were presented at either contiguous or noncontiguous locations. Overall retrocueing benefits, as compared to a neutral condition, were observed for all retrocue types. Whereas feature-based retrocues yielded benefits for cued items presented at both contiguous and noncontiguous locations, spatial retrocues were only effective when the cued items had been presented at contiguous locations. These findings demonstrate that attentional selection and updating in VWM can operate on different kinds of information, allowing for a flexible and efficient use of this limited system. The observation that the representations of items presented at noncontiguous locations could only be reliably selected with feature-based retrocues suggests that feature-based and spatial attentional selection in VWM rely on different mechanisms, as has been shown for attentional orienting in the external world.

Bank of Items for H.S.C. Biology Level III and Division 1 with Computerised Self-Moderation and Error Analysis Procedures Using the Items from the Bank.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, D. G.

This publication presents an organized collection of biology questions, designed for use in evaluation at the secondary level in Tasmania. Each item has been tried for quality and is accompanied by its difficulty percentage as well as by its content area and the mental processes required to answer it. The content areas include: Diversity,…

Understanding Rasch Measurement: Rasch Techniques for Detecting Bias in Performance Assessments: An Example Comparing the Performance of Native and Non-native Speakers on a Test of Academic English.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elder, Catherine; McNamara, Tim; Congdon, Peter

2003-01-01

Used Rasch analytic procedures to study item bias or differential item functioning in both dichotomous and scalar items on a test of English for academic purposes. Results for 139 college students on a pilot English language test model the approach and illustrate the measurement challenges posed by a diagnostic instrument to measure English…

Investigating Measurement Invariance in Computer-Based Personality Testing: The Impact of Using Anchor Items on Effect Size Indices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Egberink, Iris J. L.; Meijer, Rob R.; Tendeiro, Jorge N.

2015-01-01

A popular method to assess measurement invariance of a particular item is based on likelihood ratio tests with all other items as anchor items. The results of this method are often only reported in terms of statistical significance, and researchers proposed different methods to empirically select anchor items. It is unclear, however, how many…

40 CFR 721.63 - Protection in the workplace.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... wear, personal protective equipment that provides a barrier to prevent dermal exposure to the substance in the specific work area where it is selected for use. Each such item of personal protective... other personal protective equipment selected in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the following items...

Mokken scaling of the Myocardial Infarction Dimensional Assessment Scale (MIDAS).

PubMed

Thompson, David R; Watson, Roger

2011-02-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the hierarchical and cumulative nature of the 35 items of the Myocardial Infarction Dimensional Assessment Scale (MIDAS), a disease-specific health-related quality of life measure. Data from 668 participants who completed the MIDAS were analysed using the Mokken Scaling Procedure, which is a computer program that searches polychotomous data for hierarchical and cumulative scales on the basis of a range of diagnostic criteria. Fourteen MIDAS items were retained in a Mokken scale and these items included physical activity, insecurity, emotional reaction and dependency items but excluded items related to diet, medication or side-effects. Item difficulty, in item response theory terms, ran from physical activity items (low difficulty) to insecurity, suggesting that the most severe quality of life effect of myocardial infarction is loneliness and isolation. Items from the MIDAS form a strong and reliable Mokken scale, which provides new insight into the relationship between items in the MIDAS and the measurement of quality of life after myocardial infarction. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Developing a Strategy for Using Technology-Enhanced Items in Large-Scale Standardized Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryant, William

2017-01-01

As large-scale standardized tests move from paper-based to computer-based delivery, opportunities arise for test developers to make use of items beyond traditional selected and constructed response types. Technology-enhanced items (TEIs) have the potential to provide advantages over conventional items, including broadening construct measurement,…

The Application of Strength of Association Statistics to the Item Analysis of an In-Training Examination in Diagnostic Radiology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diamond, James J.; McCormick, Janet

1986-01-01

Using item responses from an in-training examination in diagnostic radiology, the application of a strength of association statistic to the general problem of item analysis is illustrated. Criteria for item selection, general issues of reliability, and error of measurement are discussed. (Author/LMO)

Assessing Patients’ Experiences with Communication Across the Cancer Care Continuum

PubMed Central

Mazor, Kathleen M.; Street, Richard L.; Sue, Valerie M.; Williams, Andrew E.; Rabin, Borsika A.; Arora, Neeraj K.

2016-01-01

Objective To evaluate the relevance, performance and potential usefulness of the Patient Assessment of cancer Communication Experiences (PACE) items. Methods Items focusing on specific communication goals related to exchanging information, fostering healing relationships, responding to emotions, making decisions, enabling self-management, and managing uncertainty were tested via a retrospective, cross-sectional survey of adults who had been diagnosed with cancer. Analyses examined response frequencies, inter-item correlations, and coefficient alpha. Results A total of 366 adults were included in the analyses. Relatively few selected “Does Not Apply”, suggesting that items tap relevant communication experiences. Ratings of whether specific communication goals were achieved were strongly correlated with overall ratings of communication, suggesting item content reflects important aspects of communication. Coefficient alpha was ≥.90 for each item set, indicating excellent reliability. Variations in the percentage of respondents selecting the most positive response across items suggest results can identify strengths and weaknesses. Conclusion The PACE items tap relevant, important aspects of communication during cancer care, and may be useful to cancer care teams desiring detailed feedback. PMID:26979476

Effects of aging on neural connectivity underlying selective memory for emotional scenes

PubMed Central

Waring, Jill D.; Addis, Donna Rose; Kensinger, Elizabeth A.

2012-01-01

Older adults show age-related reductions in memory for neutral items within complex visual scenes, but just like young adults, older adults exhibit a memory advantage for emotional items within scenes compared with the background scene information. The present study examined young and older adults’ encoding-stage effective connectivity for selective memory of emotional items versus memory for both the emotional item and its background. In a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, participants viewed scenes containing either positive or negative items within neutral backgrounds. Outside the scanner, participants completed a memory test for items and backgrounds. Irrespective of scene content being emotionally positive or negative, older adults had stronger positive connections among frontal regions and from frontal regions to medial temporal lobe structures than did young adults, especially when items and backgrounds were subsequently remembered. These results suggest there are differences between young and older adults’ connectivity accompanying the encoding of emotional scenes. Older adults may require more frontal connectivity to encode all elements of a scene rather than just encoding the emotional item. PMID:22542836

Effects of aging on neural connectivity underlying selective memory for emotional scenes.

PubMed

Waring, Jill D; Addis, Donna Rose; Kensinger, Elizabeth A

2013-02-01

Older adults show age-related reductions in memory for neutral items within complex visual scenes, but just like young adults, older adults exhibit a memory advantage for emotional items within scenes compared with the background scene information. The present study examined young and older adults' encoding-stage effective connectivity for selective memory of emotional items versus memory for both the emotional item and its background. In a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, participants viewed scenes containing either positive or negative items within neutral backgrounds. Outside the scanner, participants completed a memory test for items and backgrounds. Irrespective of scene content being emotionally positive or negative, older adults had stronger positive connections among frontal regions and from frontal regions to medial temporal lobe structures than did young adults, especially when items and backgrounds were subsequently remembered. These results suggest there are differences between young and older adults' connectivity accompanying the encoding of emotional scenes. Older adults may require more frontal connectivity to encode all elements of a scene rather than just encoding the emotional item. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Development of QC Procedures for Ocean Data Obtained by National Research Projects of Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, S. D.; Park, H. M.

2017-12-01

To establish data management system for ocean data obtained by national research projects of Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of Korea, KIOST conducted standardization and development of QC procedures. After reviewing and analyzing the existing international and domestic ocean-data standards and QC procedures, the draft version of standards and QC procedures were prepared. The proposed standards and QC procedures were reviewed and revised by experts in the field of oceanography and academic societies several times. A technical report on the standards of 25 data items and 12 QC procedures for physical, chemical, biological and geological data items. The QC procedure for temperature and salinity data was set up by referring the manuals published by GTSPP, ARGO and IOOS QARTOD. It consists of 16 QC tests applicable for vertical profile data and time series data obtained in real-time mode and delay mode. Three regional range tests to inspect annual, seasonal and monthly variations were included in the procedure. Three programs were developed to calculate and provide upper limit and lower limit of temperature and salinity at depth from 0 to 1550m. TS data of World Ocean Database, ARGO, GTSPP and in-house data of KIOST were analysed statistically to calculate regional limit of Northwest Pacific area. Based on statistical analysis, the programs calculate regional ranges using mean and standard deviation at 3 kind of grid systems (3° grid, 1° grid and 0.5° grid) and provide recommendation. The QC procedures for 12 data items were set up during 1st phase of national program for data management (2012-2015) and are being applied to national research projects practically at 2nd phase (2016-2019). The QC procedures will be revised by reviewing the result of QC application when the 2nd phase of data management programs is completed.

A Normalized Direct Approach for Estimating the Parameters of the Normal Ogive Three-Parameter Model for Ability Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gugel, John F.

A new method for estimating the parameters of the normal ogive three-parameter model for multiple-choice test items--the normalized direct (NDIR) procedure--is examined. The procedure is compared to a more commonly used estimation procedure, Lord's LOGIST, using computer simulations. The NDIR procedure uses the normalized (mid-percentile)…

Developing a Web-Based Mechanism for Assessing Teacher Science Content Knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byers, Al; Koba, Susan; Sherman, Greg; Scheppke, Joan; Bolus, Roger

2011-04-01

The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) recently launched a comprehensive electronic professional development (e-PD) online portal, the NSTA Learning Center. This support site for educators currently includes over 6,000 e-PD resources and opportunities available on-demand, as well as various tools designed to help educators maximize the effectiveness of using NSTA resources. One tool, the PD Indexer, helps teachers identify their own areas of content strengths and weaknesses by selecting content-specific assessments. Individual NSTA resources are recommended based on assessment outcomes. This paper presents a detailed description of the procedures employed by NSTA to develop valid and reliable PD Indexer content-specific multiple-choice assessment items.

Developing core elements and checklist items for global hospital antimicrobial stewardship programmes: a consensus approach.

PubMed

Pulcini, C; Binda, F; Lamkang, A S; Trett, A; Charani, E; Goff, D A; Harbarth, S; Hinrichsen, S L; Levy-Hara, G; Mendelson, M; Nathwani, D; Gunturu, R; Singh, S; Srinivasan, A; Thamlikitkul, V; Thursky, K; Vlieghe, E; Wertheim, H; Zeng, M; Gandra, S; Laxminarayan, R

2018-04-03

With increasing global interest in hospital antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes, there is a strong demand for core elements of AMS to be clearly defined on the basis of principles of effectiveness and affordability. To date, efforts to identify such core elements have been limited to Europe, Australia, and North America. The aim of this study was to develop a set of core elements and their related checklist items for AMS programmes that should be present in all hospitals worldwide, regardless of resource availability. A literature review was performed by searching Medline and relevant websites to retrieve a list of core elements and items that could have global relevance. These core elements and items were evaluated by an international group of AMS experts using a structured modified Delphi consensus procedure, using two-phased online in-depth questionnaires. The literature review identified seven core elements and their related 29 checklist items from 48 references. Fifteen experts from 13 countries in six continents participated in the consensus procedure. Ultimately, all seven core elements were retained, as well as 28 of the initial checklist items plus one that was newly suggested, all with ≥80% agreement; 20 elements and items were rephrased. This consensus on core elements for hospital AMS programmes is relevant to both high- and low-to-middle-income countries and could facilitate the development of national AMS stewardship guidelines and adoption by healthcare settings worldwide. Copyright © 2018 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. All rights reserved.

Psychometrics of a brief measure of emotional self-efficacy among adolescents from the United States.

PubMed

Valois, Robert F; Zullig, Keith J

2013-10-01

Preliminary data were collected to evaluate the psychometric properties of an emotional self-efficacy (ESE) measure in a sample of 3836 public high school adolescents who completed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Survey in South Carolina. Principal axis factor analysis was followed by a 4-way between-groups analysis of variance (ANOVA) testing for differences in total score means on selected demographic estimates and their interactions. Relationships between total score and selected risk behaviors were examined through a series of 1-way ANOVA procedures and subsequent Tukey Honest Significant Difference (HSD) tests. Factor analysis results suggested that a 1-factor model best explained factor structure of the scale items (factor loadings .64 to .71, eigenvalue = 3.24, h(2)  = .46). Girls reported a significantly higher mean total ESE rating than boys; White students reported a significantly higher mean total ESE rating than Black students. Statistically significant lower mean total ESE ratings were also noted for those who reported physical fighting, lifetime alcohol use, and sexual intercourse. This 7-item scale is a reliable measure and could aid school health researchers and mental health practitioners in psychosocial screening and as an outcome of social and emotional learning as a brief measure of adolescent ESE. © 2013, American School Health Association.

An item-response theory approach to safety climate measurement: The Liberty Mutual Safety Climate Short Scales.

PubMed

Huang, Yueng-Hsiang; Lee, Jin; Chen, Zhuo; Perry, MacKenna; Cheung, Janelle H; Wang, Mo

2017-06-01

Zohar and Luria's (2005) safety climate (SC) scale, measuring organization- and group- level SC each with 16 items, is widely used in research and practice. To improve the utility of the SC scale, we shortened the original full-length SC scales. Item response theory (IRT) analysis was conducted using a sample of 29,179 frontline workers from various industries. Based on graded response models, we shortened the original scales in two ways: (1) selecting items with above-average discriminating ability (i.e. offering more than 6.25% of the original total scale information), resulting in 8-item organization-level and 11-item group-level SC scales; and (2) selecting the most informative items that together retain at least 30% of original scale information, resulting in 4-item organization-level and 4-item group-level SC scales. All four shortened scales had acceptable reliability (≥0.89) and high correlations (≥0.95) with the original scale scores. The shortened scales will be valuable for academic research and practical survey implementation in improving occupational safety. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Item Screening in Graphical Loglinear Rasch Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kreiner, Svend; Christensen, Karl Bang

2011-01-01

In behavioural sciences, local dependence and DIF are common, and purification procedures that eliminate items with these weaknesses often result in short scales with poor reliability. Graphical loglinear Rasch models (Kreiner & Christensen, in "Statistical Methods for Quality of Life Studies," ed. by M. Mesbah, F.C. Cole & M.T.…

NAEP Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Opinion Research Center, Chicago, IL.

To fulfill its mandate and its potential the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) must be a multi-content annual assessment of priority learning areas. This report describes a procedure under which measures of attainment can be charted over time in a broad range of skill domains, on item-invariant item response theory scales, using…

A Study of Item Bias for Attitudinal Measurement Using Maximum Likelihood Factor Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayberry, Paul W.

A technique for detecting item bias that is responsive to attitudinal measurement considerations is a maximum likelihood factor analysis procedure comparing multivariate factor structures across various subpopulations, often referred to as SIFASP. The SIFASP technique allows for factorial model comparisons in the testing of various hypotheses…

48 CFR 44.400 - Scope of subpart.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... SUBCONTRACTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Subcontracts for Commercial Items and Commercial Components 44.400 Scope... required to apply to any subcontractors that are furnishing commercial items or commercial components in accordance with Section 8002(b)(2) of Public Law 103-355 and Section 826 of Public Law 110-181 (10 U.S.C...

A Psychometric Theory of Evaluation of Item and Scale Translations: Fidelity across Languages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hulin, Charles L.

1987-01-01

Addresses the problem of the equivalence of linguistically translated items that form measurement scales used to assess psychological traits or constructs in source and target cultures and languages. Outlines assessment procedures that are standardized but that also reflect cultural-specific concepts and values. (PS)

F-35 Engine Quality Assurance Inspection

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-27

area nor protected from common FOD items. The F135 engine final assembly area had FOD signage at the two entry lobbies of the building; however...there were no FOD signage within the engine final assembly areas. Pratt & Whitney FOD procedures also did not prevent common FOD items from entering

76 FR 43286 - National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-20

... levels for each grade and subject tested, developing standards and procedures for interstate and national... in closed session to review secure test items for the 2012 Economics assessment at grade 12 and the... meeting the ADC will complete their review of secure NAEP test items for the 2012 Economics assessment at...

ERP markers of target selection discriminate children with high vs. low working memory capacity.

PubMed

Shimi, Andria; Nobre, Anna Christina; Scerif, Gaia

2015-01-01

Selective attention enables enhancing a subset out of multiple competing items to maximize the capacity of our limited visual working memory (VWM) system. Multiple behavioral and electrophysiological studies have revealed the cognitive and neural mechanisms supporting adults' selective attention of visual percepts for encoding in VWM. However, research on children is more limited. What are the neural mechanisms involved in children's selection of incoming percepts in service of VWM? Do these differ from the ones subserving adults' selection? Ten-year-olds and adults used a spatial arrow cue to select a colored item for later recognition from an array of four colored items. The temporal dynamics of selection were investigated through EEG signals locked to the onset of the memory array. Both children and adults elicited significantly more negative activity over posterior scalp locations contralateral to the item to-be-selected for encoding (N2pc). However, this activity was elicited later and for longer in children compared to adults. Furthermore, although children as a group did not elicit a significant N2pc during the time-window in which N2pc was elicited in adults, the magnitude of N2pc during the "adult time-window" related to their behavioral performance during the later recognition phase of the task. This in turn highlights how children's neural activity subserving attention during encoding relates to better subsequent VWM performance. Significant differences were observed when children were divided into groups of high vs. low VWM capacity as a function of cueing benefit. Children with large cue benefits in VWM capacity elicited an adult-like contralateral negativity following attentional selection of the to-be-encoded item, whereas children with low VWM capacity did not. These results corroborate the close coupling between selective attention and VWM from childhood and elucidate further the attentional mechanisms constraining VWM performance in children.

Item generation and design testing of a questionnaire to assess degenerative joint disease-associated pain in cats.

PubMed

Zamprogno, Helia; Hansen, Bernie D; Bondell, Howard D; Sumrell, Andrea Thomson; Simpson, Wendy; Robertson, Ian D; Brown, James; Pease, Anthony P; Roe, Simon C; Hardie, Elizabeth M; Wheeler, Simon J; Lascelles, B Duncan X

2010-12-01

To determine the items (question topics) for a subjective instrument to assess degenerative joint disease (DJD)-associated chronic pain in cats and determine the instrument design most appropriate for use by cat owners. 100 randomly selected client-owned cats from 6 months to 20 years old. Cats were evaluated to determine degree of radiographic DJD and signs of pain throughout the skeletal system. Two groups were identified: high DJD pain and low DJD pain. Owner-answered questions about activity and signs of pain were compared between the 2 groups to define items relating to chronic DJD pain. Interviews with 45 cat owners were performed to generate items. Fifty-three cat owners who had not been involved in any other part of the study, 19 veterinarians, and 2 statisticians assessed 6 preliminary instrument designs. 22 cats were selected for each group; 19 important items were identified, resulting in 12 potential items for the instrument; and 3 additional items were identified from owner interviews. Owners and veterinarians selected a 5-point descriptive instrument design over 11-point or visual analogue scale formats. Behaviors relating to activity were substantially different between healthy cats and cats with signs of DJD-associated pain. Fifteen items were identified as being potentially useful, and the preferred instrument design was identified. This information could be used to construct an owner-based questionnaire to assess feline DJD-associated pain. Once validated, such a questionnaire would assist in evaluating potential analgesic treatments for these patients.

Item Selection Criteria with Practical Constraints for Computerized Classification Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Chuan-Ju

2011-01-01

This study compares four item selection criteria for a two-category computerized classification testing: (1) Fisher information (FI), (2) Kullback-Leibler information (KLI), (3) weighted log-odds ratio (WLOR), and (4) mutual information (MI), with respect to the efficiency and accuracy of classification decision using the sequential probability…

Selecting Lower Priced Items.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleinert, Harold L.; And Others

1988-01-01

A program used to teach moderately to severely mentally handicapped students to select the lower priced items in actual shopping activities is described. Through a five-phase process, students are taught to compare prices themselves as well as take into consideration variations in the sizes of containers and varying product weights. (VW)

ITEM SELECTION TECHNIQUES AND EVALUATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

COX, RICHARD C.

THE VALIDITY OF AN EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT TEST DEPENDS UPON THE CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN SPECIFIED EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THESE OBJECTIVES ARE MEASURED BY THE EVALUATION INSTRUMENT. THIS STUDY IS DESIGNED TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF STATISTICAL ITEM SELECTION ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE FINAL EVALUATION INSTRUMENT AS COMPARED WITH…

Mutual Information Item Selection in Adaptive Classification Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weissman, Alexander

2007-01-01

A general approach for item selection in adaptive multiple-category classification tests is provided. The approach uses mutual information (MI), a special case of the Kullback-Leibler distance, or relative entropy. MI works efficiently with the sequential probability ratio test and alleviates the difficulties encountered with using other local-…

Model Selection Indices for Polytomous Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Taehoon; Cohen, Allan S.; Sung, Hyun-Jung

2009-01-01

This study examines the utility of four indices for use in model selection with nested and nonnested polytomous item response theory (IRT) models: a cross-validation index and three information-based indices. Four commonly used polytomous IRT models are considered: the graded response model, the generalized partial credit model, the partial credit…

ARBA Guide to Biographical Resources 1986-1997.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wick, Robert L., Ed.; Mood, Terry Ann, Ed.

This guide provides a representative selection of biographical dictionaries and related works useful to the reference and collection development processes in all types of libraries. Three criteria were used in selection: (1) each item included was published within the past 12 years; (2) each item has been included in American Reference Books…

Taking Turns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopkins, Brian

2010-01-01

Two people take turns selecting from an even number of items. Their relative preferences over the items can be described as a permutation, then tools from algebraic combinatorics can be used to answer various questions. We describe each person's optimal selection strategies including how each could make use of knowing the other's preferences. We…

The Performance of IRT Model Selection Methods with Mixed-Format Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whittaker, Tiffany A.; Chang, Wanchen; Dodd, Barbara G.

2012-01-01

When tests consist of multiple-choice and constructed-response items, researchers are confronted with the question of which item response theory (IRT) model combination will appropriately represent the data collected from these mixed-format tests. This simulation study examined the performance of six model selection criteria, including the…

Practice increases procedural errors after task interruption.

PubMed

Altmann, Erik M; Hambrick, David Z

2017-05-01

Positive effects of practice are ubiquitous in human performance, but a finding from memory research suggests that negative effects are possible also. The finding is that memory for items on a list depends on the time interval between item presentations. This finding predicts a negative effect of practice on procedural performance under conditions of task interruption. As steps of a procedure are performed more quickly, memory for past performance should become less accurate, increasing the rate of skipped or repeated steps after an interruption. We found this effect, with practice generally improving speed and accuracy, but impairing accuracy after interruptions. The results show that positive effects of practice can interact with architectural constraints on episodic memory to have negative effects on performance. In practical terms, the results suggest that practice can be a risk factor for procedural errors in task environments with a high incidence of task interruption. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Identification of a killer by a definitive sneaker pattern and his beating instruments by their distinctive patterns.

PubMed

Zugibe, F T; Costello, J; Breithaupt, M

1996-03-01

A 39-year-old male service station attendant was found murdered on the floor of a gasoline service area by a passing motorist who had stopped for gas. The victim had been brutally beaten all over his entire body. After carefully examining the body and scene and taking selective photographs, special procedures were implemented in an attempt to preserve and transport the body without disturbing any items of evidence. In addition, specific evidentiary items were noted and collected for processing. The victim was meticulously examined externally at autopsy using a special protocol to locate clues that might assist in identifying a suspect or instrument of injury or death. Patterned impressions and subsequent DNA analysis proved successful in identifying the perpetrator of the crime and the instruments used in inflicting the beating. It is the purpose of this paper to show how a meticulous examination of the body for the presence of patterned injuries and critical studies of these patterns and impressions led to the identification of a killer and the instruments he used in a brutal beating.

An Evaluation of "Intentional" Weighting of Extended-Response or Constructed-Response Items in Tests with Mixed Item Types.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ito, Kyoko; Sykes, Robert C.

This study investigated the practice of weighting a type of test item, such as constructed response, more than other types of items, such as selected response, to compute student scores for a mixed-item type of test. The study used data from statewide writing field tests in grades 3, 5, and 8 and considered two contexts, that in which a single…

How generation affects source memory.

PubMed

Geghman, Kindiya D; Multhaup, Kristi S

2004-07-01

Generation effects (better memory for self-produced items than for provided items) typically occur in item memory. Jurica and Shimamura (1999) reported a negative generation effect in source memory, but their procedure did not test participants on the items they had generated. In Experiment 1, participants answered questions and read statements made by a face on a computer screen. The target word was unscrambled, or letters were filled in. Generation effects were found for target recall and source recognition (which person did which task). Experiment 2 extended these findings to a condition in which the external sources were two different faces. Generation had a positive effect on source memory, supporting an overlap in the underlying mechanisms of item and source memory.

The National Assessment Approach to Objectives and Exercise Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Barbara

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) item development procedures, possible improvements or alternatives to these procedures, and methods used to control potential sources of errors of interpretation are described. Current procedures call for the assessment of 9-, 13- and 17-year-olds in subject areas typically taught in schools.…

Extracting Undimensional Chains from Multidimensional Datasets: A Graph Theory Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yamomoto, Yoneo; Wise, Steven L.

An order-analysis procedure, which uses graph theory to extract efficiently nonredundant, unidimensional chains of items from multidimensional data sets and chain consistency as a criterion for chain membership is outlined in this paper. The procedure is intended as an alternative to the Reynolds (1976) procedure which is described as being…

Use of commercial grade item dedication to reduce procurement costs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosch, F.

1995-09-01

In the mid-1980s, the Nuclear Regulatory Industry (NRC) began inspecting utility practices of procuring and dedicating commercial grade items intended for plant safety-related applications. As a result of the industry efforts to address NRC concerns, nuclear utilities have enhanced existing programs and procedures for dedication of commercial grade items. Though these programs were originally enhanced to meet NRC concerns, utilities have discovered that the dedication of commercial grade items can also reduce overall procurement costs. This paper will discuss the enhancement of utility dedication programs and demonstrates how utilities have utilized them to reduce procurement costs.

Science Library of Test Items. Volume Two.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New South Wales Dept. of Education, Sydney (Australia).

The second volume of test items in the Science Library of Test Items is intended as a resource to assist teachers in implementing and evaluating science courses in the first 4 years of Australian secondary school. The items were selected from questions submitted to the School Certificate Development Unit by teachers in New South Wales. Only the…

Integrating Test-Form Formatting into Automated Test Assembly

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diao, Qi; van der Linden, Wim J.

2013-01-01

Automated test assembly uses the methodology of mixed integer programming to select an optimal set of items from an item bank. Automated test-form generation uses the same methodology to optimally order the items and format the test form. From an optimization point of view, production of fully formatted test forms directly from the item pool using…

The Subset Sum game.

PubMed

Darmann, Andreas; Nicosia, Gaia; Pferschy, Ulrich; Schauer, Joachim

2014-03-16

In this work we address a game theoretic variant of the Subset Sum problem, in which two decision makers (agents/players) compete for the usage of a common resource represented by a knapsack capacity. Each agent owns a set of integer weighted items and wants to maximize the total weight of its own items included in the knapsack. The solution is built as follows: Each agent, in turn, selects one of its items (not previously selected) and includes it in the knapsack if there is enough capacity. The process ends when the remaining capacity is too small for including any item left. We look at the problem from a single agent point of view and show that finding an optimal sequence of items to select is an [Formula: see text]-hard problem. Therefore we propose two natural heuristic strategies and analyze their worst-case performance when (1) the opponent is able to play optimally and (2) the opponent adopts a greedy strategy. From a centralized perspective we observe that some known results on the approximation of the classical Subset Sum can be effectively adapted to the multi-agent version of the problem.

The Subset Sum game☆

PubMed Central

Darmann, Andreas; Nicosia, Gaia; Pferschy, Ulrich; Schauer, Joachim

2014-01-01

In this work we address a game theoretic variant of the Subset Sum problem, in which two decision makers (agents/players) compete for the usage of a common resource represented by a knapsack capacity. Each agent owns a set of integer weighted items and wants to maximize the total weight of its own items included in the knapsack. The solution is built as follows: Each agent, in turn, selects one of its items (not previously selected) and includes it in the knapsack if there is enough capacity. The process ends when the remaining capacity is too small for including any item left. We look at the problem from a single agent point of view and show that finding an optimal sequence of items to select is an NP-hard problem. Therefore we propose two natural heuristic strategies and analyze their worst-case performance when (1) the opponent is able to play optimally and (2) the opponent adopts a greedy strategy. From a centralized perspective we observe that some known results on the approximation of the classical Subset Sum can be effectively adapted to the multi-agent version of the problem. PMID:25844012

Maintenance of item and order information in verbal working memory.

PubMed

Camos, Valérie; Lagner, Prune; Loaiza, Vanessa M

2017-09-01

Although verbal recall of item and order information is well-researched in short-term memory paradigms, there is relatively little research concerning item and order recall from working memory. The following study examined whether manipulating the opportunity for attentional refreshing and articulatory rehearsal in a complex span task differently affected the recall of item- and order-specific information of the memoranda. Five experiments varied the opportunity for articulatory rehearsal and attentional refreshing in a complex span task, but the type of recall was manipulated between experiments (item and order, order only, and item only recall). The results showed that impairing attentional refreshing and articulatory rehearsal similarly affected recall regardless of whether the scoring procedure (Experiments 1 and 4) or recall requirements (Experiments 2, 3, and 5) reflected item- or order-specific recall. This implies that both mechanisms sustain the maintenance of item and order information, and suggests that the common cumulative functioning of these two mechanisms to maintain items could be at the root of order maintenance.

A Model-Free Diagnostic for Single-Peakedness of Item Responses Using Ordered Conditional Means.

PubMed

Polak, Marike; de Rooij, Mark; Heiser, Willem J

2012-09-01

In this article we propose a model-free diagnostic for single-peakedness (unimodality) of item responses. Presuming a unidimensional unfolding scale and a given item ordering, we approximate item response functions of all items based on ordered conditional means (OCM). The proposed OCM methodology is based on Thurstone & Chave's (1929) criterion of irrelevance, which is a graphical, exploratory method for evaluating the "relevance" of dichotomous attitude items. We generalized this criterion to graded response items and quantified the relevance by fitting a unimodal smoother. The resulting goodness-of-fit was used to determine item fit and aggregated scale fit. Based on a simulation procedure, cutoff values were proposed for the measures of item fit. These cutoff values showed high power rates and acceptable Type I error rates. We present 2 applications of the OCM method. First, we apply the OCM method to personality data from the Developmental Profile; second, we analyze attitude data collected by Roberts and Laughlin (1996) concerning opinions of capital punishment.

DRD4 long allele carriers show heightened attention to high-priority items relative to low-priority items.

PubMed

Gorlick, Marissa A; Worthy, Darrell A; Knopik, Valerie S; McGeary, John E; Beevers, Christopher G; Maddox, W Todd

2015-03-01

Humans with seven or more repeats in exon III of the DRD4 gene (long DRD4 carriers) sometimes demonstrate impaired attention, as seen in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and at other times demonstrate heightened attention, as seen in addictive behavior. Although the clinical effects of DRD4 are the focus of much work, this gene may not necessarily serve as a "risk" gene for attentional deficits, but as a plasticity gene where attention is heightened for priority items in the environment and impaired for minor items. Here we examine the role of DRD4 in two tasks that benefit from selective attention to high-priority information. We examine a category learning task where performance is supported by focusing on features and updating verbal rules. Here, selective attention to the most salient features is associated with good performance. In addition, we examine the Operation Span (OSPAN) task, a working memory capacity task that relies on selective attention to update and maintain items in memory while also performing a secondary task. Long DRD4 carriers show superior performance relative to short DRD4 homozygotes (six or less tandem repeats) in both the category learning and OSPAN tasks. These results suggest that DRD4 may serve as a "plasticity" gene where individuals with the long allele show heightened selective attention to high-priority items in the environment, which can be beneficial in the appropriate context.

DRD4 Long Allele Carriers Show Heightened Attention to High-Priority Items Relative to Low-Priority Items

PubMed Central

Gorlick, Marissa A.; Worthy, Darrell A.; Knopik, Valerie S.; McGeary, John E.; Beevers, Christopher G.; Maddox, W. Todd

2014-01-01

Humans with 7 or more repeats in exon III of the DRD4 gene (long DRD4 carriers) sometimes demonstrate impaired attention, as seen in ADHD, and at other times demonstrate heightened attention, as seen in addictive behavior. Though the clinical effects of DRD4 are the focus of much work, this gene may not necessarily serve as a ‘risk’ gene for attentional deficits, but as a plasticity gene where attention is heightened for priority items in the environment and impaired for minor items. Here we examine the role of DRD4 in two tasks that benefit from selective attention to high-priority information. We examine a category learning task where performance is supported by focusing on features and updating verbal rules. Here selective attention to the most salient features is associated with good performance. In addition, we examine the Operation Span Task (OSPAN), a working memory capacity task that relies on selective attention to update and maintain items in memory while also performing a secondary task. Long DRD4 carriers show superior performance relative to short DRD4 homozygotes (six or less tandem repeats) in both the category learning and OSPAN tasks. These results suggest that DRD4 may serve as a ‘plasticity’ gene where individuals with the long allele show heightened selective attention to high-priority items in the environment, which can be beneficial in the appropriate context. PMID:25244120

Learning to change taxonomies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eneva, Elena; Petrushin, Valery A.

2002-03-01

Taxonomies are valuable tools for structuring and representing our knowledge about the world. They are widely used in many domains, where information about species, products, customers, publications, etc. needs to be organized. In the absence of standards, many taxonomies of the same entities can co-exist. A problem arises when data categorized in a particular taxonomy needs to be used by a procedure (methodology or algorithm) that uses a different taxonomy. Usually, a labor-intensive manual approach is used to solve this problem. This paper describes a machine learning approach which aids domain experts in changing taxonomies. It allows learning relationships between two taxonomies and mapping the data from one taxonomy into another. The proposed approach uses decision trees and bootstrapping for learning mappings of instances from the source to the target taxonomies. A C4.5 decision tree classifier is trained on a small manually labeled training set and applied to a randomly selected sample from the unlabeled data. The classification results are analyzed and the misclassified items are corrected and all items are added to the training set. This procedure is iterated until unlabeled data is available or an acceptable error rate is reached. In the latter case the last classifier is used to label all the remaining data. We test our approach on a database of products obtained from as grocery store chain and find that it performs well, reaching 92.6% accuracy while requiring the human expert to explicitly label only 18% of the entire data.

Thermal Adaptation Methods of Urban Plaza Users in Asia's Hot-Humid Regions: A Taiwan Case Study.

PubMed

Wu, Chen-Fa; Hsieh, Yen-Fen; Ou, Sheng-Jung

2015-10-27

Thermal adaptation studies provide researchers great insight to help understand how people respond to thermal discomfort. This research aims to assess outdoor urban plaza conditions in hot and humid regions of Asia by conducting an evaluation of thermal adaptation. We also propose that questionnaire items are appropriate for determining thermal adaptation strategies adopted by urban plaza users. A literature review was conducted and first hand data collected by field observations and interviews used to collect information on thermal adaptation strategies. Item analysis--Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)--were applied to refine the questionnaire items and determine the reliability of the questionnaire evaluation procedure. The reliability and validity of items and constructing process were also analyzed. Then, researchers facilitated an evaluation procedure for assessing the thermal adaptation strategies of urban plaza users in hot and humid regions of Asia and formulated a questionnaire survey that was distributed in Taichung's Municipal Plaza in Taiwan. Results showed that most users responded with behavioral adaptation when experiencing thermal discomfort. However, if the thermal discomfort could not be alleviated, they then adopted psychological strategies. In conclusion, the evaluation procedure for assessing thermal adaptation strategies and the questionnaire developed in this study can be applied to future research on thermal adaptation strategies adopted by urban plaza users in hot and humid regions of Asia.

Thermal Adaptation Methods of Urban Plaza Users in Asia’s Hot-Humid Regions: A Taiwan Case Study

PubMed Central

Wu, Chen-Fa; Hsieh, Yen-Fen; Ou, Sheng-Jung

2015-01-01

Thermal adaptation studies provide researchers great insight to help understand how people respond to thermal discomfort. This research aims to assess outdoor urban plaza conditions in hot and humid regions of Asia by conducting an evaluation of thermal adaptation. We also propose that questionnaire items are appropriate for determining thermal adaptation strategies adopted by urban plaza users. A literature review was conducted and first hand data collected by field observations and interviews used to collect information on thermal adaptation strategies. Item analysis—Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)—were applied to refine the questionnaire items and determine the reliability of the questionnaire evaluation procedure. The reliability and validity of items and constructing process were also analyzed. Then, researchers facilitated an evaluation procedure for assessing the thermal adaptation strategies of urban plaza users in hot and humid regions of Asia and formulated a questionnaire survey that was distributed in Taichung’s Municipal Plaza in Taiwan. Results showed that most users responded with behavioral adaptation when experiencing thermal discomfort. However, if the thermal discomfort could not be alleviated, they then adopted psychological strategies. In conclusion, the evaluation procedure for assessing thermal adaptation strategies and the questionnaire developed in this study can be applied to future research on thermal adaptation strategies adopted by urban plaza users in hot and humid regions of Asia. PMID:26516881

Optimization of digitization procedures in cultural heritage preservation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez, Bea; Mitjà, Carles; Escofet, Jaume

2013-11-01

The digitization of both volumetric and flat objects is the nowadays-preferred method in order to preserve cultural heritage items. High quality digital files obtained from photographic plates, films and prints, paintings, drawings, gravures, fabrics and sculptures, allows not only for a wider diffusion and on line transmission, but also for the preservation of the original items from future handling. Early digitization procedures used scanners for flat opaque or translucent objects and camera only for volumetric or flat highly texturized materials. The technical obsolescence of the high-end scanners and the improvement achieved by professional cameras has result in a wide use of cameras with digital back to digitize any kind of cultural heritage item. Since the lens, the digital back, the software controlling the camera and the digital image processing provide a wide range of possibilities, there is necessary to standardize the methods used in the reproduction work leading to preserve as high as possible the original item properties. This work presents an overview about methods used for camera system characterization, as well as the best procedures in order to identify and counteract the effect of the lens residual aberrations, sensor aliasing, image illumination, color management and image optimization by means of parametric image processing. As a corollary, the work shows some examples of reproduction workflow applied to the digitization of valuable art pieces and glass plate photographic black and white negatives.

New decision criteria for selecting delta check methods based on the ratio of the delta difference to the width of the reference range can be generally applicable for each clinical chemistry test item.

PubMed

Park, Sang Hyuk; Kim, So-Young; Lee, Woochang; Chun, Sail; Min, Won-Ki

2012-09-01

Many laboratories use 4 delta check methods: delta difference, delta percent change, rate difference, and rate percent change. However, guidelines regarding decision criteria for selecting delta check methods have not yet been provided. We present new decision criteria for selecting delta check methods for each clinical chemistry test item. We collected 811,920 and 669,750 paired (present and previous) test results for 27 clinical chemistry test items from inpatients and outpatients, respectively. We devised new decision criteria for the selection of delta check methods based on the ratio of the delta difference to the width of the reference range (DD/RR). Delta check methods based on these criteria were compared with those based on the CV% of the absolute delta difference (ADD) as well as those reported in 2 previous studies. The delta check methods suggested by new decision criteria based on the DD/RR ratio corresponded well with those based on the CV% of the ADD except for only 2 items each in inpatients and outpatients. Delta check methods based on the DD/RR ratio also corresponded with those suggested in the 2 previous studies, except for 1 and 7 items in inpatients and outpatients, respectively. The DD/RR method appears to yield more feasible and intuitive selection criteria and can easily explain changes in the results by reflecting both the biological variation of the test item and the clinical characteristics of patients in each laboratory. We suggest this as a measure to determine delta check methods.

Is It Working? Distractor Analysis Results from the Test Of Astronomy STandards (TOAST) Assessment Instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slater, Stephanie

2009-05-01

The Test Of Astronomy STandards (TOAST) assessment instrument is a multiple-choice survey tightly aligned to the consensus learning goals stated by the American Astronomical Society - Chair's Conference on ASTRO 101, the American Association of the Advancement of Science's Project 2061 Benchmarks, and the National Research Council's National Science Education Standards. Researchers from the Cognition in Astronomy, Physics and Earth sciences Research (CAPER) Team at the University of Wyoming's Science and Math Teaching Center (UWYO SMTC) have been conducting a question-by-question distractor analysis procedure to determine the sensitivity and effectiveness of each item. In brief, the frequency each possible answer choice, known as a foil or distractor on a multiple-choice test, is determined and compared to the existing literature on the teaching and learning of astronomy. In addition to having statistical difficulty and discrimination values, a well functioning assessment item will show students selecting distractors in the relative proportions to how we expect them to respond based on known misconceptions and reasoning difficulties. In all cases, our distractor analysis suggests that all items are functioning as expected. These results add weight to the validity of the Test Of Astronomy STandards (TOAST) assessment instrument, which is designed to help instructors and researchers measure the impact of course-length duration instructional strategies for undergraduate science survey courses with learning goals tightly aligned to the consensus goals of the astronomy education community.

Translation and linguistic validation of the Composite Autonomic Symptom Score COMPASS 31.

PubMed

Pierangeli, Giulia; Turrini, Alessandra; Giannini, Giulia; Del Sorbo, Francesca; Calandra-Buonaura, Giovanna; Guaraldi, Pietro; Bacchi Reggiani, Maria Letizia; Cortelli, Pietro

2015-10-01

The aim of our study was to translate and to do a linguistic validation of the Composite Autonomic Symptom Score COMPASS 31. COMPASS 31 is a self-assessment instrument including 31 items assessing six domains of autonomic functions: orthostatic intolerance, vasomotor, secretomotor, gastrointestinal, bladder, and pupillomotor functions. This questionnaire has been created by the Autonomic group of the Mayo Clinic from two previous versions: the Autonomic Symptom Profile (ASP) composed of 169 items and the following COMPASS with 72 items selected from the ASP. We translated the questionnaire by means of a standardized forward and back-translation procedure. Thirty-six subjects, 25 patients with autonomic failure of different aethiologies and 11 healthy controls filled in the COMPASS 31 twice, 4 ± 1 weeks apart, once in Italian and once in English in a randomized order. The test-retest showed a significant correlation between the Italian and the English versions as total score. The evaluation of single domains by means of Pearson correlation when applicable or by means of Spearman test showed a significant correlation between the English and the Italian COMPASS 31 version for all clinical domains except the vasomotor one for the lack of scoring. The comparison between the patients with autonomic failure and healthy control groups showed significantly higher total scores in patients with respect to controls confirming the high sensitivity of COMPASS 31 in revealing autonomic symptoms.

Application of indices Cp and Cpk to improve quality control capability in clinical biochemistry laboratories.

PubMed

Chen, Ming-Shu; Wu, Ming-Hsun; Lin, Chih-Ming

2014-04-30

The traditional criteria for acceptability of analytic quality may not be objective in clinical laboratories. To establish quality control procedures intended to enhance Westgard multi-rules for improving the quality of clinical biochemistry tests, we applied the Cp and Cpk quality-control indices to monitor tolerance fitting and systematic variation of clinical biochemistry test results. Daily quality-control data of a large Taiwanese hospital in 2009 were analyzed. The test items were selected based on an Olympus biochemistry machine and included serum albumin, aspartate aminotransferase, cholesterol, glucose and potassium levels. Cp and Cpk values were calculated for normal and abnormal levels, respectively. The tolerance range was estimated with data from 50 laboratories using the same instruments and reagents. The results showed a monthly trend of variation for the five items under investigation. The index values of glucose were lower than those of the other items, and their values were usually <2. In contrast to the Cp value for cholesterol, Cpk of cholesterol was lower than 2, indicating a systematic error that should be further investigated. This finding suggests a degree of variation or failure to meet specifications that should be corrected. The study indicated that Cp and Cpk could be applied not only for monitoring variations in quality control, but also for revealing inter-laboratory qualitycontrol capability differences.

Guideline for Reporting Interventions on Spinal Manipulative Therapy: Consensus on Interventions Reporting Criteria List for Spinal Manipulative Therapy (CIRCLe SMT).

PubMed

Groeneweg, Ruud; Rubinstein, Sidney M; Oostendorp, Rob A B; Ostelo, Raymond W J G; van Tulder, Maurits W

2017-02-01

The aim of the Consensus on Interventions Reporting Criteria List for Spinal Manipulative Therapy (CIRCLe SMT) study was to develop a criteria list for reporting spinal manipulative therapy (SMT). A Delphi procedure was conducted from September 2011 to April 2013 and consisted of international experts in the field of SMT. The authors formed a steering committee and invited participants, selected initial items, structured the comments of the participants after each Delphi round, and formulated the feedback. To ensure content validity, a large number of international experts from different SMT-related disciplines were invited to participate. A workshop was organized following the consensus phase, and it was used to discuss and refine the wording of the items. In total, 123 experts from 18 countries participated. These experts included clinicians (70%), researchers (93%), and academics working in the area of SMT (27%), as well as journal editors (14%). (Note: The total is more than 100% because most participants reported 2 jobs.) Three Delphi rounds were necessary to reach a consensus. The criteria list comprised 24 items under 5 domains, including (1) rationale of the therapy, (2) description of the intervention, (3) SMT techniques, (4) additional intervention/techniques, and (5) quantitative data. A valid criteria list was constructed with the aim of promoting consistency in reporting SMT intervention in scientific publications. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Development and validation of the Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS) in a community sample and individuals with major depression.

PubMed

Rizvi, Sakina J; Quilty, Lena C; Sproule, Beth A; Cyriac, Anna; Michael Bagby, R; Kennedy, Sidney H

2015-09-30

Anhedonia, a core symptom of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), is predictive of antidepressant non-response. In contrast to the definition of anhedonia as a "loss of pleasure", neuropsychological studies provide evidence for multiple facets of hedonic function. The aim of the current study was to develop and validate the Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS), a dynamic scale that measures desire, motivation, effort and consummatory pleasure across hedonic domains. Following item selection procedures and reliability testing using data from community participants (N=229) (Study 1), the 17-item scale was validated in an online study with community participants (N=150) (Study 2). The DARS was also validated in unipolar or bipolar depressed patients (n=52) and controls (n=50) (Study 3). Principal components analysis of the 17-item DARS revealed a 4-component structure mapping onto the domains of anhedonia: hobbies, food/drink, social activities, and sensory experience. Reliability of the DARS subscales was high across studies (Cronbach's α=0.75-0.92). The DARS also demonstrated good convergent and divergent validity. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed the DARS showed additional utility over the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) in predicting reward function and distinguishing MDD subgroups. These studies provide support for the reliability and validity of the DARS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selecting, Evaluating and Creating Policies for Computer-Based Resources in the Behavioral Sciences and Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Linda B., Comp.; And Others

This collection includes four handouts: (1) "Selection Critria Considerations for Computer-Based Resources" (Linda B. Richardson); (2) "Software Collection Policies in Academic Libraries" (a 24-item bibliography, Jane W. Johnson); (3) "Circulation and Security of Software" (a 19-item bibliography, Sara Elizabeth Williams); and (4) "Bibliography of…

Emotional Intelligence in Applicant Selection for Care-Related Academic Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zysberg, Leehu; Levy, Anat; Zisberg, Anna

2011-01-01

Two studies describe the development of the Audiovisual Test of Emotional Intelligence (AVEI), aimed at candidate selection in educational settings. Study I depicts the construction of the test and the preliminary examination of its psychometric properties in a sample of 92 college students. Item analysis allowed the modification of problem items,…

A Selected Bibliography on International Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foreign Policy Association, New York, NY.

This unannotated bibliography is divided into four major sections; 1) General Background Readings for Teachers; 2) Approaches and Methods; 3) Materials for the Classroom; and, 4) Sources of Information and Materials. It offers a highly selective list of items which provide wide coverage of the field. Included are items on foreign policy, war and…

2 CFR Appendix B to Part 230 - Selected Items of Cost

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... PRINCIPLES FOR NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS (OMB CIRCULAR A-122) Pt. 230, App. B Appendix B to Part 230—Selected... use of patents and copyrights 45. Selling and marketing 46. Specialized service facilities 47. Taxes... of this appendix provide principles to be applied in establishing the allowability of certain items...

An Attempt to Influence Selected Portions of Student Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Edwin R.

In an attempt to selectively improve student performance, one-half of a set of difficult test items from a FORTRAN programming class had handouts explaining the concepts underlying the items distributed to the students. Each handout contained a written learning objective, a short prose passage explaining the objective, and one or more practice…

Informed and Uninformed Naïve Assessment Constructors' Strategies for Item Selection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fives, Helenrose; Barnes, Nicole

2017-01-01

We present a descriptive analysis of 53 naïve assessment constructors' explanations for selecting test items to include on a summative assessment. We randomly assigned participants to an informed and uninformed condition (i.e., informed participants read an article describing a Table of Specifications). Through recursive thematic analyses of…

Dual-Objective Item Selection Criteria in Cognitive Diagnostic Computerized Adaptive Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Hyeon-Ah; Zhang, Susu; Chang, Hua-Hua

2017-01-01

The development of cognitive diagnostic-computerized adaptive testing (CD-CAT) has provided a new perspective for gaining information about examinees' mastery on a set of cognitive attributes. This study proposes a new item selection method within the framework of dual-objective CD-CAT that simultaneously addresses examinees' attribute mastery…

Audiovisual Materials for Teaching Economics. Third Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harter, Charlotte T.; And Others

The third edition of this catalog, which expands and revises earlier editions, annotates audiovisual items for economic education in kindergarten through college. The purpose of the catalog is to help teachers select sound economic materials for classroom use. A selective listing, the catalog cites over 700 items out of more than 1200 items…

The Relationship between Attitudes toward Censorship and Selected Academic Variables.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dwyer, Edward J.; Summy, Mary K.

1989-01-01

To examine characteristics of subjects relative to their attitudes toward censorship, a study surveyed 98 college students selected from students in a public university in the southeastern United States. A 24-item Likert-style censorship scale was used to measure attitudes toward censorship. Strong agreement with affirmative items would suggest…

Forgetting motor programmes: retrieval dynamics in procedural memory.

PubMed

Tempel, Tobias; Frings, Christian

2014-01-01

When motor sequences are stored in memory in a categorised manner, selective retrieval of some sequences can induce forgetting of the non-retrieved sequences. We show that such retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) occurs not only in cued recall but also in a test assessing memory indirectly by providing novel test cues without involving recall of items. Participants learned several sequential finger movements (SFMs), each consisting of the movement of two fingers of either the left or the right hand. Subsequently, they performed retrieval practice on half of the sequences of one hand. A final task then required participants to enter letter dyads. A subset of these dyads corresponded to the previously learned sequences. RIF was present in the response times during the entering of the dyads. The finding of RIF in the slowed-down execution of motor programmes overlapping with initially trained motor sequences suggests that inhibition resolved interference between procedural representations of the acquired motor sequences of one hand during retrieval practice.

Is selective attention the basis for selective imitation in infants? An eye-tracking study of deferred imitation with 12-month-olds.

PubMed

Kolling, Thorsten; Oturai, Gabriella; Knopf, Monika

2014-08-01

Infants and children do not blindly copy every action they observe during imitation tasks. Research demonstrated that infants are efficient selective imitators. The impact of selective perceptual processes (selective attention) for selective deferred imitation, however, is still poorly described. The current study, therefore, analyzed 12-month-old infants' looking behavior during demonstration of two types of target actions: arbitrary versus functional actions. A fully automated remote eye tracker was used to assess infants' looking behavior during action demonstration. After a 30-min delay, infants' deferred imitation performance was assessed. Next to replicating a memory effect, results demonstrate that infants do imitate significantly more functional actions than arbitrary actions (functionality effect). Eye-tracking data show that whereas infants do not fixate significantly longer on functional actions than on arbitrary actions, amount of fixations and amount of saccades differ between functional and arbitrary actions, indicating different encoding mechanisms. In addition, item-level findings differ from overall findings, indicating that perceptual and conceptual item features influence looking behavior. Looking behavior on both the overall and item levels, however, does not relate to deferred imitation performance. Taken together, the findings demonstrate that, on the one hand, selective imitation is not explainable merely by selective attention processes. On the other hand, notwithstanding this reasoning, attention processes on the item level are important for encoding processes during target action demonstration. Limitations and future studies are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rethinking Familiarity: Remember/Know Judgments in Free Recall

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mickes, Laura; Seale-Carlisle, Travis M.; Wixted, John T.

2013-01-01

Although frequently used with recognition, a few studies have used the Remember/Know procedure with free recall. In each case, participants gave Know judgments to a significant number of recalled items (items that were presumably not remembered on the basis of familiarity). What do these Know judgments mean? We investigated this issue using a…

A New Procedure for Detection of Students' Rapid Guessing Responses Using Response Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guo, Hongwen; Rios, Joseph A.; Haberman, Shelby; Liu, Ou Lydia; Wang, Jing; Paek, Insu

2016-01-01

Unmotivated test takers using rapid guessing in item responses can affect validity studies and teacher and institution performance evaluation negatively, making it critical to identify these test takers. The authors propose a new nonparametric method for finding response-time thresholds for flagging item responses that result from rapid-guessing…

48 CFR 52.212-3 - Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...— (i) To restrict the free flow of unbiased information in Iran; or (ii) To disrupt, monitor, or... End Products: Line Item No.: Country of Origin: (List as necessary) (3) The Government will evaluate... will evaluate offers in accordance with the policies and procedures of FAR Part 25. (2) Buy American...

48 CFR 52.212-3 - Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... that is to be used specifically— (i) To restrict the free flow of unbiased information in Iran; or (ii... End Products: Line Item No.: Country of Origin: (List as necessary) (3) The Government will evaluate... necessary) (iv) The Government will evaluate offers in accordance with the policies and procedures of FAR...

Memory for Recently Accessed Visual Attributes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Yuhong V.; Shupe, Joshua M.; Swallow, Khena M.; Tan, Deborah H.

2016-01-01

Recent reports have suggested that the attended features of an item may be rapidly forgotten once they are no longer relevant for an ongoing task (attribute amnesia). This finding relies on a surprise memory procedure that places high demands on declarative memory. We used intertrial priming to examine whether the representation of an item's…

Development of a Scale to Measure Lifelong Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirby, John R.; Knapper, Christopher; Lamon, Patrick; Egnatoff, William J.

2010-01-01

Primary objective: to develop a scale to measure students' disposition to engage in lifelong learning. Research design, methods and procedures: using items that reflected the components of lifelong learning, we constructed a 14-item scale that was completed by 309 university and vocational college students, who also completed a measure of deep and…

CRITICAL PROBLEMS AND NEEDS OF CALIFORNIA JUNIOR COLLEGES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

PETERSON, BASIL H.; AND OTHERS

THROUGH A PROCEDURE INVOLVING RESPONSES FROM 85 PERCENT OF THE STATE JUNIOR COLLEGES AND WEIGHTED RANK ORDERING OF ITEMS BY MEMBERS OF THE CALIFORNIA JUNIOR COLLEGE ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE'S ADVISORY AND STEERING SUBCOMMITTEES, 26 OF THE MOST CRITICAL NEEDS AND PROBLEMS ARE IDENTIFIED AND RANKED. THE FIRST FIVE ITEMS ARE CONCERN FOR EFFECTIVENESS…

Optimal Rating Procedures and Methodology for NAEP Open- Ended Items. Working Paper Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patz, Richard J.; Wilson, Mark; Hoskens, Machteld

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) collects data in the form of repeated, discrete measures (test items) with hierarchical structure for both measures and subjects, that is complex by any standard. This complexity has been managed through a "divide and conquer" approach of isolating and evaluating sources of…

Interpretation of the Rasch Ability and Difficulty Scales for Educational Purposes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodcock, Richard W.

Though many test developers have utilized item response theory in their work, few have taken advantage of the potential of item response theory for providing new interpretation procedures that accentuate the educational implications to be drawn from test scores. This paper describes several features, based upon the Rasch difficulty and ability…

78 FR 70382 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; International Securities Exchange, LLC; Notice of Filing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-25

... change as described in Items I and II below, which items have been prepared by the Exchange. The... received after Friday expiration processing is complete but before the Saturday contract expiration time... subsections, which deals with procedures for exercise of American-style cash-settled index options contracts...

Risk Taking in Community College Students: Age and Sex Differences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okun, Morris A.; Johnston, Lynn D.

To determine the relationship between age and risk taking for community college students, 74 male and 72 female students, ranging from 18-79 years of age, took a vocabulary test in which six "nonsense" items were interspersed among 54 legitimate items (following Slakter's procedure). Test instructions explained a penalty would be levied for…

11 CFR 9034.6 - Expenditures for transportation and services made available to media personnel; reimbursements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... may seek reimbursement from the media only for the billable items specified in the White House Press Corps Travel Policies and Procedures issued by the White House Travel Office. (b) Reimbursement limits..., telephone service, and other billable items specified in the White House Press Corps Travel Policies and...