An Investigation of Item Bias of English Test: The Case of 2016 Year Undergraduate Placement Exam in Turkey

Abstract

Thepurpose of this study is to determine whether English test items ofUndergraduate Placement Exam (UPE) in 2016 containdifferential item functioning (DIF) and differential bundle functioning (DBF)in terms of gender and school type and examine the possible sources of bias ofDIF items. Mantel Haenszel (MH), Simultaneous Item Bias Test (SIBTEST) andMultiple Indicator and Multiple Causes (MIMIC) methods were used for DIFanalyses. DBF analyses were conducted by MIMIC and SIBTEST methods. Expertopinions were consulted to determine the sources of bias. Data set of the studyconsisted of responses of 59818 students to 2016 UPE English test. As a result of the analyses carried out on 60items, it was seen that one item in translation subtest contained DIF favoringmale students. In school type based analyses, it was concluded that there werenine DIF items in vocabulary and grammar knowledge subtest, six DIF items inreading comprehension subtest and four DIF items in translation subtest.Experts stated that one item containing DIF by gender was unbiased, andevidence of bias was found in thirteen of nineteen items that contained DIF byschool type. According to DBF analyses, it was found that some item bundlescontained DBF with respect to gender and school type. As a result of research, it was discoveredthat there were differences with regard to the number of DIF items identifiedby three methods and the level of DIF that the items contained; however,methods were consistent in detecting uniform DIF.

Keywords

• undergraduate placementexam
• differential item functioning
• differential bundle functioning
• item bias
• mimic
• undergraduate placement exam
• differential item functioning
• differential bundle functioning
• item bias
• mimic