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written by
Gary A. Morris, Lee Branum-Martin, Nathan Harshman, Stephen D. Baker, Eric Mazur, Suvendra Dutta, Taha Mzoughi, and Veronica McCauley
We present a simple technique for evaluating multiple-choice questions and their answers beyond the usual measures of difficulty and the effectiveness of distractors. The technique involves the construction and qualitative consideration of item response curves and is based on item response theory from the field of education measurement. To demonstrate the technique, we apply item response curve analysis to three questions from the Force Concept Inventory. Item response curve analysis allows us to characterize qualitatively whether these questions are efficient, where efficient is defined in terms of the construction, performance, and discrimination of a question and its answer choices. This technique can be used to develop future multiple-choice examination questions and a better understanding of results from existing diagnostic instruments.
American Journal of Physics: Volume 74, Issue 5, Pages 449-453
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![]() <a href="https://www.compadre.org/portal/items/detail.cfm?ID=5390">Morris, G, L. Branum-Martin, N. Harshman, S. Baker, E. Mazur, S. Dutta, T. Mzoughi, and V. McCauley. "Testing the test: Item response curves and test quality." Am. J. Phys. 74, no. 5, (May 1, 2006): 449-453.</a>
![]() G. Morris, L. Branum-Martin, N. Harshman, S. Baker, E. Mazur, S. Dutta, T. Mzoughi, and V. McCauley, , Am. J. Phys. 74 (5), 449 (2006), WWW Document, (https://doi.org/10.1119/1.2174053).
![]() G. Morris, L. Branum-Martin, N. Harshman, S. Baker, E. Mazur, S. Dutta, T. Mzoughi, and V. McCauley, Testing the test: Item response curves and test quality, Am. J. Phys. 74 (5), 449 (2006), <https://doi.org/10.1119/1.2174053>.
![]() Morris, G., Branum-Martin, L., Harshman, N., Baker, S., Mazur, E., Dutta, S., Mzoughi, T., & McCauley, V. (2006, May 1). Testing the test: Item response curves and test quality. Am. J. Phys., 74(5), 449-453. Retrieved February 11, 2025, from https://doi.org/10.1119/1.2174053
![]() Morris, G, L. Branum-Martin, N. Harshman, S. Baker, E. Mazur, S. Dutta, T. Mzoughi, and V. McCauley. "Testing the test: Item response curves and test quality." Am. J. Phys. 74, no. 5, (May 1, 2006): 449-453, https://doi.org/10.1119/1.2174053 (accessed 11 February 2025).
![]() Morris, Gary, Lee Branum-Martin, Nathan Harshman, Stephen Baker, Eric Mazur, Suvendra Dutta, Taha Mzoughi, and Veronica McCauley. "Testing the test: Item response curves and test quality." Am. J. Phys. 74.5 (2006): 449-453. 11 Feb. 2025 <https://doi.org/10.1119/1.2174053>.
![]() @article{
Author = "Gary Morris and Lee Branum-Martin and Nathan Harshman and Stephen Baker and Eric Mazur and Suvendra Dutta and Taha Mzoughi and Veronica McCauley",
Title = {Testing the test: Item response curves and test quality},
Journal = {Am. J. Phys.},
Volume = {74},
Number = {5},
Pages = {449-453},
Month = {May},
Year = {2006}
}
![]() %A Gary Morris %A Lee Branum-Martin %A Nathan Harshman %A Stephen Baker %A Eric Mazur %A Suvendra Dutta %A Taha Mzoughi %A Veronica McCauley %T Testing the test: Item response curves and test quality %J Am. J. Phys. %V 74 %N 5 %D May 1, 2006 %P 449-453 %U https://doi.org/10.1119/1.2174053 %O application/pdf ![]() %0 Journal Article %A Morris, Gary %A Branum-Martin, Lee %A Harshman, Nathan %A Baker, Stephen %A Mazur, Eric %A Dutta, Suvendra %A Mzoughi, Taha %A McCauley, Veronica %D May 1, 2006 %T Testing the test: Item response curves and test quality %J Am. J. Phys. %V 74 %N 5 %P 449-453 %8 May 1, 2006 %U https://doi.org/10.1119/1.2174053 Disclaimer: ComPADRE offers citation styles as a guide only. We cannot offer interpretations about citations as this is an automated procedure. Please refer to the style manuals in the Citation Source Information area for clarifications.
Citation Source Information
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