# Testing the format of the MST input lists This command tests whether format of the input lists for the random generation of multistage tests is convenient, and returns a warning message otherwise. ```r testListMST(list, type = "start") ``` ## Arguments - `list`: a list of arguments to be tested. See Details . - `type`: character: the type of list for checking. Possible values are `"start"` (default), `"test"` and `"final"`. See Details . ## Returns A list with two arguments: - **test**: a logical value indicating whether the format of the list is accurate (`TRUE`) or not (`FALSE`). - **message**: either a message to indicate the type of misspecification, or `"ok"` if the format is accurate. ## Details The `testListMST` function checks whether the list provided in the `list` argument is accurate for the selected `type`. It mainly serves as an initial check for the `randomMST` function. The three types of lists are: `"start"` with the parameters for selecting the first module; `"test"` with the options of the multistage test (i.e. method for next module selection, provisional ability estimator and related information); and `"final"` with the options for final ability estimation. See the help file of `randomMST` for further details about the different lists, their allowed arguments and their contents. The function returns an `"ok"` message if the arguments of `list` match the requirement of the corresponding `type`. Otherwise, a message is returned with information about list - type mismatch. This will be the case if: * `list` is not a list, or has no argument names, * `list` has too many arguments for the `type` specified, * at least one of the argument names is incorrect, * the content of at least one argument is not adequate (e.g. character instead of numeric). Each mismatch yields a different output message to help in debugging the problem. ## References Magis, D. and Barrada, J. R. (2017). Computerized Adaptive Testing with R: Recent Updates of the Package **catR**. **Journal of Statistical Software**, **Code Snippets**, **76(1)**, 1-19. tools:::Rd_expr_doi("10.18637/jss.v076.c01") ## Author(s) David Magis Department of Psychology, University of Liege, Belgium david.magis@uliege.be ## See Also `randomMST` ## Examples ```r # Creation and test of a 'start' list start <- list(theta = 0) testListMST(start, type = "start") # Creation and test of a 'test' list test <- list(method = "WL", moduleSelect = "MFI", constantPatt = "fixed4") testListMST(test, type = "test") # Creation and test of a 'final' list (with mistake) final <- list(method = "MAP") testListMST(final, type = "final") # Creation of cut-off scores for ability levels: cut score 0 between modules 3 and 4 # and cut scores -1 and 1 between modules 5, 6 and 7 cut <- matrix(NA, 7, 2) cut[3,] <- c(-Inf, 0) cut[4,] <- c(0, Inf) cut[5,] <- c(-Inf, -1) cut[6,] <- c(-1, 1) cut[7,] <- c(1, Inf) test <- list(method = "WL", constantPatt = "fixed4", cutoff = cut) testListMST(test, "test") ```

testListMST function