In the focus article of this issue, von Davier, Naemi, and Roberts essentially coupled: (1) a short methodological review of structural similarities of latent variable models with discrete and continuous latent variables; and (2) 2 short empirical case studies that show how these models can be applied to real, rather than simulated, large-scale…

In this article, the authors aim to initiate an open discussion about many of the often unspoken assumptions, beliefs, and myths surrounding "diagnostic classification models" (DCMs). Reading the inspired exchange in the commentaries that the authors have received for their article, it is more apparent to them than ever that they are ready to talk…

"Diagnostic classification models" (DCM) are frequently promoted by psychometricians as important modelling alternatives for analyzing response data in situations where multivariate classifications of respondents are made on the basis of multiple postulated latent skills. In this review paper, a definitional boundary of the space of DCM is…

From different angles, Borsboom, Markus, and Michell present a careful analysis of the way that specialists reason with empirical data about latent characteristics of individuals. They jointly argue for a more precise and thoughtful use of the key terms and measurement procedures that are ubiquitously employed in disciplines concerned with…