Assessing the Psychometric Soundness of a Mathematics Placement Exam (Paperback)

In an effort to alleviate difficulties encountered in the classroom (i.e. students not possessing adequate prerequisite skills), in the fall of 1996, administrators at a large research university in west Texas mandated a locally developed mathematics placement exam for all students enrolling into entry- level mathematics courses. Using the principles of Classical Test Theory (CTT), we now (over ten years later) revisit that locally developed math placement exam and assess its psychometric soundness. This book includes a literature review of the traditional predictors of college success used by post-secondary institutions across the U.S., a discussion of the traditional predictors of post-secondary math success, and a thorough psychometric evaluation of the current mathematics placement exam used at a large research university in west Texas. This book is intended as a guide for individuals who are new to the field of psychometrics and those who wish to assess the effectiveness of self-developed placement instruments.