NAEP Technical DocumentationResults of NAEP Differential Item Functioning (DIF) for Economics National Assessment in 2012

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 scales for this reason.

Number of dichotomously scored items, economics national assessment, by differential item functioning (DIF) category and grade:: 2012
Grade	DIF category	Female/Male	Black/White	Hispanic/White
NOTE: This includes all items in the assessment (the prescaling decisions). Economics was assessed only at grade 12 in 2012. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2012 Economics Assessment.
12	C-	0	0	0
	B-	3	3	6
	A	158	146	151
	B+	3	14	6
	C+	0	1	1

Number of polytomously scored items, economics national assessment, by differential item functioning (DIF) category and grade: 2012
Grade	DIF category	Female/Male	Black/White	Hispanic/White
NOTE: This includes all items in the assessment (the prescaling decisions). Economics was assessed only at grade 12 in 2012. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2012 Economics Assessment.
12	CC-	0	1	0
	BB-	0	6	1
	AA	28	22	28
	BB+	2	0	1
	CC+	0	1	0

Items identified as 'C' items in at least one comparison, economics national assessment, by block and grade: 2012
Grade	Block	Item	Scale	Comparison	Group favored
NOTE: Economics was assessed only at grade 12 in 2012. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2012 Economics Assessment.
12	E7	E411201	Market economy	Black/White	Black
12	E7	E412101	National economy	Hispanic/White	Hispanic

Items identified as 'CC' items in at least one comparison, economics national assessment, by block and grade: 2012
Grade	Block	Item	Scale	Comparison	Group Favored
NOTE: Economics was assessed only at grade 12 in 2012. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2012 Economics Assessment.
12	E3	E404601	National economy	Black/White	Black
12	E5	E408001	Market economy	Black/White	White

Last updated 30 June 2014 (GF)

Printer-friendly Version