Postexamination analysis of objective tests using the three-parameter item response theory.
OBJECTIVE
Although the importance of item response theory (IRT) has been emphasized in health and medical education, in practice, few psychometricians in nurse education have used these methods to create tests that discriminate well at any level of student ability. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of a real objective test using three-parameter IRT.


METHODS
Three-parameter IRT was used to monitor and improve the quality of the test items.


RESULTS
Item parameter indices, item characteristic curves (ICCs), test information functions, and test characteristic curves reveal aberrant items which do not assess the construct being measured.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study provide useful information for educators to improve the quality of assessment, teaching strategies, and curricula.
Mohsen
M
Tavakol
Mohammad
M
Rahimi-Madiseh
Reg
R
Dennick
D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D017145:Models, Educational; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000193:education*; D011594:Psychometrics