文档介绍：THE BASICS OF
ITEM RESPONSE
THEORY
FRANK B. BAKER
THE BASICS OF
ITEM RESPONSE
THEORY
FRANK B. BAKER
University of Wisconsin
Clearinghouse on
Assessment and Evaluation
The Basics of Item Response Theory
by Frank B. Baker
Second edition
Published by the
ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation
Copyright © 2001
ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation
All rights reserved.
Editors: Carol Boston, Lawrence Rudner
Design: Laura Chapman
Cover: Laura Chapman
Printed in the United States of America
ISBN 1-886047-03-0
(previously published by Heinemann, ISBN 0-435-08004-0)
This publication was set and edited with funds from the Office of Educational
Research and Improvement (OERI), . Department of Education, and the
National Library of Education (NLE) under contract ED99CO0032. The
opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the positions
or policies of OERI, the Department of Education, or NLE.
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Acknowledgments
Over the past century, many people have contributed to the development of
item response theory. Three persons deserve special recognition. . Lawley
of the University of Edinburgh published a paper in 1943 showing that many
of the constructs of classical test theory could be expressed in terms of
parameters of the item characteristic curve. This paper marks the beginning of
item response theory as a measurement theory. The work of Dr. . Lord of
the Educational Testing Service has been the driving force behind both the
development of the theory and its application for the past 50 years. Dr. Lord
systematically defined, expanded and explored the theory as well as developed
computer programs needed to put the theory into practice. This effort
culminated in his classic books (with Dr. Melvin Novick, 1968; 1980) on the
practical applications of item response theory. In the late 1960s, Dr. .
Wright of the University of Chicago recognized the importance of the
measuremen