Jinming Zhang

Activities & Honors

• Associate Editor, American Educational Research Journal, 2010-2013
• Appointed Member of ETS Board of Review, ETS, 2004-2009
• Member of editorial committee of Journal of Testing Research, Tianjin, China, Journal of Testing Research, 2004-2007

Research Statement

Jinming Zhang's research focuses on theoretical and applied statistical issues involved with educational and psychological measurement, specifically, multidimensional item response theory, dimensionality assessment procedures, large-scale assessment, generalizability theory, and test security. From 1996 to 2009 he was employed at the Educational Testing Service (ETS) where he was a senior research scientist in the Division of Research and Development. He had worked on various research and operational projects related to large-scale educational assessments, specifically, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), at ETS. He successfully directed and co-directed statistical and psychometric analyses of many large-scale assessment projects such as the 1996 and 2005 national science, 2000 state science, 1998, 2002 and 2003 national and state reading, 2006 national civics, and 2008 national arts assessments.

Publications

• Zhang, J. (2012). The impact of variability0„2of item parameter estimators on test information function. Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, 37, 737-757.0„2 DOI: 10.3102/1076998612458321.
• Zhang, J. (2012). Calibration of response data using MIRT models with simple and mixed structures. Applied Psychological Measurement, 36, 375-398.
• Zhang, J, Chang, H., & Yi, Q. (2012). Comparing single-pool and multiple-pool designs regarding test security in computerized testing. Behavior Research Methods, 44, 742-752. DOI 10.3758/s13428-011-0178-5
• Zhang, J., Xie, M., Song, X., & Lu, T. (2011). Investigating the impact of uncertainty about item parameters on ability estimation. Psychometrika, 76, 97-118.
• Braun, H., Zhang, J., & Vezzu, S. (2010). An investigation of bias in reports of the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 32, 24-43.
• Zhang, J. (2007). Conditional covariance theory and DETECT for polytomous items. Psychometrika, 72, 69-91.
• Zhang, J., & Stout, W. F. (1999). The theoretical DETECT index of dimensionality and its application to approximate simple structure. Psychometrika, 64, 213-249.
• Zhang, J., & Stout, W. F. (1999). Conditional covariance structure of generalized compensatory multidimensional items.  Psychometrika, 64, 129-152.
• Zhang, J., & Stout, W. F. (1997). On Holland's Dutch identity conjecture. Psychometrika, 62, 375-392.

In The News

Illinois Confucius Institute to focus on evaluation and assessment research Mar. 25, 2013 The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has announced that it will be home to a new Confucius Institute starting this spring, which will be physically located in the Education Building, although its implementation and day-to-day functions will be a coordinated effort from across campus. Read more...