Dimensionality and Model Fit Assessment of National Examination Council of Nigeria 2020 Biology in North Central Nigeria
The primary objective of test development is to create a high-quality test by carefully selecting appropriate items through item analysis and ensuring that the test adheres to the assumptions of Item Response Theory (IRT). In this study, two research questions guided the research process, and an Expost-facto research design was employed. The research was conducted in North-Central Nigeria. The study population consisted of 18,252 Senior Secondary School Student III (SSS3) who registered for and took the NECO Biology Examinations in the year 2020. For this study, a sample of 1,825 students was selected from the total population of 18,252, representing 10% of the population. Data collected for analysis were processed using NORHAM for research question one, and model fit statistics was utilized for research question two. The research findings indicated that the NECO 2020 Biology examination did not meet the assumption of unidimensionality. However, the data could be effectively fitted into a 2-parameter logistic model. In summary, the study's main objective was to create a high-quality test by choosing suitable items through item analysis and ensuring that the test conformed to IRT assumptions. The research revealed that the NECO 2020 Biology examination did not satisfy the assumption of unidimensionality but could be adequately fitted into a 2-parameter logistic model.
Hamman, Mathew Joseph, Omale Onuh
Dimensionality and Model Fit Assessment of National Examination Council of Nigeria 2020 Biology in North Central Nigeria
The primary objective of test development is to create a high-quality test by carefully selecting appropriate items through item analysis and ensuring that the test adheres to the assumptions of Item Response Theory (IRT). In this study, two research questions guided the research process, and an Expost-facto research design was employed. The research was conducted in North-Central Nigeria. The study population consisted of 18,252 Senior Secondary School Student III (SSS3) who registered for and took the NECO Biology Examinations in the year 2020. For this study, a sample of 1,825 students was selected from the total population of 18,252, representing 10% of the population. Data collected for analysis were processed using NORHAM for research question one, and model fit statistics was utilized for research question two. The research findings indicated that the NECO 2020 Biology examination did not meet the assumption of unidimensionality. However, the data could be effectively fitted into a 2-parameter logistic model. In summary, the study's main objective was to create a high-quality test by choosing suitable items through item analysis and ensuring that the test conformed to IRT assumptions. The research revealed that the NECO 2020 Biology examination did not satisfy the assumption of unidimensionality but could be adequately fitted into a 2-parameter logistic model.