This new text provides the most current coverage of measurement and psychometrics in a single volume. Authors W. Holmes Finch and Brian F. French first review the basics of psychometrics and measurement, before moving on to more complex topics such as equating and scaling, item response theory, standard setting, and computer adaptive testing. Also included are discussions of cutting-edge topics utilized by practitioners in the field, such as automated test development, game-based assessment, and automated test scoring. This book is ideal for use as a primary text for graduate-level psychometrics/measurement courses, as well as for researchers in need of a broad resource for understanding test theory. Features: "How it Works" and "Psychometrics in the Real World" boxes break down important concepts through worked examples, and show how theory can be applied to practice. End-of-chapter exercises allow students to test their comprehension of the material, while suggested readings and website links provide resources for further investigation. A collection of free online resources include the full output from R, SPSS, and Excel for each of the analyses conducted in the book, as well as additional exercises, sample homework assignments, answer keys, and PowerPoint lecture slides.
This book demonstrates how to conduct latent variable modeling (LVM) in R by highlighting the features of each model, their specialized uses, examples, sample code and output, and an interpretation of the results. Each chapter features a detailed example including the analysis of the data using R, the relevant theory, the assumptions underlying the model, and other statistical details to help readers better understand the models and interpret the results. Every R command necessary for conducting the analyses is described along with the resulting output which provides readers with a template to follow when they apply the methods to their own data. The basic information pertinent to each model, the newest developments in these areas, and the relevant R code to use them are reviewed. Each chapter also features an introduction, summary, and suggested readings. A glossary of the text’s boldfaced key terms and key R commands serve as helpful resources. The book is accompanied by a website with exercises, an answer key, and the in-text example data sets. Latent Variable Modeling with R: -Provides some examples that use messy data providing a more realistic situation readers will encounter with their own data. -Reviews a wide range of LVMs including factor analysis, structural equation modeling, item response theory, and mixture models and advanced topics such as fitting nonlinear structural equation models, nonparametric item response theory models, and mixture regression models. -Demonstrates how data simulation can help researchers better understand statistical methods and assist in selecting the necessary sample size prior to collecting data. -www.routledge.com/9780415832458 provides exercises that apply the models along with annotated R output answer keys and the data that corresponds to the in-text examples so readers can replicate the results and check their work. The book opens with basic instructions in how to use R to read data, download functions, and conduct basic analyses. From there, each chapter is dedicated to a different latent variable model including exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), structural equation modeling (SEM), multiple groups CFA/SEM, least squares estimation, growth curve models, mixture models, item response theory (both dichotomous and polytomous items), differential item functioning (DIF), and correspondance analysis. The book concludes with a discussion of how data simulation can be used to better understand the workings of a statistical method and assist researchers in deciding on the necessary sample size prior to collecting data. A mixture of independently developed R code along with available libraries for simulating latent models in R are provided so readers can use these simulations to analyze data using the methods introduced in the previous chapters. Intended for use in graduate or advanced undergraduate courses in latent variable modeling, factor analysis, structural equation modeling, item response theory, measurement, or multivariate statistics taught in psychology, education, human development, and social and health sciences, researchers in these fields also appreciate this book’s practical approach. The book provides sufficient conceptual background information to serve as a standalone text. Familiarity with basic statistical concepts is assumed but basic knowledge of R is not.
This new text provides the most current coverage of measurement and psychometrics in a single volume. Authors W. Holmes Finch and Brian F. French first review the basics of psychometrics and measurement, before moving on to more complex topics such as equating and scaling, item response theory, standard setting, and computer adaptive testing. Also included are discussions of cutting-edge topics utilized by practitioners in the field, such as automated test development, game-based assessment, and automated test scoring. This book is ideal for use as a primary text for graduate-level psychometrics/measurement courses, as well as for researchers in need of a broad resource for understanding test theory. Features: "How it Works" and "Psychometrics in the Real World" boxes break down important concepts through worked examples, and show how theory can be applied to practice. End-of-chapter exercises allow students to test their comprehension of the material, while suggested readings and website links provide resources for further investigation. A collection of free online resources include the full output from R, SPSS, and Excel for each of the analyses conducted in the book, as well as additional exercises, sample homework assignments, answer keys, and PowerPoint lecture slides.
The book will be designed primarily for graduate students (or advanced undergraduates) who are learning psychometrics, as well as professionals in the field who need a reference for use in their practice. We would assume that users have some basic knowledge of using SAS to read data and conduct basic analyses (e.g., descriptive statistics, frequency distributions). In addition, the reader should be familiar with basic statistical concepts such as descriptive statistics (e.g., mean, median, variance, standard deviation), percentiles and the rudiments of hypothesis testing. They should also have a passing familiarity with issues in psychometrics such as reliability, validity and test/survey scoring. We will not assume any more than basic familiarity with these issues, and will devote a portion of each chapter (as well as the entire first chapter) to reviewing many of these basic ideas for those not familiar with them. We envision the book as being useful either as a primary text for a course on applied measurement where SAS is the main platform for instruction, or as a supplement to a more theoretical text. We also anticipate that readers working in government agencies responsible for testing and measurement issues at the local, state and national levels, and private testing, survey and market research companies, as well as faculty members needing a practical resource for psychometric practice will serve as a market for the book. In short, the readership would include graduate students, faculty members, data analysts and psychometricians responsible for analysis of survey response data, as well as educational and psychological assessments. The goal of the book is to provide readers with the tools necessary for assessing the psychometric qualities of educational and psychological measures as well as surveys and questionnaires. Each chapter will cover an issue pertinent to psychometric and measurement practice, with an emphasis on application. Topics will be briefly discussed from a theoretical/technical perspective in order to provide the reader with the background necessary to correctly use and interpret the statistical analyses that will be presented subsequently. Readers will then be presented with examples illustrating a particular concept (e.g., reliability). These examples will include a discussion of the particular analysis, along with the SAS code necessary to conduct them. The resulting output will then be discussed in detail, focusing on the interpretation of the results. Finally, examples of how these results might be written up will also be included in the text. It is hoped that this mixture of theory with examples of actual practice will serve the reader both as a pedagogical tool and as a reference work.
The book will be designed primarily for graduate students (or advanced undergraduates) who are learning psychometrics, as well as professionals in the field who need a reference for use in their practice. We would assume that users have some basic knowledge of using SPSS to read data and conduct basic analyses (e.g., descriptive statistics, frequency distributions). In addition, the reader should be familiar with basic statistical concepts such as descriptive statistics (e.g., mean, median, variance, standard deviation), percentiles and the rudiments of hypothesis testing. They should also have a passing familiarity with issues in psychometrics such as reliability, validity and test/survey scoring. We will not assume any more than basic familiarity with these issues, and will devote a portion of each chapter (as well as the entire first chapter) to reviewing many of these basic ideas for those not familiar with them. We envision the book as being useful either as a primary text for a course on applied measurement where SPSS is the main platform for instruction, or as a supplement to a more theoretical text. We also anticipate that readers working in government agencies responsible for testing and measurement issues at the local, state and national levels, and private testing, survey and market research companies, as well as faculty members needing a practical resource for psychometric practice will serve as a market for the book. In short, the readership would include graduate students, faculty members, data analysts and psychometricians responsible for analysis of survey response data, as well as educational and psychological assessments. The goal of the book is to provide readers with the tools necessary for assessing the psychometric qualities of educational and psychological measures as well as surveys and questionnaires. Each chapter will cover an issue pertinent to psychometric and measurement practice, with an emphasis on application. Topics will be briefly discussed from a theoretical/technical perspective in order to provide the reader with the background necessary to correctly use and interpret the statistical analyses that will be presented subsequently. Readers will then be presented with examples illustrating a particular concept (e.g., reliability). These examples will include a discussion of the particular analysis, along with the SPSS code necessary to conduct them. The resulting output will then be discussed in detail, focusing on the interpretation of the results. Finally, examples of how these results might be written up will also be included in the text. It is hoped that this mixture of theory with examples of actual practice will serve the reader both as a pedagogical tool and as a reference work. To our knowledge, no book outlining psychometric practice using commonly available software such as SPSS currently exists. Given that many practitioners in academia, government and private industry use SPSS for statistical analyses of testing data, we believe that our book will fill an important niche in the market. It will contain very practical information regarding how to conduct a wide variety of psychometric analyses, along with tips on interpretation of results and the appropriate format for reporting these results. We believe that it will prove useful to individuals in educational measurement, psychometrics, and survey and market research. Our text will add to the literature by providing users with a single reference containing the major ideas in applied psychometrics with instructions and examples for conducting the analyses in SPSS. In addition, we will provide original macros for estimating a variety of statistics and conducting analyses common in educational and psychological measurement.
Covering everything from preoperative evaluation to neonatal emergencies to the PACU, A Practice of Anesthesia in Infants and Children, 6th Edition, features state-of-the-art advice on the safe, effective administration of general and regional anesthesia to young patients. It reviews underlying scientific information, addresses preoperative assessment and anesthesia management in detail, and provides guidelines for postoperative care, emergencies, and special procedures. Comprehensive in scope and thoroughly up to date, this 6th Edition delivers unsurpassed coverage of every key aspect of pediatric anesthesia.
Encyclopedia of Ecology, Second Edition, Four Volume Set continues the acclaimed work of the previous edition published in 2008. It covers all scales of biological organization, from organisms, to populations, to communities and ecosystems. Laboratory, field, simulation modelling, and theoretical approaches are presented to show how living systems sustain structure and function in space and time. New areas of focus include micro- and macro scales, molecular and genetic ecology, and global ecology (e.g., climate change, earth transformations, ecosystem services, and the food-water-energy nexus) are included. In addition, new, international experts in ecology contribute on a variety of topics. Offers the most broad-ranging and comprehensive resource available in the field of ecology Provides foundational content and suggests further reading Incorporates the expertise of over 500 outstanding investigators in the field of ecology, including top young scientists with both research and teaching experience Includes multimedia resources, such as an Interactive Map Viewer and links to a CSDMS (Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System), an open-source platform for modelers to share and link models dealing with earth system processes
Provide optimal anesthetic care to your young patients with A Practice of Anesthesia in Infants and Children, 5th Edition, by Drs. Charles J. Cote, Jerrold Lerman, and Brian J. Anderson. 110 experts representing 10 different countries on 6 continents bring you complete coverage of the safe, effective administration of general and regional anesthesia to infants and children - covering standard techniques as well as the very latest advances. Find authoritative answers on everything from preoperative evaluation through neonatal emergencies to the PACU. Get a free laminated pocket reference guide inside the book! Quickly review underlying scientific concepts and benefit from expert information on preoperative assessment and anesthesia management, postoperative care, emergencies, and special procedures. Stay on the cutting edge of management of emergence agitation, sleep-disordered breathing and postoperative vomiting; the use of new devices such as cuffed endotracheal tubes and new airway devices; and much more. Familiarize yourself with the full range of available new drugs, including those used for premedication and emergence from anesthesia. Benefit from numerous new figures and tables that facilitate easier retention of the material; new insights from neonatologists and neonatal pharmacologists; quick summaries of each chapter; and more than 1,000 illustrations that clarify key concepts. Access the entire text online, fully searchable, at www.expertconsult.com, plus an extensive video library covering simulation, pediatric airway management, burn injuries, ultra-sound guided regional anesthesia, and much more; and new online-only sections, tables and figures.
Originally published in 1989. What should be taught in schools? This book explores the differing curriculum traditions in Britain, Europe, the USA, Latin America, India and the Far East and the possibilities for change. For the practising teacher and the educationalist it opens up the debates about ‘quality’ in education which have been intense in many countries throughout the 1980s and focuses on how different countries are trying to change the curriculum to achieve higher standards and greater relevance. Considering the age-old questions "Who shall be educated?" and "What knowledge is of most worth?", four major curriculum traditions are examined in an historical context. The authors show how some European and American practices were freely incorporated into emerging systems in other parts of the world while elsewhere curricula were transferred by imperialists to their colonies and then modified. In the first part of the book the difficulties of curriculum change are explored within the contexts of countries where the curricula are rooted in indigenous models. The second part examines countries where curricula have been transferred from other parts of the world and how this affects curriculum change. In each case the politics of educational change since 1945, when compulsory education was introduced in many countries, has been analysed. The book will help students of education to understand the issues of curriculum reform and the transfer of curriculum models and places the problems in an international perspective with case studies.
The global trends documented in Vital Sings 1999--from a decline in nuclear power generating capacity to the proliferation of genetically modified crops--will play a large part in determining the quality of our lives and our children's lives in the next decade.
This ninth annual edition of Vital Signs takes the world's pulse by compiling a wide-ranging collection of trends that identify both problems and progress in the quest for a sustainable society. It highlights both alarming situations and encouraging developments. Part One is a comprehensive presentation of the key indicators in areas such as food, agriculture, energy, atmosphere, economics, transport and the military. Part Two provides in-depth special feature articles on: environmental features, such as transgenic crops and paper recycling; economic features, such as environmental taxes and corporate mergers; and social features, such as tuberculosis, prisons and women in politics.
This second edition updates a course which has proven to be a perfect fit for classes the world over. Engaging content and a strong focus on grammar and vocabulary combine to make this course a hit with both teachers and students. The Teacher's Resource Book contains extra photocopiable grammar and communication activities and full pages of teaching tips and ideas specially written by methodology expert, Mario Rinvolucri. A Testmaker Audio CD/CD-ROM which allows teachers to create and edit their own tests is also available separately, as is Classware which integrates the Student's Book, class audio and video.
This second edition updates a course which has proven to be a perfect fit for classes the world over. The Teacher's Resource Book contains the content for Combos 2A and 2B in one volume. All unit numbers and page references correspond to the Combos. It contains extra photocopiable grammar and communication activities and full pages of teaching tips and ideas specially written by methodology expert, Mario Rinvolucri. A Combo Testmaker Audio CD/CD-ROM which allows teachers to create and edit their own tests is also available separately, as is Classware for the full edition which integrates the Student's Book, class audio and video.
The first complete biography of Britain’s WWII spymaster presents an intimate look at his life and career, as well as an insider’s look at the SOE. Major General Sir Colin Gubbins was the driving force behind Britain’s Special Operations Executive, the secret military organization established by Winston Churchill in 1940. First as its Operations and Training Director, and then its Commander, Gubbins orchestrated every aspect of the SOE’s worldwide covert operations. Though Gubbins made enormous contributions to Allied victory, his life and work have remained shrouded in secrecy until now. With copious research and unprecedented access to family archives, biographer Brian Lett reveals the war hero’s early experiences in the Great War, as well as in Russia, Ireland, Poland, and as Head of British Resistance. The result is a fascinating biography that reveals as much about SOEs extraordinary activities as it does about the man who inspired and commanded them.
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