02433nas a2200241   4500008004100000020004600041245008600087210006900173260002500242300001200267490000700279520159900286653001801885653002401903653002001927653002801947653002101975653004001996653001402036100001802050700001202068856011102080       2006                        eng d  a0895-7347 (Print); 1532-4818 (Electronic)00aOptimal and nonoptimal computer-based test designs for making pass-fail decisions0 aOptimal and nonoptimal computerbased test designs for making pas  bLawrence Erlbaum: US  a221-2390 v193 aNow that many credentialing exams are being routinely administered by computer, new computer-based test designs, along with item response theory models, are being aggressively researched to identify specific designs that can increase the decision consistency and accuracy of pass-fail decisions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of optimal and nonoptimal multistage test (MST) designs, linear parallel-form test designs (LPFT), and computer adaptive test (CAT) designs on the decision consistency and accuracy of pass-fail decisions. Realistic testing situations matching those of one of the large credentialing agencies were simulated to increase the generalizability of the findings. The conclusions were clear: (a) With the LPFTs, matching test information functions (TIFs) to the mean of the proficiency distribution produced slightly better results than matching them to the passing score; (b) all of the test designs worked better than test construction using random selection of items, subject to content constraints only; (c) CAT performed better than the other test designs; and (d) if matching a TIP to the passing score, the MST design produced a bit better results than the LPFT design. If an argument for the MST design is to be made, it can be made on the basis of slight improvements over the LPFT design and better expected item bank utilization, candidate preference, and the potential for improved diagnostic feedback, compared with the feedback that is possible with fixed linear test forms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved)10aadaptive test10acredentialing exams10aDecision Making10aEducational Measurement10amultistage tests10aoptimal computer-based test designs10atest form1 aHambleton, RK1 aXing, D  uhttp://www.iacat.org/content/optimal-and-nonoptimal-computer-based-test-designs-making-pass-fail-decisions01816nas a2200253   4500008004100000245013100041210006900172300001000241490000600251520095700257653001501214653002901229653002501258653001501283653002001298653001101318653003101329100001401360700001601374700001401390700001401404700002101418856012301439       2003                        eng d00aAn examination of exposure control and content balancing restrictions on item selection in CATs using the partial credit model0 aexamination of exposure control and content balancing restrictio  a24-420 v43 aThe purpose of the present investigation was to systematically examine the effectiveness of the Sympson-Hetter technique and rotated content balancing relative to no exposure control and no content rotation conditions in a computerized adaptive testing system (CAT) based on the partial credit model. A series of simulated fixed and variable length CATs were run using two data sets generated to multiple content areas for three sizes of item pools. The 2 (exposure control) X 2 (content rotation) X 2 (test length) X 3 (item pool size) X 2 (data sets) yielded a total of 48 conditions. Results show that while both procedures can be used with no deleterious effect on measurement precision, the gains in exposure control, pool utilization, and item overlap appear quite modest. Difficulties involved with setting the exposure control parameters in small item pools make questionable the utility of the Sympson-Hetter technique with similar item pools.10a*Computers10a*Educational Measurement10a*Models, Theoretical10aAutomation10aDecision Making10aHumans10aReproducibility of Results1 aDavis, LL1 aPastor, D A1 aDodd, B G1 aChiang, C1 aFitzpatrick, S J  uhttp://www.iacat.org/content/examination-exposure-control-and-content-balancing-restrictions-item-selection-cats-using