Differential item functioning (DIF) is when two subgroups of the same ability level perform differently on an assessment. However, despite this broad definition, in chemical education DIF is primarily used to assess the subgrouping of students by sex and the ability level estimate from the observed assessment score. This talk will show how DIF results can be different based on the ability measurement used and specifically compares the internal test score with external test scores, standardized testing results, modeled scores, and the purified internal test score. The potential utility of DIF analysis is also shown by giving three different applications of DIF statistics extending beyond the more traditional to analyze subgroupings based on: control versus treatment, math ability, and reading ability.

Use of differential item functioning (DIF) with alternate subgroupings and ability estimates

ACS Fall 2021

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