This paper evaluates the multistage adaptive test (MST) design of a large-scale academic language assessment (ACCESS) for Grades 1–12, with an aim to simplify the current MST design, using both operational and simulated test data. Study 1 explored the operational population data (1,456,287 test-takers) of the listening and reading tests of MST ACCESS in the 2018–2019 school year to evaluate the MST design in terms of measurement efficiency and precision. Study 2 is a simulation study conducted to find an optimal MST design with manipulation on the number of items per stage and panel structure. The results from operational test data showed that the test length for both the listening and reading tests could be shortened to six folders (i.e., 18 items), with final ability estimates and reliability coefficients comparable to those of the current test, with slight differences. The simulation study showed that all six proposed MST designs yielded slightly better measurement accuracy and efficiency than the current design, among which the 1-3-3 MST design with more items at earlier stages ranked first. The findings of this study provide implications for the evaluation of MST designs and ways to optimize MST designs in language assessment.

中文翻译：

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缩短测试是可行的：评估大规模多阶段自适应英语语言评估

本文评估了 1-12 年级大规模学术语言评估 (ACCESS) 的多阶段自适应测试 (MST) 设计，旨在使用操作和模拟测试数据简化当前的 MST 设计。研究一探讨了2018-2019学年MST ACCESS听力和阅读测试的操作人群数据（1,456,287名考生），从测量效率和精度方面评估MST设计。研究 2 是一项模拟研究，旨在通过控制每个阶段的项目数量和面板结构来找到最佳 MST 设计。操作测试数据结果显示，听力和阅读测试的测试长度均可缩短至6个文件夹（即18题），最终的能力评估和信度系数与当前测试相当，略有差异。仿真研究表明，所有六种提出的MST设计的测量精度和效率都比当前设计稍好，其中早期项目较多的1-3-3 MST设计排名第一。本研究的结果为 MST 设计的评估以及在语言评估中优化 MST 设计的方法提供了启示。