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ERIC Number: EJ1015146
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Aug
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0013-1644
EISSN: N/A
An Investigation of Sample Size Splitting on ATFIND and DIMTEST
Socha, Alan; DeMars, Christine E.
Educational and Psychological Measurement, v73 n4 p631-647 Aug 2013
Modeling multidimensional test data with a unidimensional model can result in serious statistical errors, such as bias in item parameter estimates. Many methods exist for assessing the dimensionality of a test. The current study focused on DIMTEST. Using simulated data, the effects of sample size splitting for use with the ATFIND procedure for empirically deriving a subtest composed of items that potentially measure a second dimension versus DIMTEST for assessing whether this subtest represents a second dimension were investigated. Conditions explored included proportion of sample used for ATFIND, sample size, test length, interability correlations, test structure, and distribution of item difficulties. Overall, it appears that DIMTEST has Type I error rates near the nominal rate and good power in detecting multidimensionality, although Type I error inflation is observed for larger sample sizes. Results suggest that a 50/50 split maximizes power and keeps the Type I error rate below the nominal level unless the test is short and the sample is large. A 75/25 split controls Type I error better for short tests and large samples. (Contains 4 figures and 1 note.)
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A