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Estimating Item Characteristic Curves Without Knowledge of Their Mathematical Form

Author(s):
Lord, Frederic M.
Publication Year:
1968
Report Number:
RB-68-08
Source:
ETS Research Bulletin
Document Type:
Report
Page Count:
26
Subject/Key Words:
Office of Naval Research, Item Analysis, Item Response Theory, Statistics, Test Theory

Abstract

A method is outlined for estimating item characteristic curves without knowledge of their mathematical form. For illustrative purposes, the method is applied to five items from a regular test administration. Previously, curves had been estimated for these same items on the assumption that all were of logistic form. Surprising agreement was found between the results obtained from the two unrelated methods.

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