The Performance of a Method for the Long-Term Equating of Mixed-Format Assessment.

The goal of this study was the development of a procedure to predict the equating error associated with the long-term equating method of Tate (2003) for mixed-format tests. An expression for the determination of the error of an equating based on multiple links using the error for the component links was derived and illustrated with simulated data. Expressions relating the equating error for single equating links to relevant factors like the equating design and the history of the examinee population ability distribution were determined based on computer simulation. Use of the resulting procedure for the selection of a long-term equating design was illustrated.