Some New Item Selection Criteria for Adaptive Testing

Abstract

In this study some alternative item selection criteria for adaptive testing are proposed. These criteria take into account the uncertainty of the ability estimates. A general weighted information criterion is suggested of which the usual maximum information criterion and the suggested alternative criteria are special cases. A simulation study was conducted to compare the different criteria. The results showed that the likelihood weighted mean information criterion was a good alternative to the maximum information criterion. Another good alternative was a maximum information criterion with the maximum likelihood estimate of ability replaced by the Bayesian EAP estimate. An appendix discusses the interval information criterion for the two- and three-parameter logistic item response theory model.