Table of Contents | Search Technical Documentation | References

NAEP Analysis and Scaling → Estimation of NAEP Score Scales → Treatment of Items in NAEP to Avoid Violations of Assumptions → Results of NAEP Differential Item Functioning (DIF) Analyses → Number of Items by Severity of Differential Item Functioning (DIF), Geography National Assessment: 2018

NAEP Technical DocumentationNumber of Items by Severity of Differential Item Functioning (DIF) in the Geography National Assessment

For dichotomously scored items, NAEP categorizes each item into one of three categories: "A" (items exhibiting no DIF), "B" (items exhibiting a weak indication of DIF), or "C" (items exhibiting a strong indication of DIF). A plus sign (+) indicates that items are differentially easier for the focal group (female, Black, or Hispanic students) than for the reference group (male or White students) after making an adjustment for the overall level of proficiency in the two groups. A minus sign (-) indicates that items are differentially more difficult for the focal group than for the reference group. For polytomously scored items, NAEP categorizes items into "AA," "BB," or "CC" categories and the plus or minus sign has the same interpretation as for dichotomously scored items. After reviewing "C" and "CC" items, subject area specialists decided that no items were biased, so none were deleted from the scale for this reason.

Number of dichotomously scored items, geography DBA national assessment, by differential item functioning (DIF) group, grade, and DIF category: 2018

Grade	DIF category	Female/Male	Black/White	Hispanic/White
8	C-	2	0	0
	B-	7	0	4
	A	90	0	93
	B+	0	0	1
	C+	0	0	1
NOTE: DBA = Digitally based assessment. In 2018, grades 4 and 12 were not assessed. The table includes all items in the assessment (the prescaling decisions). SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2018 Geography Assessment.

Number of dichotomously scored items, geography PBA national assessment, by differential item functioning (DIF) group, grade, and DIF category: 2018

Grade	DIF category	Female/Male	Black/White	Hispanic/White
8	C-	0	0	0
	B-	5	0	0
	A	81	0	83
	B+	1	0	3
	C+	0	0	1
NOTE: PBA = Paper-based assessment. In 2018, grades 4 and 12 were not assessed. The table includes all items in the assessment (the prescaling decisions). SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2018 Geography Assessment.

Number of polytomously scored items, geography DBA national assessment, by differential item functioning (DIF) group, grade, and DIF category: 2018

Grade	DIF category	Male/Female	Black/White	Hispanic/White
8	CC-	1	0	1
	BB-	1	0	2
	AA	38	0	40
	BB+	4	0	2
	CC+	1	0	0
NOTE: DBA = Digitally based assessment. In 2018, grades 4 and 12 were not assessed. The table includes all items in the assessment (the prescaling decisions). SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2018 Geography Assessment.

Number of polytomously scored items, geography PBA national assessment, by differential item functioning (DIF) group, grade, and DIF category: 2018

Grade	DIF category	Male/Female	Black/White	Hispanic/White
8	CC-	0	0	0
	BB-	2	0	1
	AA	32	0	36
	BB+	3	0	0
	CC+	0	0	0
NOTE: PBA = Paper-based assessment. In 2018, grades 4 and 12 were not assessed. The table includes all items in the assessment (the prescaling decisions). SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2018 Geography Assessment.

Items identified as "C" items in at least one comparison, geography DBA national assessment, by grade, block, and subscale: 2018

Grade	Block	Item	Subscale	Comparison	Group favored
8	G2	G049101	Spatial dynamics and connections	Hispanic/White	Hispanic
	G5	G047001	Space and place	Female/Male	Male
	G7	G068501	Environment and society	Female/Male	Male
NOTE: DBA = Digitally based assessment. In 2018, grades 4 and 12 were not assessed. The block naming conventions used in this table are described in the document 2018 Block Naming Conventions in Data Products and TDW . SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2018 Geography Assessment.

Items identified as "CC" items in at least one comparison, geography DBA national assessment, by grade, block, and subscale: 2018

Grade	Block	Item	Subscale	Comparison	Group favored
8	G1	G020201	Environment and society	Female/Male	Female
	G5	G050001	Space and place	Hispanic/White	White
	G8	G0664MS	Space and place	Female/Male	Male
NOTE: DBA = Digitally based assessment. In 2018, grades 4 and 12 were not assessed. The block naming conventions used in this table are described in the document 2018 Block Naming Conventions in Data Products and TDW . SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2018 Geography Assessment.

Items identified as "C" items in at least one comparison, geography PBA national assessment, by grade, block, and subscale: 2018

Grade	Block	Item	Subscale	Comparison	Group favored
8	G8	G049101	Spatial dynamics and connections	Hispanic/White	Hispanic
NOTE: PBA = Paper-based assessment. In 2018, grades 4 and 12 were not assessed. No "CC" items were identified. The block naming conventions used in this table are described in the document 2018 Block Naming Conventions in Data Products and TDW . SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2018 Geography Assessment.