Standard Errors of Equating

Abstract

Two general sources of error in estimating equating relationships are present whenever equating is conducted using data from an equating study: random error and systematic error. Random equating error is present when the scores of examinees who are considered to be samples from a population or populations of examinees are used to estimate equating relationships. When only random equating error is involved in estimating equating relationships, the estimated equating relationship differs from the equating relationship in the population because data were collected from a sample, rather than from the whole population. If the whole population were available, then no random equating error would be present. Thus, the amount of random error in estimating equating relationships becomes negligible as the sample size increases.