skip to main content skip to footer

An Evaluation of the "Not-Reached" Response as a Pseudo-distractor

Author(s):
Myers, Charles T.
Publication Year:
1959
Report Number:
RM-59-06
Source:
ETS Research Memorandum
Document Type:
Report
Page Count:
12
Subject/Key Words:
Distractors (Tests), Item Analysis, Response Style (Tests), Timed Tests

Abstract

Since the standard deviation of a test equals the negative of the sum of e indices for all distractors, "omit" responses, and "not-reached" responses, we may say that the e value indicates the extent of the contribution of each of these to the spread of scores or to the discriminating power of the test. This suggests a method of evaluating the appropriateness, or usefulness, of the not-reached responses which may lead to an evaluation of the appropriateness of the number of items with respect to the time limit of the test.

Read More