Optimal design of item banks for computerized adaptive tests

Methods of optimal test assembly have served as the foundation for the development of methods for assembling adaptive tests. A model and a heuristic that facilitate the assembly of adaptive tests have been developed (Stocking & Swanson, 1993; Swanson & Stocking, 1993). Similar methods can be used to assemble item banks for adaptive testing in which optimal design seeks to simultaneously reduce item exposure to enhance item security and to increase exposure to enhance item efficiency. In this study, optimal design methods were applied to the item bank design of adaptive testing.