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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
In lieu of anything better, May 10, 2007
This review is from: Applying the Rasch Model: Fundamental Measurement in the Human Sciences, Second Edition (Paperback)
This is a reasonable introduction to some aspects of Rasch modeling that could stand considerable improvement come, as almost certainly there will, a third edition.
Reading the book is an annoyance because of the very large numbers of copy editing mistakes. For example, the text in the first paragraph on page 249 makes reference to information in a figure that is clearly not in the figure referred to. The table on page 245 is printed the wrong way, with tabs between decimal points and the figures on the right, making it seem as if, for example, the item estimate for the item in question is an absurd 33.0 or even 330. The text is full of such mistakes. Practically speaking, one might argue that such printing errors are actually useful to those who wish to understand the text, inasmuch as the ability to notice that such mistakes are mistakes functions as a check on the depth of one's understanding. On the other hand, I fear to think what those with no background in Rasch models would make of the page 245 table.
Rasch models are (at least in the circles I move in) notorious for the difficulty of explanitory texts, this despite the simplicity of the concepts involved. (Rasch models in testing, for example, are much simplier than those for traditional true-score treatments of testing, but the true-score tradition abounds with clear writers who aim for and hit audiences of novices.)
This book does a little to make Rasch model concepts more clear to less-initiated readers, but the tone of the text often flips between clarity, with all new concepts explained clearly, and academic prose for the initiated only (as in the discussion of residuals interpretation). Likewise, though the text includes much data from actual tests or research projects, there is a lack of any actual items or item stems from the tests or research from which the examples are drawn. The invented examples here (e.g., with Chapter 7, on rating scale design) are poorly thought out and do not betray familiarity with relevant literature.
The organization of the text could be improved as well. Although the included glossory is an aid, keeping topic for the most part in one place in the book would make it much more useful for beginners: information on fit interpretation, for example, is spread throughout the text, with information that would illuminate introductory writing about fit being delayed until Chapter 12.
Criticisms aside, however, "Applying the Rasch Model" is fun to read (at least for those somewhat familiar with probabilistic models in academia), and I do not know of a better introduction in print. On the other hand, I have not kept up with the literature of late, so perhaps there is something better than this.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Way to Get Started with Rasch Analysis/Winsteps/Facets, November 9, 2008
This review is from: Applying the Rasch Model: Fundamental Measurement in the Human Sciences, Second Edition (Paperback)
This book is a great way to get started with Rasch analysis. Most chapters have a tutorial that walks you through step by step an example analysis using provided datasets, with versions of the software (Winsteps/Facets) that come on a CD with the book.
After working through the basic tutorial, I felt that I was left hanging (wondering what next?). What would be very helpful would be a thorough coverage of how to interpret output (what columns mean etc, with start to finish detailed examples; including reporting of results). In any event, this is great!
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7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What's new in 2nd Edition, April 7, 2007
This review is from: Applying the Rasch Model: Fundamental Measurement in the Human Sciences, Second Edition (Paperback)
2nd Ed. = 314 pages + (refs and front material); 1st Ed.= 234 pages + (refs and front material).
Updated throughout, highlights of the Second Edition include:
Additional 80 pages of text; More than 25% of the rest rewritten.
A new CD that features Bond&FoxSteps, a full-size introductory version of the latest Winsteps program; all the data files for the book's examples, preprogrammed to run using Winsteps with built-in .pdfs of step by step tutorials for each B&F example. Minifac, data set and Facets example.
A new chapter (#5) on invariance that highlights the parallels between physical and human science measurement.
A new empirical example demonstrates the Many Facets Rasch model.
An increased focus on issues related to unidimensionality, multidimensionality, and Rasch factor analysis of residuals.
New examples using thermometry and the measurement of sport performances, and the growing use of student satisfaction data in university and college reviews.
A new appendix on analyzing data to help those new to Rasch analysis get started.
More explanation of the key concepts and of item characteristic curves make the text easier to follow.
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