Contributions to Score Linking Theory and Practice

Abstract

This chapter documents ETS advances in score linking theory and practice. As a prelude, we provide a motivation for the considerable extent of research on score linking. Then we summarize published efforts that provide conceptual frameworks for score linking or examples of scale aligning. Next we deal with data collection designs and data preparation issues. Third, we turn our focus to the various procedures that have been developed to link or equate scores. This treatment is followed by a review of research describing processes for evaluating the quality of equating results. Fourth, we review studies that focus on comparing different linking methods. A brief chronological summary of the material covered in preceding parts of the chapter is then provided. The penultimate section summarizes the various books and chapters that ETS authors have contributed on the topic. An extensive list of citations spanning from 1950 to 2015 can be found just after our closing comments.