The difNLR package containts method for detection of differential item functioning (DIF) based on non-linear regression. Both uniform and non-uniform DIF effects can be detected when considering one focal group. The method also allows to test the difference in guessing or inattention parameters between reference and focal group. DIF detection method is based either on likelihood-ratio test, or on F-test of submodel. Package also offers method for detection of differential distractor functioning (DDF) based on multinomial log-linear regression model and newly for ordinal data via adjacent and cumulative logistic regression models.
Package: difNLR Type: Package Version: 1.3.0 Date: 2019-08-19 Depends: R (>= 3.1) Imports: CTT, ggplot2 (>= 2.2.1), grDevices, methods, msm, nnet, plyr, reshape2, stats, VGAM License: GPL-3 BugReports: https://github.com/adelahladka/difNLR/issues Encoding: UTF-8
Agresti, A. (2010). Analysis of ordinal categorical data. Second edition. John Wiley & Sons.
Drabinova, A. & Martinkova P. (2017). Detection of Differential Item Functioning with NonLinear Regression: Non-IRT Approach Accounting for Guessing. Journal of Educational Measurement, 54(4), 498-517, https://doi.org/10.1111/jedm.12158.
Kingston, N., Leary, L., & Wightman, L. (1985). An Exploratory Study of the Applicability of Item Response Theory Methods to the Graduate Management Admission Test. ETS Research Report Series, 1985(2) : 1-64.
Martinkova, P., Drabinova, A., Liaw, Y. L., Sanders, E. A., McFarland, J. L., & Price, R. M. (2017). Checking equity: Why Differential Item Functioning Analysis Should Be a Routine Part of Developing Conceptual Assessments. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 16(2), https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.16-10-0307.
Swaminathan, H. & Rogers, H. J. (1990). Detecting Differential Item Functioning Using Logistic Regression Procedures. Journal of Educational Measurement, 27, 361-370.
Vlckova, K. (2014). Test and Item Fairness (Unpublished master's thesis).
Useful links:
Report bugs at https://github.com/adelahladka/difNLR/issues