Introduction to Item Response Theory (IRT)

Introduction to Item Response Theory (IRT)

This course will teach you the statistical basis for analyzing multiple-choice survey or test data - item response theory (IRT).

This course will teach you the statistical basis for analyzing multiple-choice survey or test data - item response theory (IRT).

$699 | Enroll Now
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Overview

This course introduces Item Response Theory (IRT) applied to both dichotomous (two-outcome) data and polytomous (multiple outcome) data. IRT is the statistical basis for analyzing multiple-choice survey or test data for researchers, social scientists, and others who want to create better scales, tests, and questionnaires. You will explore key foundational concepts of traits, items, and scales and scores, before moving on to learn how to measure and model response data.

Introductory Level Course
4-Week Course
100% Online Courses
Expert Instructors
Teacher Assistant Support
Tution-Back Guarantee

Learning Outcomes

After taking this course you should be able to understand how IRT is used, which models are appropriate for different contexts, how to construct scales, and how to understand output from IRT analyses.

  • Define traits, items, scales and scores
  • Add item parameters: 1-, 2- and 3-Parameter models
  • Construct appropriate dichotomous and polytomous scales Interpret scores
  • Assess fit, and how well items work

Who Should Take This Course

Researchers, social scientists, and education measurement scientists who want to learn about analyzing and creating better scales, tests, and questionnaires.

Instructors

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Dr. Karen Schmidt

Dr. Karen Schmidt

Dr. Karen Schmidt is a Professor in The Department of Psychology at The University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. Dr. Schmidt has been a professor for 24 years, and teaches courses in statistics, research methods, and item response theory (IRT) and Rasch measurement at the undergraduate and graduate level. Dr. Schmidt specializes in psychometrics, with specific focus on Rasch measurement and item response theory (IRT). Her research and interests include scale and test design and analysis, item features experimental design and analysis, and trait measurement in a wide variety of areas, including psychological, educational,...

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Course Syllabus

Week 1

Introduction, Theory, Concepts

  • History of IRT
  • Classical test theory and IRT
  • Why is effective measurement important?
  • Traits, items, scales and scores

Week 2

Measuring Dichotomous Responses

  • Adding item parameters: 1-, 2- and 3-Parameter models
  • What do the scores mean?
  • Dichotomous scale construction considerations

Week 3

Measuring Polytomous Responses

  • The Graded Response Model
  • What do the scores mean?
  • Polytomous scale construction considerations

Week 4

Practical Considerations and Applications of IRT

  • Assessing fit: How well do the items work?
  • Item and scale effectiveness: Dimensionality, Standard Errors, Information
  • Differential Item Functioning (DIF) and Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT)

Class Dates

2023

Aug 11, 2023 to Sep 8, 2023

2024

No classes scheduled at this time.

2025

No classes scheduled at this time.

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Prerequisites

In this course, you will use Excel and R. We recommend using R in conjunction with R Studio. Some familiarity with R is assumed. Exercises and materials will be provided to introduce you to R and R Studio with roughly 3 hours of additional work. Warning: The first week of the course has a comparatively heavy workload of regular course material, so if you are very new to R, be sure to appropriately budget your time.

Introductory Statistics

We assume you are versed in statistics or have the equivalent understanding of topics covered in our Statistics 1 and Statistics 2 courses. but do not require them as eligibility to enroll in this course. Please review the course description for each of our introductory statistics courses, estimate which best matches your level of understanding of the material covered in these courses, then take the short assessment test for that course. If you can not answer more than half of the questions correctly, we suggest you take our Statistics 1 and Statistics 2 courses prior to taking this course.

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All of the courses I have taken at The Institute have been excellent in providing understanding of statistical concepts by focusing on the logic and theory behind the equations and formulas, which has allowed me to maximize my learning experience

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer or withdraw from a course?

We have a flexible transfer and withdrawal policy that recognizes circumstances may arise to prevent you from taking a course as planned. You may transfer or withdraw from a course under certain conditions.
  • Students are entitled to a full refund if a course they are registered for is canceled.
  • You can transfer your tuition to another course at any time prior to the course start date or the drop date, however a transfer is not permitted after the drop date.
  • Withdrawals on or after the first day of class are entitled to a percentage refund of tuition.
Please see this page for more information.

Who are the instructors at the Institute?

The Institute has more than 60 instructors who are recruited based on their expertise in various areas in statistics. Our faculty members are:

  • Authors of well-regarded texts in their area;
  • Advisory board members;
  • Senior faculty; and
  • Educators who have made important contributions to the field of statistics or online education in statistics.

The majority of our instructors have more than five years of teaching experience online at the Institute.

Please visit our faculty page for more information on each instructor at The Institute for Statistics Education.

Please see our knowledge center for more information.

What type of courses does the Institute offer?

The Institute offers approximately 80 courses each year. Topics include basic survey courses for novices, a full sequence of introductory statistics courses, bridge courses to more advanced topics. Our courses cover a range of topics including biostatistics, research statistics, data mining, business analytics, survey statistics, and environmental statistics.

Please see our course search or knowledge center for more information.

Do your courses have for-credit options?

Our courses have several for-credit options:

  • Continuing education units (CEU)
  • College credit through The American Council on Education (ACE CREDIT)
  • Course credits that are transferable to the INFORMS Certified Analytics Professional (CAP®)

Please see our knowledge center for more information.

Is the Institute for Statistics Education certified?

The Institute for Statistics Education is certified to operate by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). For more information visit: https://www.schev.edu/

Please see our knowledge center for more information.

Visit our knowledge base and learn more.

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Additional Course Information

Organization of Course

This course takes place online at The Institute for 4 weeks. During each course week, you participate at times of your own choosing – there are no set times when you must be online. Course participants will be given access to a private discussion board. In class discussions led by the instructor, you can post questions, seek clarification, and interact with your fellow students and the instructor.

At the beginning of each week, you receive the relevant material, in addition to answers to exercises from the previous session. During the week, you are expected to go over the course materials, work through exercises, and submit answers. Discussion among participants is encouraged. The instructor will provide answers and comments, and at the end of the week, you will receive individual feedback on your homework answers.

Time Requirements

This is a 4-week course requiring 10-15 hours per week of review and study, at times of your choosing.

Homework

The homework in this course consists of multiple-choice questions on course concepts, ungraded practice exercises using R, and a final project using R.

Course Text

Course subject materials will be provided in each lesson. A suggested text (not required), for those who wish a more rigorous review of the concepts, is Fundamentals of Item Response Theory (Measurement Methods for the Social Science) by Ronald K. Hambleton, available on Amazon or on Sage.

Software

In this course, you will use Excel and R. We recommend using R in conjunction with R Studio. Some familiarity with R is assumed. Exercises and materials will be provided to introduce you to R and R Studio with roughly 3 hours of additional work. Warning: The first week of the course has a comparatively heavy workload of regular course material, so if you are very new to R, be sure to appropriately budget your time.

Software Uses and Descriptions | Available Free Versions
To learn more about the software used in this course, or how to obtain free versions of software used in our courses, please read our knowledge base article “What software is used in courses?” 

Course Fee & Information

Enrollment
Courses may fill up at any time and registrations are processed in the order in which they are received. Your registration will be confirmed for the first available course date unless you specify otherwise.

Transfers and Withdrawals
We have flexible policies to transfer to another course or withdraw if necessary.

Group Rates
Contact us to get information on group rates.

Discounts
Academic affiliation?  In most courses you are eligible for a discount at checkout.

New to Statistics.com?  Click here for a special introductory discount code.  

Invoice or Purchase Order
Add $50 service fee if you require a prior invoice, or if you need to submit a purchase order or voucher, pay by wire transfer or EFT, or refund and reprocess a prior payment.

Options for Credit and Recognition

This course is eligible for the following credit and recognition options:

No Credit
You may take this course without pursuing credit or a record of completion.

Mastery or Certificate Program Credit
If you are enrolled in mastery or certificate program that requires demonstration of proficiency in this subject, your course work may be assessed for a grade.

CEUs and Proof of Completion
If you require a “Record of Course Completion” along with professional development credit in the form of Continuing Education Units (CEU’s), upon successfully completing the course, CEU’s and a record of course completion will be issued by The Institute upon your request.

Supplemental Information

Literacy, Accessibility, and Dyslexia

At Statistics.com, we aim to provide a learning environment suitable for everyone. To help you get the most out of your learning experience, we have researched and tested several assistance tools. For students with dyslexia, colorblindness, or reading difficulties, we recommend the following web browser add-ons and extensions:

 

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Safari

  • Navidys (for colorblindness, dyslexia, and reading difficulties)
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Miscellaneous

There is no additional information for this course.

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Introduction to Item Response Theory (IRT)
$699 | Enroll Now
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