Three local observed-score kernel equating methods that integrate methods from the local equating and kernel equating frameworks are proposed. The new methods were compared with their earlier counterparts with respect to such measures as bias--as defined by Lord's criterion of equity--and percent relative error. The local kernel item response…

We investigate the current bandwidth selection methods in kernel equating and propose a method based on Silverman's rule of thumb for selecting the bandwidth parameters. In kernel equating, the bandwidth parameters have previously been obtained by minimizing a penalty function. This minimization process has been criticized by practitioners…

Local equating (LE) is based on Lord's criterion of equity. It defines a family of true transformations that aim at the ideal of equitable equating. van der Linden (this issue) offers a detailed discussion of common issues in observed-score equating relative to this local approach. By assuming an underlying item response theory model, one of…

This article presents a method for evaluating equating results. Within the kernel equating framework, the percent relative error (PRE) for chained equipercentile equating was computed under the nonequivalent groups with anchor test (NEAT) design. The method was applied to two data sets to obtain the PRE, which can be used to measure equating…

This study investigates a sequence of item response theory (IRT) true score equatings based on various scale transformation approaches and evaluates equating accuracy and consistency over time. The results show that the biases and sample variances for the IRT true score equating (both direct and indirect) are quite small (except for the mean/sigma…

Two important types of observed score equating (OSE) methods for the non-equivalent groups with Anchor Test (NEAT) design are chain equating (CE) and post-stratification equating (PSE). CE and PSE reflect two distinctly different ways of using the information provided by the anchor test for computing OSE functions. Both types of methods include…

This study addressed the sampling error and linking bias that occur with small samples in a nonequivalent groups anchor test design. We proposed a linking method called the synthetic function, which is a weighted average of the identity function and a traditional equating function (in this case, the chained linear equating function). Specifically,…

The Non-Equivalent-groups Anchor Test (NEAT) design has been in wide use since at least the early 1940s. It involves two populations of test takers, P and Q, and makes use of an anchor test to link them. Two linking methods used for NEAT designs are those (a) based on chain equating and (b) that use the anchor test to post-stratify the…