Definition
It refers to a group of analytical approaches allowing a multi-item scale to be assessed.
Description
In order to obtain meaningful synthetic scores by aggregating item scores from a multi-item scale, the items should be submitted to particular analytical procedures which allow items to be tested in their combined capacity and quality to measure the unobservable variable and go by the name of item analysis. The different approaches to item analysis refer to different model of scaling. Actually, the selected item analysis procedure allows a scaling model to be assessed.
Each scaling model represents a design aimed at consistently developing a new measure (Nunnally, 1978) by verifying items’ properties, including dimensionality, internal consistency, and convergent/discriminant validity. In particular, each scaling model aims at:
Testing the underlying conceptual model
Reestablishing the unity of the concept of interest
Synthesizing the multiple items (defining the synthetic...
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© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Maggino, F. (2014). Item Analysis. In: Michalos, A.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_1551
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_1551
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