Research

Research Focus

My research addresses fundamental questions about educational measurement and assessment:

How do we know what students have truly learned?

This question sits at the heart of my scholarly work and connects issues of test validity, score interpretation, psychometric modeling, and educational policy.

Research Areas

Validity and Assessment Arguments

I am interested in the conceptual foundations of validity—the extent to which evidence and theory support the interpretations of test scores for their intended uses. This includes:

  • The structure and logic of validity arguments
  • Threats to valid score interpretation
  • The relationship between reliability and validity

Psychometric Theory and Methods

My methodological work focuses on:

  • Item Response Theory (IRT): Models for understanding how item characteristics relate to student ability
  • Rasch Measurement: The concept of specific objectivity and interval-level measurement
  • Latent Variable Modeling: Structural equation models and their applications

Educational Accountability

I examine how test scores are used (and misused) for high-stakes decisions:

  • Value-added models for teacher evaluation
  • Growth models and their interpretation
  • The consequences of accountability policies

Learning Progressions

I study how student understanding develops over time:

  • Defining and validating learning progressions
  • Connecting curriculum, instruction, and assessment
  • Developmental models of cognition

CADRE

I direct the Center for Assessment Design Research and Evaluation (CADRE) at CU Boulder. CADRE conducts research and provides services related to:

  • Assessment design and validation
  • Program evaluation
  • Psychometric consulting
  • Policy analysis

Selected Publications

Book

Briggs, D. C. (2021). Historical and Conceptual Foundations of Measurement in the Human Sciences: Credos and Controversies. Academic Press.

Selected Articles

Briggs, D. C., Maul, A., & McGrane, J. (2025). On the nature of measurement. In L. Cook & M. Pitoniak (Eds.) Educational Measurement, 5th Edition. Oxford University Press.

Briggs, D. C. (2026). Psychometrics. In T. Teo (Ed.) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-70581-6_115-1

A complete list of publications is available on my Google Scholar profile or in my CV.

Current Projects

I am currently exploring how AI tools can support:

  • Automated item generation and review
  • Analysis of student response patterns
  • Teaching of statistical and psychometric concepts

Read more about these explorations on my AI & Education Blog.