Differential Performance of Males and Females on Easy to Hard Item Arrangements: Influence of Feedback at the Item Level

Abstract

Differential test performance by males and females was reported on a quantitative examination as a function of item arrangement (Plake, Ansorge, Parker, and Lowry, 1982). Males performed at a higher level than females on tests the items of which were arranged from easy to hard. Plake and Ansorge (1982) speculated that this male superiority may be a function of differential reinforcement in backgrounds of males and females. Using a Latin Square design, this study provided item performance feedback for a nonquantitative examination. Significant sex-by-order effects did not occur, but the lack of this effect could possibly have been due to the use of a nonquantitative examination (Plake and Ansorge, 1983). It still remains to be seen whether, in using a quantitative examination, differential effects of item feedback may be a source of explanation for evidence of sex-by-order effects. Implications for validity of test score interpretation are considered briefly.

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References

Plake, B. S. and Ansorge, C. J. (1982). Effects of item arrangement, sex of the subject, and test anxiety on cognitive and perception scores on an educational psychology examination. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Council on Measurment in Education, New York, April.

Plake, B. S. and Ansorge, C. J. (1983). Effects of item arrangement, sex of the subject and test anxiety on cognitive and perception scores in a non-quantitative content area. EDUCATIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT, in press.

Plake, B. S. , Ansorge, C. J. , Parker, C. S. , and Lowry, S. R. (1982). Effects of item arrangement, knowledge of arrangement, test anxiety, and sex on test performance. Journal of Educational Measurement, 19, 49-57.

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