Item Difficulty and Discrimination as a Function of Stem Completeness

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 739-743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Violato
Keyword(s):  
Factorial Design ◽  
Experimental Model ◽  
Interaction Effect ◽  
Item Difficulty ◽  
Multiple Choice ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Choice Test ◽  
Multiple Choice Test ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Multiple Choice Items

The effects on item difficulty and discrimination of stem completeness (complete stem or incomplete stem) for multiple-choice items were studied experimentally. Subjects (166 junior education students) were classified into three achievement groups (low, medium, high) and one of two forms of a multiple-choice test was randomly assigned to each subject. A two-way factorial design (completeness × achievement) was used as the experimental model. Analysis indicated that stem completeness had no effect on either item discrimination or difficulty and there was no interaction effect with achievement. It was concluded that multiple-choice items may be very robust in measuring knowledge in a subject area irrespective of variations in stem construction.

scholarly journals An Automatic Quantification of the Randomness of Answering Correctly in Taking Traditional Multiple-choice Tests

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 1152
Author(s):  
Qingsong Gu ◽  
Michael W. Schwartz
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Choice ◽  
Choice Test ◽  
Multiple Choice Test ◽  
Microsoft Excel ◽  
Automatic Quantification ◽  
Multiple Choice Tests ◽  
Choice Tests ◽  
Multiple Choice Items ◽  
Passing Score ◽  
Random Guessing

In taking traditional multiple-choice tests, random guessing is unavoidable yet nonnegligible. To uncover the “unfairness” caused by random guessing, this paper designed a Microsoft Excel template with the use of relevant functions to automatically quantify the probability of answering correctly at random, eventually figuring out the least scores a testee should get to pass a traditional multiple-choice test with different probabilities of answering correctly at random and the “luckiness” for passing it. This paper concludes that, although random guessing is nonnegligible, it is unnecessary to remove traditional multiple-choice items from all testing activities, because it can be controlled through changing the passing score and the number of options or reducing its percentage in a test.

The Effect of Semantically Ordered Computerized Test Questions on Student Performance and Behavior

1996 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-286
Author(s):  
Thomas E. Marshall ◽  
Terry Anthony Byrd ◽  
J. Wayne Spence
Keyword(s):  
Correlation Analysis ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Multiple Choice ◽  
Choice Test ◽  
Multiple Choice Test ◽  
Total Control ◽  
Multiple Choice Items ◽  
Student Subjects ◽  
And Behavior

This study examines the strategies used in answering a computerized multiple-choice test where the items have been semantically blocked (all questions on a semantic topic grouped together) or unblocked (semantics randomly distributed throughout the test). Student subjects had almost total control to navigate the test in any way they chose and also to reorder the organization of the multiple-choice items. The strategies were captured using a non-intrusive computer logging mechanism that records the actions of the subjects. Correlation analysis was used to evaluate the strategies that the subjects employed in completing the test. The findings indicate that students grouped by performance on the test used distinctly different strategies in completing the test. It is proposed that the differences are due to distinct cognitive processes between the groups.

scholarly journals Calibrating Students’ Performance in Mathematics: A Rasch Model Analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3.20) ◽  
pp. 109
Author(s):  
Hasni Shamsuddin ◽  
Nordin Abdul Razak ◽  
Ahmad Zamri Khairani
Keyword(s):  
Rasch Model ◽  
Item Difficulty ◽  
Multiple Choice ◽  
Model Analysis ◽  
Choice Test ◽  
Multiple Choice Test ◽  
Mathematics Test ◽  
Item Level

Rasch model analysis is an important tools in analysing students’ performance at item level. As such, the purpose of this study is to calibrate 14 years old students’ performance in mathematics test based on the item difficulty parameter. 307 Form 2 students provide responses for this study. A 40-item multiple choice test was developed to gauge the responses. Results show that two of the items need to be dropped since they did not meet the Rasch model’s expectations. Analysis on the remaining items showed that the students were most competent in item related to Directed Numbers (mean = -1.445 logits), while they are least competent in the topic of Circle (mean = 1.065 logits). We also provide calibration of the performance at item level. In addition, we discuss how to the findings might be helpful for teachers in addressing students’ difficulty in the topics.  

Are Undergraduate Examinees' Perceptions of Item Difficulty Related to Item Characteristics?

2002 ◽  
Vol 95 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1281-1286
Author(s):  
David T. Morse ◽  
Linda V. Morse
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Item Difficulty ◽  
Multiple Choice ◽  
Choice Test ◽  
Multiple Choice Test ◽  
Cognitive Level ◽  
Total Correlation ◽  
Item Characteristics ◽  
Factual Recall

The present study assessed whether selected item characteristics—difficulty for the group, corrected item-total correlation, cognitive level, and difficulty for the examinee—relate to judgment of item difficulty. Undergraduate students in two classes ( ns = 76, 43) identified what they believed were the five easiest and five most difficult items on a multiple-choice test. Statistically significant correlations were observed for difficulty for the group and the frequency that items were chosen as easy as well as with frequency of items chosen as difficult. Students performed significantly better on items they chose as easy than those chosen as difficult. Items chosen as easy more often called for simple, factual recall than did items chosen as difficult.

scholarly journals THE EFFECT OF LEXICAL STRATEGIES AND THE VOCABULARY MASTERY ON THE STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY ACHIEVEMENT

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosi Heftania ◽  
Amrin Saragih ◽  
Anni Holila Pulungan
Keyword(s):  
Factorial Design ◽  
Experimental Research ◽  
Lexical Processing ◽  
Multiple Choice ◽  
Achievement Test ◽  
Choice Test ◽  
Multiple Choice Test ◽  
Lexical Inferencing ◽  
Processing Strategies ◽  
Vocabulary Achievement

The objectives of the study are to describe whether : 1). Students’ vocabulary mastery taught by inferencing strategies (IS) higher than taught by Lexical Processing Strategies (LPSs) in students’ vocabulary achievement.2) Students’ who have high vocabulary mastery is significantly higher than students’ who have low vocabulary mastery in students’ vocabulary achievement. 3) The effect of simultaneously applying both Lexical Strategies and Vocabulary mastery on the students’ vocabulary achievement. An experimental research with factorial design 2x2 was used in this study. There was 80 students from grade X of 2017/2018 academic years of MAN 1 Takengon as sample of this study. The students divided in two groups. Each group consists of 40 students. The first group was treated by using Lexical Inferencing Strategies and the second group was treated by Lexical Processing Strategies. Vocabulary of the two groups was measured by giving questionnaire to classify the students having high and low vocabulary mastery, and achievement test measure by giving multiple choice test to know students’ achievement in vocabulary mastery. The data are analyzed by applying two-way ANOVA at the level significance ɑ = 0.05. The findings of the data shows that. 1) The students’ vocabulary mastery taught by using Lexical Inferencing Strategies was higher than that taught by using Lexical Processing Strategies, with Fobs (19.72) > Ftab (3.25). 2) The Vocabulary Achievement of the students who have high vocabulary mastery was higher than students who have low vocabulary mastery, with Fobs (2691.93) > Ftab (3.25). 3) There was significance interaction between teaching Lexical Strategies and Vocabulary Mastery on the students’ vocabulary achievement, with Fobs (3.27) > Ftable (3.25).

scholarly journals Analysis items of the four-tier immune system multiple choice test instrument using rasch model

Biosfer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-119
Author(s):  
Feni Andriani ◽  
Meti Indrowati ◽  
Bowo Sugiharto
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Item Difficulty ◽  
Multiple Choice ◽  
Simple Random Sampling ◽  
Choice Test ◽  
Multiple Choice Test ◽  
Discrimination Test ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Student Misconceptions ◽  
Analysis Technique

The purpose of this study was to analyze the feasibility of the items of the four-tier multiple-choice test immune system instrument that had been developed. The development of the instrument using the Treagust (1988) model, namely defining content, collecting student misconceptions information, and developing a diagnostic test. A total of 25 items have been developed. The results of the instrument development were tested on 142 students of grade XI from several high schools in Surakarta who were selected by simple random sampling. The data analysis technique was performed using Rasch analysis in the Winstep application. The results of the construct validity test showed items number 5, 7, and 9 did not fit the validity standards. The reliability test shows that the value of Cronbach Alpha reliability is bad (n = 0.51), the value of the reliability item is special (no = 0.97), the value of person reliability is sufficient (n = 0.68), the value of person separation is weak (n = 1.44), and the item separation value is special (n = 5.38). The person discrimination test showed student 056P31 has the highest ability and student 098P51 has the lowest ability. The item discrimination test shows item number 1 is the best item and the bad item is number 14. The item difficulty analysis showed less proportionality because there were too many items in the easy and difficult categories. An expansion of the sample is needed to see a more comprehensive and diverse range of responses to instruments.

scholarly journals An Investigation on the Effect of the Difficulty of an Item in A Multiple Choice Examination When Item Choices are Rearrange

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 398-407
Author(s):  
Jonald Pimentel ◽  
Marah Luriely A. Villaruz
Keyword(s):  
Item Difficulty ◽  
Multiple Choice ◽  
Choice Test ◽  
Difficulty Level ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Multiple Choice Test ◽  
Difficult Time ◽  
Post Test ◽  
The Given ◽  
The Rasch Model

A study was conducted to know if rearranging item choices in an item of a multiple choice test affects the behavior of the examinees the way they look at the item difficulty of the given items. Two sets of test instruments (pretest and modified posttest) containing fifteen items were made with the same items but item choices for the modified posttest instrument were rearranged. Among the 205 examinees who took the test during a two-week time interval, their responses were modeled using the Rasch model.  Results show that the estimates of the item difficulties for the majority of the fifteen items between the two tests were different. Majority of the items given in the exam showed an increase in the difficulty level as viewed by the examinees. The effect on the difficulty maybe due to the time interval the two sets of test were administered, that is first, students forget what they learned and see the items as difficult (time factor) and second, the rearrangement of the choices in each items in the post test affected the student’s way they see in dealing the items of the test which partly contributed to the increase of the level of difficulty of majority of the items in the test.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document