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Assessing Partial Knowledge in Vocabulary
Author(s) -
Smith Richard M.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of educational measurement
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.917
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1745-3984
pISSN - 0022-0655
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-3984.1987.tb00276.x
Subject(s) - vocabulary , rasch model , reliability (semiconductor) , item response theory , test (biology) , polytomous rasch model , psychology , natural language processing , computer science , statistics , linguistics , mathematics , psychometrics , paleontology , philosophy , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , biology
This study reports an attempt to assess partial knowledge in vocabulary. Fifty multiple‐choice vocabulary items were constructed so that the incorrect choices followed the stages of vocabulary acquisition defined by O'Connor (1940). Ability estimates based on Rasch dichotomous and polychotomous models were compared to determine if there were any gains in validity or reliability as a result of using the polychotomous scoring model rather than the dichotomous scoring model. An attempt was also made to determine the appropriateness of O'Connor's stage theory of vocabulary acquisition for predicting the type of errors that examinees of differing ability would make on the test items. The results indicate that the reliability and concurrent validity of the polychotomous scoring of a subset of items that fit the polychotomous scoring model were significantly higher than those for dichotomous scoring of the same subset of items. The results also indicate moderate support for O'Connor's theory of vocabulary acquisition.