Susan E. Embretson – författare

This book develops an intuitive understanding of IRT principles through the use of graphical displays and analogies to familiar psychological principles. It surveys contemporary IRT models, estimation methods, and computer programs. Polytomous IRT models are given central coverage since many psychological tests use rating scales.Ideal for clinical, industrial, counseling, educational, and behavioral medicine professionals and students familiar with classical testing principles, exposure to material covered in first-year graduate statistics courses is helpful. All symbols and equations are thoroughly explained verbally and graphically.

In this volume prominent scholars from both psychology and education describe how these new rules of measurement work and how they differ from the old rules. Several contributors have been involved in the recent construction or revision of a major test, while others are well-known for their theoretical contributions to measurement. The goal is to provide an integrated yet comprehensive reference source concerned with contemporary issues and approaches in testing and measurement.

This book provides an intuitive and accessible introduction to item response theory (IRT), making complex psychometric concepts easier to grasp through graphical displays and familiar analogies. It bridges theory and application, helping readers interpret and implement IRT models effectively to improve measurement quality in psychology and the social sciences. Covering both foundational and advanced topics, it offers a clear path for understanding contemporary IRT methods and their relevance in research and practice.With a strong focus on applications, this book explains contemporary IRT models and estimation methods, placing special emphasis on polytomous IRT models, which are widely used in psychological assessments and rating scales. Applications in various research areas are explored in detail, alongside a dedicated chapter on available software to support implementation. The final section delves into advanced IRT topics, including multidimensional models and explanatory approaches for hypothesis testing, making it a valuable resource for those looking to deepen their understanding of psychometric analysis.This book is essential for graduate students, researchers, and practitioners in psychology, education, and the social sciences. It is useful for researchers who are implementing or developing person assessments, as well as for professionals in clinical, industrial, counseling, and behavioral medicine fields who need a strong grasp of contemporary psychometric foundations. Professors teaching measurement courses will find it an ideal core textbook, offering a structured and engaging introduction to IRT and its applications in test development and analysis.