Multistage testing is an

algorithm In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm () is a finite sequence of rigorous instructions, typically used to solve a class of specific Computational problem, problems or to perform a computation. Algorithms are used as specificat ...

-based approach to administering

tests Test(s), testing, or TEST may refer to: * Test (assessment), an educational assessment intended to measure the respondents' knowledge or other abilities Arts and entertainment * ''Test'' (2013 film), an American film * ''Test'' (2014 film), ...

. It is very similar to

computer-adaptive testing Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) is a form of computer-based test that adapts to the examinee's ability level. For this reason, it has also been called tailored testing. In other words, it is a form of computer-administered test in which the ne ...

in that items are interactively selected for each examinee by the algorithm, but rather than selecting individual items, groups of items are selected, building the test in stages. These groups are called ''testlets'' or ''panels''. While multistage tests could theoretically be administered by a human, the extensive computations required (often using

item response theory In psychometrics, item response theory (IRT) (also known as latent trait theory, strong true score theory, or modern mental test theory) is a paradigm for the design, analysis, and scoring of tests, questionnaires, and similar instruments measuring ...

) mean that multistage tests are administered by computer. The number of stages or testlets can vary. If the testlets are relatively small, such as five items, ten or more could easily be used in a test. Some multistage tests are designed with the minimum of two stages (one stage would be a conventional fixed-form test). In response to the increasing use of multistage testing, the scholarly journal ''Applied Measurement in Education'' published a special edition on the topic in 2006.''Applied Measurement in Education'' edition on multistage testin

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References

* Yan, D., Alina von Davier, von Davier, A., and Lewis, C (2014). ''Computerized Multistage Testing: Theory and Applications.'' Chapman & Hall/CRC Statistics in the Social and Behavioral Sciences. * Magis, D., Yan, D., and Alina von Davier, von Davier, A. (2017). ''Computerized Adaptive and Multistage Testing with R''. Springer.

References

Further reading