TY - JOUR
T1 - A primer-test centered equating method for setting cut-off scores
AU - Zhu, Weimo
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was sponsored by a research grant from The Cooper Institute. We appreciate the valuable assistance of Marilu Meredith at the Cooper Institute, the early input from the advisory committee of FITNESSGRAM®, and helpful comments by reviewers. Please address correspondence concerning this article to Weimo Zhu, Kinesmetrics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology & Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 205 Freer Hall, MC-052, Urbana, IL 61801.
PY - 2010/12/1
Y1 - 2010/12/1
N2 - This study evaluated the use of a new primary field test method based on test equating to address inconsistent classification among field tests. We analyzed students’ information on the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER), mile run (MR), and VO2max from three data sets (college: n = 94; middle school: n = 39; elementary school: n = 96). Using the college and elementary school data, the equivalent relationship between PACER and MR scores was first established by the Kernel equating method. This yielded MR scores derived from PACER (mile run PACER equated [MR PEQ]), which were used to predict maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and classify students according to the FITNESSGRAM® Healthy Fitness Zones™. We compared the results to the predictions and classifications based on measured VO2max, MR, and PACER-predicted VO2max and cross-validated the relationships using the middle school data. We found the test conversion to be accurate and that the MR PEQ scores functioned similarly to the original MR scores. Both performed better than the original PACER scores in predicting VO2max and classifying students. The middle school data generally supported these results. The proposed method is accurate and effective in setting a new field test onto the same scale of a primary field test and determining its cut-off scores.
AB - This study evaluated the use of a new primary field test method based on test equating to address inconsistent classification among field tests. We analyzed students’ information on the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER), mile run (MR), and VO2max from three data sets (college: n = 94; middle school: n = 39; elementary school: n = 96). Using the college and elementary school data, the equivalent relationship between PACER and MR scores was first established by the Kernel equating method. This yielded MR scores derived from PACER (mile run PACER equated [MR PEQ]), which were used to predict maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and classify students according to the FITNESSGRAM® Healthy Fitness Zones™. We compared the results to the predictions and classifications based on measured VO2max, MR, and PACER-predicted VO2max and cross-validated the relationships using the middle school data. We found the test conversion to be accurate and that the MR PEQ scores functioned similarly to the original MR scores. Both performed better than the original PACER scores in predicting VO2max and classifying students. The middle school data generally supported these results. The proposed method is accurate and effective in setting a new field test onto the same scale of a primary field test and determining its cut-off scores.
KW - Classification
KW - Criterion-reference Evaluation
KW - Equivalent field tests
KW - Fitness testing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79952269744&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79952269744&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/02701367.2010.10599700
DO - 10.1080/02701367.2010.10599700
M3 - Article
C2 - 21268463
AN - SCOPUS:79952269744
SN - 0270-1367
VL - 81
SP - 400
EP - 409
JO - Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
JF - Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
IS - 4
ER -