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Equivalence of Free‐Response and Multiple‐Choice Items
Author(s) -
Bennett Randy Elliot,
Rock Donald A.,
Wang Minhwei
Publication year - 1991
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.1745-3984.1991.tb00345.x
Subject(s) - multiple choice , equivalence (formal languages) , test (biology) , item response theory , confirmatory factor analysis , factor (programming language) , psychology , statistics , social psychology , econometrics , computer science , psychometrics , mathematics , structural equation modeling , significant difference , paleontology , discrete mathematics , biology , programming language
This study examined the relationship of multiple‐choice and free‐response items contained on the College Board's Advanced Placement Computer Science (APCS) examination. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the fit of a two‐factor model where each item format marked its own factor. Results showed a single‐factor solution to provide the most parsimonious fit in each of two random‐half samples. This finding might be accounted for by several mechanisms, including overlap in the specific processes assessed by the multiple‐choice and free‐response items and the limited opportunity for skill differentiation afforded by the year‐long APCS course.