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Differential item functioning (DIF) analysis of the verbal section of the 2003 student selection examination (SSE)

Asil, Mustafa

Abstract Details

2005, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, EDU Teaching and Learning.

The purpose of this study is to investigate differential item functioning (DIF) in the 2003 Student Selection Examination (SSE) in Turkey by employing the Mantel-Haenszel procedure. DIF analysis has been carried out across gender groups to examine two major issues: detecting the items that show male/female related DIF after matching the examinees on total subtest scores, and investigating the relationship between DIF values and item characteristics which are item difficulty and item discrimination index.

The data were obtained from the 2003 Student Selection Examination (SSE) test. The sample consists of 2000 examinees who took this test. The subjects were grouped according to their gender.

The Mantel-Haenszel technique was used as the DIF detection method. Dimensionality of the Turkish and Social Science subtests was investigated after assessing the validity and reliability of these subtests. Finally, item difficulty and discrimination values were computed for each item and were compared with DIF values labeled as A, B, and C.

The results of the present study indicated that four large DIF values (C) were detected in the Turkish language subtest, and one in Social Science subtest. Overall, the Turkish subtest items favored females more than males, whereas the Social Science items did not either group.

Although many items were detected as showing DIF in the Social Science subtest, the total effect of DIF diminished in this subtest. Finally, the results indicated that there was a significant relationship between item difficulty and DIF for both subtests and also between item discrimination and DIF for the Turkish subtest only.

Ayres G. D'Costa (Advisor)
140 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Asil, M. (2005). Differential item functioning (DIF) analysis of the verbal section of the 2003 student selection examination (SSE) [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1399553097

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Asil, Mustafa. Differential item functioning (DIF) analysis of the verbal section of the 2003 student selection examination (SSE). 2005. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1399553097.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Asil, Mustafa. "Differential item functioning (DIF) analysis of the verbal section of the 2003 student selection examination (SSE)." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2005. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1399553097

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)