Open AccessWHAT IS QUANTITATIVE REASONING? DEFINING THE CONSTRUCT FOR ASSESSMENT PURPOSES
Author(s) -
Dwyer Carol Anne,
Gallagher Ann,
Levin Jutta,
Morley Mary E.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
ets research report series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.235
H-Index - 5
ISSN - 2330-8516
DOI - 10.1002/j.2333-8504.2003.tb01922.x
Subject(s) - construct (python library) , variance (accounting) , construct validity , interpretation (philosophy) , measure (data warehouse) , qualitative reasoning , computer science , management science , psychology , psychometrics , artificial intelligence , developmental psychology , data mining , accounting , economics , business , programming language
In order to create fair and valid assessments, it is necessary to be clear about what is to be measured and how the resulting data should be interpreted. For a number of historical and practical reasons described in this paper, adequately detailed statements with both a theoretical and empirical base do not currently exist for the construct of quantitative reasoning for use in assessments. There is also no adequate explanation of the important differences between assessments that measure quantitative reasoning constructs and those that are intended to measure achievement in related mathematical content areas. The literature in psychology, psychometrics, philosophy, and education, while containing much that is relevant to the construct of quantitative reasoning, unfortunately does not provide materials that can be used in research and development to address such practical issues or to explain the basic nature of quantitative reasoning assessments. This paper briefly discusses the importance and use of constructs and the quantitative reasoning and standards literature. It then presents a statement about the construct of quantitative reasoning for assessment purposes within a construct validity framework that includes both a definition of the construct and threats to valid score interpretation. These threats are based on related but distinguishable constructs and other types of construct‐irrelevant variance in the assessments.