Feasibility of Forced-Choice Assessments in Middle and High School Students

• In Event: 53.081 - Roundtable Session 21
  In Roundtable Session: 53.081-10 - Research on Assessment Design and Development

Abstract

The education community has shown an increasing interest in the measurement of character skills due to their ability to predict success, at the academic and workforce level, beyond cognitive ability. Despite the interest, measurement of character skills has traditionally been challenging due to the weaknesses of different item types (e.g. Likert items are susceptible to intentional misrepresentation). Forced-choice methodology has progressed in recent years to overcome the problem of ipsativity and it is one of the more promising methods to measure character skills. Thus, the present paper explores the feasibility of using forced-choice items with middle and high schools students and presents the results of a forced-choice assessment developed and tested on the targeted population.

Authors

• Cristina Anguiano Carrasco, Educational Testing Service

• Kevin Terrance Petway, Educational Testing Service

• Meghan Wilson Brenneman, Enrollment Management Association

• Christopher Kurzum, Educational Testing Service