Benjamin Drake Wright | |
|---|---|
 Benjamin D. Wright with his ruler | |
| Born | March 30, 1926 Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Died | October 25, 2015 (aged 89) |
| Alma mater | Cornell |
| Known for | Rasch measurement theory, methods, estimation, models, applications |
| Awards | Association of Test Publishers Career Achievement Award in Computer-Based Testing, 2001 Institute for Objective Measurement Lifetime Achievement Award, 2003 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physics, Psychology, Education, Psychometrics |
| Institutions | University of Chicago |
| Doctoral advisor | Bruno Bettelheim |
| Doctoral students | Wendy Rheault |
Benjamin Drake Wright (March 30, 1926 – October 25, 2015) was an American psychometrician. He is largely responsible for the widespread adoption of Georg Rasch's measurement principles and models.[1] In the wake of what Rasch referred to as Wright's “almost unbelievable activity in this field”[1] in the period from 1960 to 1972, Rasch's ideas entered the mainstream in high-stakes testing, professional certification and licensure examinations, and in research employing tests, and surveys and assessments across a range of fields. Wright's seminal contributions to measurement continued until 2001, and included articulation of philosophical principles, production of practical results and applications, software development, development of estimation methods and model fit statistics, vigorous support for students and colleagues, and the founding of professional societies and new publications.[2]
- ^ a b Rasch, G. (1988/1972, Summer). Review of the cooperation of Professor B. D. Wright, University of Chicago, and Professor G. Rasch, University of Copenhagen; letter of June 18, 1972. Rasch Measurement Transactions, 2(2), 19 [1].
- ^ "Benjamin Wright, renowned psychometrician, 1926-2015". UChicago News. Retrieved 5 January 2016.