Monitoring Rater Facet in a Highland Dance Championship

• In Event: Poster Session 1
  In Poster Session: Rasch Measurement Research Posters

Abstract

Judge or rater fairness is a concern in many sports or performance competitions. Often imposing factors such as rater bias can impact the results of the event, therefore, monitoring and accounting for rater differences is important to ensure a fair system of judging. A proven effective approach for evaluating rater severity and bias is the Multi facet Rasch measurement model (MFRM). However, not many studies in sports and performance have employed Rasch measurement techniques to assess the judging process. This study uses data from the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing 2012 Chicago Open Championship to evaluate the rating behaviors of the six competition judges. We examine rater severity and the effect of differential rater functioning on the dancers’ scores.

Authors

• Nicole Makas Colwell

• Beyza Aksu Dunya, University of Illinois at Chicago