Why Sum Scores May Not Tell Us All About Test Takers
Abstract
This article introduces a number of examples demonstrating the importance of going beyond the observed sum of positive or correct responses when analyzing responses from clinical rating scales or educational test or psychological assessment data. Recent developments that allow more in-depth analysis of test data using modern psychometric methods based on statistical models for binary or ordered response data are discussed.
Center for Global Assessment, Educational Testing Service, Research and Development, MS 02-T, Princeton, NJ 08541
Address correspondence to Matthias von Davier, PhD, Center for Global Assessment, Educational Testing Service, Research and Development, MS 02-T, Princeton, NJ 08541.
The opinions and conclusions contained in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of ETS.
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