An NCME Instructional Module on Polytomous Item Response Theory Models

Abstract

A polytomous item is one for which the responses are scored according to three or more categories. Given the increasing use of polytomous items in assessment practices, item response theory (IRT) models specialized for polytomous items are becoming increasingly common. The purpose of this ITEMS module is to provide an accessible overview of polytomous IRT models. The module presents commonly encountered polytomous IRT models, describes their properties, and contrasts their defining principles and assumptions. After completing this module, the reader should have a sound understating of what a polytomous IRT model is, the manner in which the equations of the models are generated from the model's underlying step functions, how widely used polytomous IRT models differ with respect to their definitional properties, and how to interpret the parameters of polytomous IRT models.