Download or read book Essays on Contemporary Psychometrics written by L. Andries van der Ark and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-03-17 with total page 461 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book 'Essays on Contemporary Psychometrics' provides an overview of contemporary psychometrics, the science devoted to the advancement of quantitative measurement practices in psychology, education and the social sciences. The volume consists of four parts, each having several chapters on cutting-edge work in the field. Part I, General Perspectives on Psychometrics, includes expert views on topics such as psychological models vs. measurement models, using tests in decision making, artificial intelligence, and psychometric network models. Part II, Factor Analysis and Classical Test Theory, the type of psychometrics that is still used most often in the social and behavioral sciences, includes state-of-the-art contributions on test-score reliability, change-score reliability, handling missing data in principal component analysis, test equating, and conditional standard errors of measurement. Part III, Item Response Theory, the leading form of psychometrics in modern educational measurement, includes discussions of sampling from many conditional distributions, transparent score reporting, nonparametric item response theory, and targeted testing. Part IV, New Psychometrics, discusses recently developed ideas beyond classical test theory and item response theory, including topics related to computer adaptive testing, response-time modelling, validity indices, diagnostic classification models, and the sparse latent class model for ordinal measurements. Together, these four parts provide an overview of the current state-of-the-art in psychometrics in educational measurement. They are a valuable source of information for graduate students who (intend to) study psychometrics and need an overview of the field, and for researchers interested in the current developments in the field. Chapters [3], [5], [8], [16] and [19] are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Download or read book Contemporary Psychometrics written by Albert Maydeu-Olivares and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2005-05-06 with total page 692 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Contemporary Psychometrics features cutting edge chapters organized in four sections: test theory, factor analysis, structural equation modeling, and multivariate analysis. The section on test theory includes topics such as multidimensional item response theory (IRT), the relationship between IRT and factor analysis, estimation and testing of these models, and basic measurement issues that are often neglected. The factor analysis section reviews the history and development of the model, factorial invariance and factor analysis indeterminacy, and Bayesian inference for factor scores and parameter estimates. The section on structural equation modeling (SEM) includes the general algebraic-graphic rules for latent variable SEM, a survey of goodness of fit assessment, SEM resampling methods, a discussion of how to compare correlations between and within independent samples, dynamic factor models based on ARMA time series models, and multi-level factor analysis models for continuous and discrete data. The final section on multivariate analysis includes topics such as dual scaling of ordinal data, model specification and missing data problems in time series models, and a discussion of the themes that run through all multivariate methods. This tour de force through contemporary psychometrics will appeal to advanced students and researchers in the social and behavioral sciences and education, as well as methodologists from other disciplines.

Download or read book A Paul Meehl Reader written by Niels G. Waller and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-09-05 with total page 593 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This new book introduces a new generation to the important insights of Paul Meehl. In addition to selected papers from the classic reader, Psychodiagnosis, this book features new material selected from Meehl's most influential writings. The resulting collection is a tour de force illustrating quantitative analysis of life science problems, an examination of the inadequacy of some methods of analysis, and a review of the application of taxometrics. A Paul Meehl Reader is organized into five content areas: theory building and appraisal - how we discover and test the true causal relations of psychological constructs; specific etiology - an examination of genetic, behavioral, and environmental etiology in psychopathology; diagnosis and prediction - a review of the appropriate use of base rates; taxometrics - a look at Meehl's development of the method he invented; thinking effectively about psychological questions - a critique of correlation research and the power of quantitative thinking in psychology. The Reader features section introductions to orient the reader and provide a context and structure for Paul Meehl's work. The section on diagnosis and prediction features problem sets with solutions to guide the reader through practical applications of the principles described. Accompanying downloadable resources contain footage from Paul Meehl's engaging seminar on clinical versus statistical prediction. This book appeals to advanced students and professionals in psychology, sociology, law, education, human development, and philosophy.

Download or read book Realism and Psychology written by Nigel Mackay and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2010-12-17 with total page 945 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume is a collection of new, published and revised essays, providing a distinctive, thoroughgoing, realist approach to contemporary psychological theories, concepts, methods, and applications. The essays also offer critical analyses of antirealist trends both in and outside of mainstream psychology.

Download or read book Multivariate Statistical Methods written by Bryan F. J. Manly and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2024-10-04 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Multivariate Statistical Methods: A Primer offers an introduction to multivariate statistical methods in a rigorous yet intuitive way, without an excess of mathematical details. In this fifth edition, all chapters have been revised and updated, with clearer and more direct language than in previous editions, and with more up-to-date examples, exercises, and references, in areas as diverse as biology, environmental sciences, economics, social medicine, and politics. Features • A concise and accessible conceptual approach that requires minimal mathematical background. • Suitable for a wide range of applied statisticians and professionals from the natural and social sciences. • Presents all the key topics for a multivariate statistics course. • The R code in the appendices has been updated, and there is a new appendix introducing programming basics for R. • The data from examples and exercises are available on a companion website. This book continues to be a great starting point for readers looking to become proficient in multivariate statistical methods, but who might not be deeply versed in the language of mathematics. In this edition, we provide readers with conceptual introductions to methods, practical suggestions, new references, and a more extensive collection of R functions and code that will help them to deepen their toolkit of multivariate statistical methods.

Download or read book Advances in Production Management Systems Production Management Systems for Volatile Uncertain Complex and Ambiguous Environments written by Matthias Thürer and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on with total page 488 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Handbook of Automated Essay Evaluation written by Mark D. Shermis and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-07-18 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This comprehensive, interdisciplinary handbook reviews the latest methods and technologies used in automated essay evaluation (AEE) methods and technologies. Highlights include the latest in the evaluation of performance-based writing assessments and recent advances in the teaching of writing, language testing, cognitive psychology, and computational linguistics. This greatly expanded follow-up to Automated Essay Scoring reflects the numerous advances that have taken place in the field since 2003 including automated essay scoring and diagnostic feedback. Each chapter features a common structure including an introduction and a conclusion. Ideas for diagnostic and evaluative feedback are sprinkled throughout the book. Highlights of the book’s coverage include: The latest research on automated essay evaluation. Descriptions of the major scoring engines including the E-rater®, the Intelligent Essay Assessor, the IntellimetricTM Engine, c-raterTM, and LightSIDE. Applications of the uses of the technology including a large scale system used in West Virginia. A systematic framework for evaluating research and technological results. Descriptions of AEE methods that can be replicated for languages other than English as seen in the example from China. Chapters from key researchers in the field. The book opens with an introduction to AEEs and a review of the "best practices" of teaching writing along with tips on the use of automated analysis in the classroom. Next the book highlights the capabilities and applications of several scoring engines including the E-rater®, the Intelligent Essay Assessor, the IntellimetricTM engine, c-raterTM, and LightSIDE. Here readers will find an actual application of the use of an AEE in West Virginia, psychometric issues related to AEEs such as validity, reliability, and scaling, and the use of automated scoring to detect reader drift, grammatical errors, discourse coherence quality, and the impact of human rating on AEEs. A review of the cognitive foundations underlying methods used in AEE is also provided. The book concludes with a comparison of the various AEE systems and speculation about the future of the field in light of current educational policy. Ideal for educators, professionals, curriculum specialists, and administrators responsible for developing writing programs or distance learning curricula, those who teach using AEE technologies, policy makers, and researchers in education, writing, psychometrics, cognitive psychology, and computational linguistics, this book also serves as a reference for graduate courses on automated essay evaluation taught in education, computer science, language, linguistics, and cognitive psychology.

Download or read book Machine Scoring of Student Essays written by Patricia Freitag Ericsson and published by . This book was released on 2006-03-15 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The current trend toward machine-scoring of student work, Ericsson and Haswell argue, has created an emerging issue with implications for higher education across the disciplines, but with particular importance for those in English departments and in administration. The academic community has been silent on the issue—some would say excluded from it—while the commercial entities who develop essay-scoring software have been very active. Machine Scoring of Student Essays is the first volume to seriously consider the educational mechanisms and consequences of this trend, and it offers important discussions from some of the leading scholars in writing assessment. Reading and evaluating student writing is a time-consuming process, yet it is a vital part of both student placement and coursework at post-secondary institutions. In recent years, commercial computer-evaluation programs have been developed to score student essays in both of these contexts. Two-year colleges have been especially drawn to these programs, but four-year institutions are moving to them as well, because of the cost-savings they promise. Unfortunately, to a large extent, the programs have been written, and institutions are installing them, without attention to their instructional validity or adequacy. Since the education software companies are moving so rapidly into what they perceive as a promising new market, a wider discussion of machine-scoring is vital if scholars hope to influence development and/or implementation of the programs being created. What is needed, then, is a critical resource to help teachers and administrators evaluate programs they might be considering, and to more fully envision the instructional consequences of adopting them. And this is the resource that Ericsson and Haswell are providing here.

Download or read book Handbook of Item Response Theory Modeling written by Steven P. Reise and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-11-20 with total page 710 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Item response theory (IRT) has moved beyond the confines of educational measurement into assessment domains such as personality, psychopathology, and patient-reported outcomes. Classic and emerging IRT methods and applications that are revolutionizing psychological measurement, particularly for health assessments used to demonstrate treatment effectiveness, are reviewed in this new volume. World renowned contributors present the latest research and methodologies about these models along with their applications and related challenges. Examples using real data, some from NIH-PROMIS, show how to apply these models in actual research situations. Chapters review fundamental issues of IRT, modern estimation methods, testing assumptions, evaluating fit, item banking, scoring in multidimensional models, and advanced IRT methods. New multidimensional models are provided along with suggestions for deciding among the family of IRT models available. Each chapter provides an introduction, describes state-of-the art research methods, demonstrates an application, and provides a summary. The book addresses the most critical IRT conceptual and statistical issues confronting researchers and advanced students in psychology, education, and medicine today. Although the chapters highlight health outcomes data the issues addressed are relevant to any content domain. The book addresses: IRT models applied to non-educational data especially patient reported outcomes Differences between cognitive and non-cognitive constructs and the challenges these bring to modeling. The application of multidimensional IRT models designed to capture typical performance data. Cutting-edge methods for deriving a single latent dimension from multidimensional data A new model designed for the measurement of constructs that are defined on one end of a continuum such as substance abuse Scoring individuals under different multidimensional IRT models and item banking for patient-reported health outcomes How to evaluate measurement invariance, diagnose problems with response categories, and assess growth and change. Part 1 reviews fundamental topics such as assumption testing, parameter estimation, and the assessment of model and person fit. New, emerging, and classic IRT models including modeling multidimensional data and the use of new IRT models in typical performance measurement contexts are examined in Part 2. Part 3 reviews the major applications of IRT models such as scoring, item banking for patient-reported health outcomes, evaluating measurement invariance, linking scales to a common metric, and measuring growth and change. The book concludes with a look at future IRT applications in health outcomes measurement. The book summarizes the latest advances and critiques foundational topics such a multidimensionality, assessment of fit, handling non-normality, as well as applied topics such as differential item functioning and multidimensional linking. Intended for researchers, advanced students, and practitioners in psychology, education, and medicine interested in applying IRT methods, this book also serves as a text in advanced graduate courses on IRT or measurement. Familiarity with factor analysis, latent variables, IRT, and basic measurement theory is assumed.

Download or read book Structural Equation Modeling With AMOS written by Barbara M. Byrne and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-06-10 with total page 481 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This bestselling text provides a practical guide to structural equation modeling (SEM) using the Amos Graphical approach. Using clear, everyday language, the text is ideal for those with little to no exposure to either SEM or Amos. The author reviews SEM applications based on actual data taken from her own research. Each chapter "walks" readers through the steps involved (specification, estimation, evaluation, and post hoc modification) in testing a variety of SEM models. Accompanying each application is: an explanation of the issues addressed and a schematic presentation of hypothesized model structure; Amos input and output with interpretations; use of the Amos toolbar icons and pull-down menus; and data upon which the model application was based, together with updated references pertinent to the SEM model tested. Thoroughly updated throughout, the new edition features: All new screen shots featuring Amos Version 23. Descriptions and illustrations of Amos’ new Tables View format which enables the specification of a structural model in spreadsheet form. Key concepts and/or techniques that introduce each chapter. Alternative approaches to model analyses when enabled by Amos thereby allowing users to determine the method best suited to their data. Provides analysis of the same model based on continuous and categorical data (Ch. 5) thereby enabling readers to observe two ways of specifying and testing the same model as well as compare results. All applications based on the Amos graphical mode interface accompanied by more "how to" coverage of graphical techniques unique to Amos. More explanation of key procedures and analyses that address questions posed by readers All application data files are available at www.routledge.com/9781138797031. The two introductory chapters in Section 1 review the fundamental concepts of SEM methodology and a general overview of the Amos program. Section 2 provides single-group analyses applications including two first-order confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) models, one second-order CFA model, and one full latent variable model. Section 3 presents multiple-group analyses applications with two rooted in the analysis of covariance structures and one in the analysis of mean and covariance structures. Two models that are increasingly popular with SEM practitioners, construct validity and testing change over time using the latent growth curve, are presented in Section 4. The book concludes with a review of the use of bootstrapping to address non-normal data and a review of missing (or incomplete) data in Section 5. An ideal supplement for graduate level courses in psychology, education, business, and social and health sciences that cover the fundamentals of SEM with a focus on Amos, this practical text continues to be a favorite of both researchers and practitioners. A prerequisite of basic statistics through regression analysis is recommended but no exposure to either SEM or Amos is required.

Download or read book Higher Order Growth Curves and Mixture Modeling with Mplus written by Kandauda A.S. Wickrama and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-04-14 with total page 345 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This practical introduction to second-order and growth mixture models using Mplus introduces simple and complex techniques through incremental steps. The authors extend latent growth curves to second-order growth curve and mixture models and then combine the two. To maximize understanding, each model is presented with basic structural equations, figures with associated syntax that highlight what the statistics mean, Mplus applications, and an interpretation of results. Examples from a variety of disciplines demonstrate the use of the models and exercises allow readers to test their understanding of the techniques. A comprehensive introduction to confirmatory factor analysis, latent growth curve modeling, and growth mixture modeling is provided so the book can be used by readers of various skill levels. The book’s datasets are available on the web. Highlights include: -Illustrative examples using Mplus 7.4 include conceptual figures, Mplus program syntax, and an interpretation of results to show readers how to carry out the analyses with actual data. -Exercises with an answer key allow readers to practice the skills they learn. -Applications to a variety of disciplines appeal to those in the behavioral, social, political, educational, occupational, business, and health sciences. -Data files for all the illustrative examples and exercises at www.routledge.com/9781138925151 allow readers to test their understanding of the concepts. -Point to Remember boxes aid in reader comprehension or provide in-depth discussions of key statistical or theoretical concepts. Part 1 introduces basic structural equation modeling (SEM) as well as first- and second-order growth curve modeling. The book opens with the basic concepts from SEM, possible extensions of conventional growth curve models, and the data and measures used throughout the book. The subsequent chapters in part 1 explain the extensions. Chapter 2 introduces conventional modeling of multidimensional panel data, including confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and growth curve modeling, and its limitations. The logical and theoretical extension of a CFA to a second-order growth curve, known as curve-of-factors model (CFM), are explained in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 illustrates the estimation and interpretation of unconditional and conditional CFMs. Chapter 5 presents the logical and theoretical extension of a parallel process model to a second-order growth curve, known as factor-of-curves model (FCM). Chapter 6 illustrates the estimation and interpretation of unconditional and conditional FCMs. Part 2 reviews growth mixture modeling including unconditional growth mixture modeling (Ch. 7) and conditional growth mixture models (Ch. 8). How to extend second-order growth curves (curve-of-factors and factor-of-curves models) to growth mixture models is highlighted in Chapter 9. Ideal as a supplement for use in graduate courses on (advanced) structural equation, multilevel, longitudinal, or latent variable modeling, latent growth curve and mixture modeling, factor analysis, multivariate statistics, or advanced quantitative techniques (methods) taught in psychology, human development and family studies, business, education, health, and social sciences, this book’s practical approach also appeals to researchers. Prerequisites include a basic knowledge of intermediate statistics and structural equation modeling.

Download or read book Longitudinal Structural Equation Modeling written by Jason T. Newsom and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-06-19 with total page 437 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This comprehensive resource reviews structural equation modeling (SEM) strategies for longitudinal data to help readers see which modeling options are available for which hypotheses. The author demonstrates how SEM is related to other longitudinal data techniques throughout. By exploring connections between models, readers gain a better understanding of when to choose one analysis over another. The book explores basic models to sophisticated ones including the statistical and conceptual underpinnings that are the building blocks of the analyses. Accessibly written, research examples from the behavioral and social sciences and results interpretations are provided throughout. The emphasis is on concepts and practical guidance for applied research rather than on mathematical proofs. New terms are highlighted and defined in the glossary. Figures are included for every model along with detailed discussions of model specification and implementation issues. Each chapter also includes examples of each model type, comment sections that provide practical guidance, model extensions, and recommended readings. Highlights include: Covers the major SEM approaches to longitudinal analysis in one resource. Explores connections between longitudinal SEM models to enhance integration. Numerous examples that help readers match research questions to appropriate analyses and interpret results. Reviews practical issues related to model specification and estimation to reinforce connections. Analyzes continuous and discrete (binary and ordinal) variables throughout for breadth not found in other sources. Reviews key SEM concepts for those who need a refresher (Ch. 1). Emphasizes how to apply and interpret each model through realistic data examples. Provides the book’s data sets at www.longitudinalsem.com along with the Mplus and R-lavaan syntax used to generate the results. Introduces the LISREL notation system used throughout (Appendix A). The chapters can be read out of order but it is best to read chapters 1 – 4 first because most of the later chapters refer back to them. The book opens with a review of latent variables and analysis of binary and ordinal variables. Chapter 2 applies this information to assessing longitudinal measurement invariance. SEM tests of dependent means and proportions over time points are explored in Chapter 3, and stability and change, difference scores, and lagged regression are covered in Chapter 4. The remaining chapters are each devoted to one major type of longitudinal SEM -- repeated measures analysis models, full cross-lagged panel models and simplex models, modeling stability with state-trait models, linear and nonlinear growth curve models, latent difference score models, latent transition analysis, time series analysis, survival analysis, and attrition. Missing data is discussed in the context of many of the preceding models in Chapter 13. Ideal for graduate courses on longitudinal (data) analysis, advanced SEM, longitudinal SEM, and/or advanced data (quantitative) analysis taught in the behavioral, social, and health sciences, this text also appeals to researchers in these fields. Intended for those without an extensive math background, prerequisites include familiarity with basic SEM. Matrix algebra is avoided in all but a few places.

Download or read book Handbook of Ethics in Quantitative Methodology written by A. T. Panter and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2011-03-01 with total page 541 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This comprehensive Handbook is the first to provide a practical, interdisciplinary review of ethical issues as they relate to quantitative methodology including how to present evidence for reliability and validity, what comprises an adequate tested population, and what constitutes scientific knowledge for eliminating biases. The book uses an ethical framework that emphasizes the human cost of quantitative decision making to help researchers understand the specific implications of their choices. The order of the Handbook chapters parallels the chronology of the research process: determining the research design and data collection; data analysis; and communicating findings. Each chapter: Explores the ethics of a particular topic Identifies prevailing methodological issues Reviews strategies and approaches for handling such issues and their ethical implications Provides one or more case examples Outlines plausible approaches to the issue including best-practice solutions. Part 1 presents ethical frameworks that cross-cut design, analysis, and modeling in the behavioral sciences. Part 2 focuses on ideas for disseminating ethical training in statistics courses. Part 3 considers the ethical aspects of selecting measurement instruments and sample size planning and explores issues related to high stakes testing, the defensibility of experimental vs. quasi-experimental research designs, and ethics in program evaluation. Decision points that shape a researchers’ approach to data analysis are examined in Part 4 – when and why analysts need to account for how the sample was selected, how to evaluate tradeoffs of hypothesis-testing vs. estimation, and how to handle missing data. Ethical issues that arise when using techniques such as factor analysis or multilevel modeling and when making causal inferences are also explored. The book concludes with ethical aspects of reporting meta-analyses, of cross-disciplinary statistical reform, and of the publication process. This Handbook appeals to researchers and practitioners in psychology, human development, family studies, health, education, sociology, social work, political science, and business/marketing. This book is also a valuable supplement for quantitative methods courses required of all graduate students in these fields.

Download or read book Contemporary Second Language Assessment written by Jayanti Veronique Banerjee and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2016-06-30 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Includes chapters on key aspects of second language assessment such as test construct, diagnosis, exam design, and the growing range of public policy, social and ethical issues. Each of the contributors is an expert in their area; some are established names while others are talented newcomers to the field. The chapters present new research or perspectives on traditional concerns such as test quality; fairness and bias; the testing of different language skills; the needs of different groups of examinees, including English language learners who need to take content tests in English; and the use of language assessments for gate-keeping purposes. The volume demonstrates how language assessment is informed by and engages with neighbouring areas of applied linguistics such as technology and language corpora. The book represents the best of current practice in second language assessment and, as a one volume reference, will be invaluable to students and researchers looking for material that extends their understanding of the field.

Download or read book The British National Bibliography written by Arthur James Wells and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 2142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Modern Quantification Theory written by Shizuhiko Nishisato and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-07-22 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book offers a new look at well-established quantification theory for categorical data, referred to by such names as correspondence analysis, dual scaling, optimal scaling, and homogeneity analysis. These multiple identities are a consequence of its large number of properties that allow one to analyze and visualize the strength of variable association in an optimal solution. The book contains modern quantification theory for analyzing the association between two and more categorical variables in a variety of applicative frameworks. Visualization has attracted much attention over the past decades and given rise to controversial opinions. One may consider variations of plotting systems used in the construction of the classic correspondence plot, the biplot, the Carroll-Green-Schaffer scaling, or a new approach in doubled multidimensional space as presented in the book. There are even arguments for no visualization at all. The purpose of this book therefore is to shed new light on time-honored graphical procedures with critical reviews, new ideas, and future directions as alternatives. This stimulating volume is written with fresh new ideas from the traditional framework and the contemporary points of view. It thus offers readers a deep understanding of the ever-evolving nature of quantification theory and its practice. Part I starts with illustrating contingency table analysis with traditional joint graphical displays (symmetric, non-symmetric) and the CGS scaling and then explores logically correct graphs in doubled Euclidean space for both row and column variables. Part II covers a variety of mathematical approaches to the biplot strategy in graphing a data structure, providing a useful source for this modern approach to graphical display. Part II is also concerned with a number of alternative approaches to the joint graphical display such as bimodal cluster analysis and other statistical problems relevant to quantification theory.

Download or read book Test Scoring written by David Thissen and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2001-05-01 with total page 459 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Test Scoring provides a summary of traditional true score test theory and modern item response theory related to scoring tests, as well as novel developments resulting from the integration of these approaches. The background material introduced in the first four chapters builds a foundation for the new developments covered in later chapters. These new methods offer alternative psychometric approaches to scoring complex assessments. Each of the book's contributors draws from the classic literature of traditional test theory, as well as psychometric developments of the past decade. The emphasis is on large-scale educational measurement but the topics and procedures may be applied broadly within many measurement contexts. Numerous graphs and illustrative examples based on real tests and actual data are integrated throughout. This multi-authored volume shows the reader how to combine the coded outcomes on individual test items into a numerical summary about the examinee's performance. This book is intended for researchers and students in education and other social sciences interested in educational assessment and policy, the design and development of tests, and the procedures for test administration and scoring. Prerequisites include an introduction to educational and psychological measurement and basic statistics. Knowledge of differential and integral calculus and matrix algebra is helpful but not required.