Potenza, Maria T.Dorans, Neil J.2011-11-012011-11-011995Potenza, Maria T & Dorans, Neil J. (1995). DIF assessment for polytomously scored items: A framework for classification and evaluation. Applied Psychological Measurement, 19, 23-37. doi:10.1177/014662169501900104doi:10.1177/014662169501900104https://hdl.handle.net/11299/117417Increased use of alternatives to the traditional dichotomously scored multiple-choice item yield complex responses that require complex scoring rules. Some of these new item types can be polytomously scored. DIF methodology is well-defined for traditional dichotomously scored multiple-choice items. This paper provides a classification scheme of DIF procedures for dichotomously scored items that is applicable to new DIF procedures for polytomously scored items. In the process, a formal development of a polytomous version of a dichotomous DIF technique is presented. Several polytomous DIF techniques are evaluated in terms of statistical and practical criteria. Index terms: DIF methodology, differential item functioning, item bias, polytomous scoring, statistical criteria for differential item functioning.enArticle