IRT (Item Response Theory) Models

Item Response Theory (IRT) models are statistical tools used to analyze how individual test items (questions) relate to a person’s underlying ability or trait. Rather than just giving a total score, IRT examines the probability that someone with a certain ability level will answer each question correctly. This helps in designing fairer and more accurate assessments, as it accounts for differences in question difficulty and discrimination. Essentially, IRT provides a detailed understanding of both the test-taker’s abilities and the characteristics of each test question, leading to more precise measurement of skills or traits.