Introduction to Item Response Theory (IRT)

Item response theory (IRT) consists of a family of mathematical models which can be used to estimate and evaluate the relationship between observed variables and a latent trait. Different IRT models exist for different types of observed variables. In this workshop, we will mainly focus on IRT models for binary observed variables. These types of models were popularized in educational research as a way to estimate one’s ability based on a set of test items marked either correct or incorrect.

Concepts that will be covered in this workshop include:

  • Item Characteristic Curve
  • Information Curves
  • 1P, 2P, and 3P Logistic Models