Banking non-dichotomously scored items

Abstract

A method for constructing a bank of items scored in two or more ordered response categories is described and illustrated. This method enables multistep problems, rating scale items, question "clusters," and other items using partial credit scoring to be calibrated and incorporated into an item bank, and it provides a mechanism for computer adaptive testing with items of this type. Procedures are described for calibrating an initial set of items, for testing the fit of items to the underlying measurement model, and for linking new items to an existing item bank. The method is illustrated using items from the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal.