This step-by-step approach allows students to master testing and measurement concepts through practical exercises and feedback. Using humor, cartoons and real-world examples, Sharon E. Robinson Kurpius and Mary E. Stafford guide the reader through the essential components of measurement, starting with measurement scales and ending with reliability and validity. The authors show that everyone can learn testing and measurement concepts, and they make the learning process fun and non-threatening. For those who want to challenge themselves beyond the self-instructional exercises included throughout each chapter, data sets are provided as an aid to further learning. The book is invaluable for all introductory courses in measurement and testing at undergraduate and lower-level graduate level in the social and behavioral sciences.

To achieve national goals for education, we must measure the things that really count. Measuring What Counts establishes crucial research- based connections between standards and assessment. Arguing for a better balance between educational and measurement concerns in the development and use of mathematics assessment, this book sets forth three principlesâ€"related to content, learning, and equityâ€"that can form the basis for new assessments that support emerging national standards in mathematics education.

This book is a valuable read for a diverse group of researchers and practitioners who analyze assessment data and construct test instruments. It focuses on the use of classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT), which are often required in the fields of psychology (e.g. for measuring psychological traits), health (e.g. for measuring the severity of disorders), and education (e.g. for measuring student performance), and makes these analytical tools accessible to a broader audience. Having taught assessment subjects to students from diverse backgrounds for a number of years, the three authors have a wealth of experience in presenting educational measurement topics, in-depth concepts and applications in an accessible format. As such, the book addresses the needs of readers who use CTT and IRT in their work but do not necessarily have an extensive mathematical background. The book also sheds light on common misconceptions in applying measurement models, and presents an integrated approach to different measurement methods, such as contrasting CTT with IRT and multidimensional IRT models with unidimensional IRT models. Wherever possible, comparisons between models are explicitly made. In addition, the book discusses concepts for test equating and differential item functioning, as well as Bayesian IRT models and plausible values using simple examples. This book can serve as a textbook for introductory courses on educational measurement, as supplementary reading for advanced courses, or as a valuable reference guide for researchers interested in analyzing student assessment data.