Explanatory Item Response Theory (EIRT)

Research Method · All research methods
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q3 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description

EIRT is described as "a special name given to models of multilevel, categorical responses, in which latent estimates are generated for both item and person parameters and explanatory variables can be modeled as predictors of responses across levels of analysis". It combines experimental design with observational measurement to yield explanatory measurement. The article maps SCM postulates onto crossclassified, mixed-effects, and bivariate EIRT specifications, using random intercepts and slopes for items and persons in adolescent addition data.

Accounts

• Explanatory Item Response Theory (EIRT) as a psychometric framework for jointly estimating item and person effects on problem solving: EIRT is described as "a special name given to models of multilevel, categorical responses, in which latent estimates are generated for both item and person parameters and explanatory variables can be modeled as predictors of responses across levels of analysis". It combines experimental design with observational measurement to yield explanatory measurement. The article maps SCM postulates onto crossclassified, mixed-effects, and bivariate EIRT specifications, using random intercepts and slopes for items and persons in adolescent addition data. (Rhodes et al. (2018))

Claims

• The effect of min-counting on solution time and accuracy varies significantly across both items and persons [+M]

Related Research Methods

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Key Sources

• Rhodes, K. T., Lukowski, S., Branum-Martin, L., Opfer, J., Geary, D. C., & Petrill, S. A. (2018). Individual Differences in Addition Strategy Choice: A Psychometric Evaluation. Journal of Educational Psychology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11360214/

Page metadata

Field	Value
type	research-method
id	explanatory-item-response-theory-eirt
title	Explanatory Item Response Theory (EIRT)
description	EIRT is described as "a special name given to models of multilevel, categorical responses, in which latent estimates are generated for both item and person parameters and explanatory variables can be modeled as predictors of responses across levels of analysis".
status	review
generated	by process:settle-candidates on 2026-10-24
trust	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content

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