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Application of a Multidimensional Nested Logit Model to Multiple-Choice Test Items

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2025

Daniel M. Bolt ,
James A. Wollack  and
Youngsuk Suh
Daniel M. Bolt*
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin, Madison
James A. Wollack
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Youngsuk Suh
Affiliation:
Rutgers University
*
Requests for reprints should be sent to Daniel M. Bolt, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Room 859, Educational Sciences Building, Madison, WI, USA. E-mail: dmbolt@wisc.edu
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Abstract

Nested logit models have been presented as an alternative to multinomial logistic models for multiple-choice test items (Suh and Bolt in Psychometrika 75:454–473, 2010) and possess a mathematical structure that naturally lends itself to evaluating the incremental information provided by attending to distractor selection in scoring. One potential concern in attending to distractors is the possibility that distractor selection reflects a different trait/ability than that underlying the correct response. This paper illustrates a multidimensional extension of a nested logit item response model that can be used to evaluate such distinctions and also defines a new framework for incorporating collateral information from distractor selection when differences exist. The approach is demonstrated in application to questions faced by a university testing center over whether to incorporate distractor selection into the scoring of its multiple-choice tests. Several empirical examples are presented.

Keywords

multidimensionalitymultiple-choice itemsitem response theory

Information

Type
Original Paper
Information
Psychometrika , Volume 77 , Issue 2 , April 2012 , pp. 339 - 357
Copyright
Copyright © 2012 The Psychometric Society

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