An Effective Way to Provide Item Validity: Examining Student Response Processes

Year 2019, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 9 - 24, 21.03.2019

Omer Kutlu Hatice Cigdem Yavuz

https://doi.org/10.21449/ijate.447780

Cited By: 2

Abstract

Studies based on response processes of individuals can provide information that supports the assessment and increases the validity of the items in the scale or tests. The purpose of this study is to present the extent to which the student response processes are effective in identifying and developing the characteristics of the items in an achievement test and in collecting validity evidence. For this purpose, 28 Turkish fourth-grade students were chosen, half were high-achieving students and the remaining half were low-achieving students. The items for the study were chosen from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study TIMSS 2007 and 2011 by taking into consideration several item characteristics. Before cognitive interviews, an interview guide was also prepared. In the study, it was determined that cognitive interviews, especially those conducted with the high-achieving students, can serve to develop item validity. In the cognitive interviews with the low-achieving students, information was gathered concerning how students who did not have specific knowledge measured with an item were able to respond to that item.

Keywords

Cognitive interviews, Item validity, TIMSS, Response processes

An Effective Way to Provide Item Validity: Examining Student Response Processes

Abstract

Studies
based on response processes of individuals can provide information that
supports the assessment and increases the validity of the items in the scale or
tests. The purpose of this study is to present the extent to which the student response
processes are effective in identifying and developing the characteristics of
the items in an achievement test and in collecting validity evidence. For this
purpose, 28 Turkish fourth-grade students were chosen, half were high-achieving
students and the remaining half were low-achieving students. The items for the
study were chosen from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science
Study TIMSS 2007 and 2011 by taking into consideration several item
characteristics. Before cognitive interviews, an interview guide was also
prepared. In the study, it was determined that cognitive interviews, especially
those conducted with the high-achieving students, can serve to develop item
validity. In the cognitive interviews with the low-achieving students, information
was gathered concerning how students who did not have specific knowledge
measured with an item were able to respond to that item.

Keywords

cognitive interviews, item validity, TIMSS, response processes

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