TY - JOUR T1 - Explanatory Item Response Models for Polytomous Item Responses TT - Explanatory Item Response Models for Polytomous Item Responses AU - Bulut, Okan AU - Stanke, Luke PY - 2019 DA - July DO - 10.21449/ijate.515085 JF - International Journal of Assessment Tools in Education JO - Int. J. Assess. Tools Educ. PB - İzzet KARA WT - DergiPark SN - 2148-7456 SP - 259 EP - 278 VL - 6 IS - 2 LA - en AB - Item response theory is a widely used framework for thedesign, scoring, and scaling of measurement instruments. Item response modelsare typically used for dichotomously scored questions that have only two scorepoints (e.g., multiple-choice items). However, given the increasing use ofinstruments that include questions with multiple response categories, such assurveys, questionnaires, and psychological scales, polytomous item responsemodels are becoming more utilized in education and psychology. This study aimsto demonstrate the application of explanatory item response models to polytomousitem responses in order to explain common variability in item clusters, persongroups, and interactions between item clusters and person groups. Explanatoryforms of several polytomous item response models – such as Partial Credit Modeland Rating Scale Model – are demonstrated and the estimation procedures ofthese models are explained. Findings of this study suggest that explanatoryitem response models can be more robust and parsimonious than traditional itemresponse models for polytomous data where items and persons share common characteristics.Explanatory polytomous item response models can provide more information aboutresponse patterns in item responses by estimating fewer item parameters. KW - Polytomous IRT KW - explanatory item response modeling KW - assessment KW - partial credit model N2 - Item response theory is a widely used framework for the design, scoring, and scaling of measurement instruments. Item response models are typically used for dichotomously scored questions that have only two score points (e.g., multiple-choice items). However, given the increasing use of instruments that include questions with multiple response categories, such as surveys, questionnaires, and psychological scales, polytomous item response models are becoming more utilized in education and psychology. This study aims to demonstrate the application of explanatory item response models to polytomous item responses in order to explain common variability in item clusters, person groups, and interactions between item clusters and person groups. Explanatory forms of several polytomous item response models – such as Partial Credit Model and Rating Scale Model – are demonstrated and the estimation procedures of these models are explained. Findings of this study suggest that explanatory item response models can be more robust and parsimonious than traditional item response models for polytomous data where items and persons share common characteristics. Explanatory polytomous item response models can provide more information about response patterns in item responses by estimating fewer item parameters. CR - Albano, A. D. (2013). Multilevel modeling of item position effects. Journal of Educational Measurement, 50(4), 408–426. doi:10.1111/jedm.12026 CR - Adams, R. J., Wu, M. L., & Wilson, M. (2012). The Rasch rating model and the disordered threshold controversy. 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