JSM 2005 Online Program

Abstract #303110

This is the preliminary program for the 2005 Joint Statistical Meetings in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Currently included in this program is the "technical" program, schedule of invited, topic contributed, regular contributed and poster sessions; Continuing Education courses (August 7-10, 2005); and Committee and Business Meetings. This on-line program will be updated frequently to reflect the most current revisions.

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Activity Number:	59
Type:	Topic Contributed
Date/Time:	Sunday, August 7, 2005 : 4:00 PM to 5:50 PM
Sponsor:	Social Statistics Section
Abstract - #303110
Title:	Detecting Differential Item Functioning for Small Samples
Author(s):	Sandip Sinharay*+
Companies:	Educational Testing Service
Address:	MS 12T Rosedale Road, Princeton, NJ, 08541, United States
Keywords:	Bayesian statistics ; Prior distribution ; Mantel-Haenszel statistic ; Empirical Bayes
Abstract:	Differential item functioning (DIF) refers to a difference in test item performance between two comparable group of examinees (i.e., groups matched with respect to the construct measured by the test). For example, research on Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) reading passages has shown content related to technical aspects of science (as opposed to the history or philosophy of science) appears to be more difficult for women than for a matched group of men. Detecting DIF and finding a remedy is an important part in ensuring the fairness of a test. Holland (1985) suggested the Mantel-Haenszel test statistic for detecting if an item shows DIF. In an application of the Mantel-Haenszel test, the examinees are divided into K matching groups, typically based on their raw scores. For an item, the data from the k-th matched group of reference and focal group members are arranged as a 2x2 table. Then, the $\chi^2$ test statistic of Mantel-Haenszel (1959), which pools information from the K 2x2 tables and asymptotically follows a $\chi^2_1$ distribution, is computed.

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