Nathan Thompson articles
Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)
An Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE Exam) is an assessment designed to measure performance of tasks, typically medical, in a high-fidelity way. It is more a test of skill than knowledge. For example, I used to
AI Remote Proctoring: How To Choose A Solution
AI remote proctoring has seen an incredible increase of usage during the COVID pandemic. ASC works with a very wide range of clients, with a wide range of remote proctoring needs, and therefore we partner
Test Score Reliability and Validity
Test score reliability and validity are core concepts in the field of psychometrics and assessment. Both of them refer to the quality of a test, the scores it produces, and how we use those scores.
NCCA Accreditation of Certification Programs
NCCA accreditation is a stamp of approval on the quality of a certification program, governed by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).™ This is part of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence™, the leader in
What is the Beuk Compromise?
The Beuk Compromise or Beuk Adjustment is a method for a “reality check” on the results of a modified-Angoff standard setting study. It is well-known that experts will often overestimate examinee capabilities and choose a
Adaptive Testing SAT: Intro & Free Practice Test
The adaptive SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) exam was announced in January 2022 by the College Board, with the goal to modernize the test and make it more widely available, migrating the exam from paper-and-pencil to
What Makes a Test Biased or Unfair?
One of the primary goals of psychometrics and assessment research is to ensure that tests, their scores, and interpretations of the scores, are reliable, valid, and fair. The concepts of reliability and validity are discussed
Examinee Collusion: Primary vs Secondary
In the field of psychometric forensics, examinee collusion refers to cases where an examinee takes a test with some sort of external help in obtaining the correct answers. There are several possibilities: The research on
What is the Positive Manifold?
Positive manifold refers to the fact that scores on cognitive assessment tend to correlate very highly with each other, indicating a common latent dimension that is very strong. This latent dimension became known as g for
Certification, Certificate, and Licensure Exams – What is the difference?
Certification, Certificate, and Licensure are terms that are used quite frequently to refer to credentialing examinations that someone has to pass to demonstrate skills in a certain profession or topic. They are quite similar, and
What is an Assessment / Test Battery?
A test battery or assessment battery is a set multiple psychometrically-distinct exams delivered in one administration. In some cases, these are various tests that are cobbled together for related purposes, such as a psychologist testing
Test Response Function in Item Response Theory
The Test Response Function (TRF) in item response theory (IRT) is a mathematical function that describes the relationship between the latent trait that a test is measuring, which psychometricians call theta (θ), and the predicted
Three Approaches for IRT Equating
IRT equating is the process of equating test forms or item pools using item response theory to ensure that scores are comparable no matter what set of items that an examinee sees. If you are
Power of linear on the fly testing
Linear on the fly testing (LOFT) is an approach to assessment delivery that increases test security by limiting item exposure. It tries to balance the advantages of linear testing (e.g., everyone sees the same number
Norm-Referenced vs. Criterion-Referenced Testing
The two terms Norm-Referenced and Criterion-Referenced are commonly used to describe tests, exams, and assessments. They are often some of the first concepts learned when studying assessment and psychometrics. Norm-referenced means that we are referencing how
Item-total point-biserial correlation
The item-total point-biserial correlation is a common psychometric index regarding the quality of a test item, namely how well it differentiates between examinees with high vs low ability. What is item discrimination? While the word
CalHR Selects Assessment Systems as Vendor for Personnel Selection
The California Department of Human Resources (CalHR, calhr.ca.gov/) has selected Assessment Systems Corporation (ASC, assess.com) as its vendor for an online assessment platform. CalHR is responsible for the personnel selection and hiring of many job roles for
Learn About Tech Innovation With Dr. Nathan Thompson On The EdNorth EdTech Podcast
Nathan Thompson, Ph.D., was recently invited to talk about ASC and the future of educational assessment on the Ednorth EdTech Podcast.EdNorth is an association dedicated to continuing the long history of innovation in educational technology