In the Science and Practice of Standard Setting: Where Is the Science??

Abstract

Standard setting is a complex process that involves the application of social science, psychometrics, content expertise, politics, and economics. Over the last 60 years of the practice of standard setting, many methods have been proposed, and many implementation decisions have been made that affect the practice of standard setting. Some of these decisions have been made based on scientific studies about their impact on the standard setting results, but many have been made purely on factors of human judgment or for streamlining the process without the benefit of research to support these decisions. The purpose of this chapter is to focus on where additional research is needed to support many of the practical decisions that are found in many standard setting applications.