This book applies Rasch measurement theory to the fields of education,
psychology, sociology, marketing and health outcomes in order to measure
various social constructs. The chief focus is on first principles of
both the theory and its applications. Because software is readily
available to carry out analyses of real data, numerous small examples
are provided in the book. The software used in these examples, and which
is helpful in working through the text, is RUMM2030 (Rasch
unidimensional models for measurement).
The book's main goals are to equip researchers with the confidence they
need in order to be in control of the analysis and interpretation of
data, and to make professional rather than primarily statistical
decisions mechanically. Because statistical principles are necessarily
involved, reviews of the requisite statistics are provided in the
Appendix.
The content is based on courses that have been taught both online and in
intensive form for over two decades. Although first principles are
emphasised, much of the book is based on research conducted by the two
authors and their colleagues.