Some Issues in Weak Local Independence in Item Response Theory

A method of Pashley and Reese (in press) for simulating locally dependent data, whose item pair dependencies relate directly to local dependence assessment procedures is discussed. This method is extended to allow for the simulation of local dependence that varies in magnitude across the examinee ability levels. The parameter that Yen's (1984) Q3 statistic seeks to estimate is examined. The notion of the `best fit' latent trait is defined, and it is shown that an exam with only positive pairwise item dependencies violates the assumptions of a large class of exam models. Finally, theoretical probability is used to rigorously define the basic concepts of IRT, and is then applied to construct conditions under which the converse to a theorem of Reckase and Stout (1995) holds.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Statistics

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Habing, Brian Thomas

Contributors dc:contributor

• Stout, William F.

• Education, Educational Psychology

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI9912251

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/87417