Assessing the Ability to Read and Interpret Mathematical Definitions: Insights from INSTm

Reading and interpreting definitions is a crucial yet underexplored skill in mathematics education. This study introduces an innovative online test, INSTm, designed to efficiently measure the ability to read and interpret mathematical definitions in less than ten minutes. With automated scoring, the test provides immediate diagnostic results, making it both practical and time-effective. Utilizing Item Response Theory (IRT) for robust psychometric validation, INSTm demonstrates unidimensionality, high reliability, and a strong correlation (r > 0.6) with mathematics achievement across grades 6 to 9, underscoring its educational relevance.