In typical deductive test construction, the deduction leads to item writing; however, in replicated rational selection, deduction leads instead to item selection from a fixed item pool. In the replicated rational selection approach, lay item selectors are first trained to understand a psychological construct. Then the item selectors examine the defined pool of items, designating any items they feel tap the construct they have studied. However, unlike previous deductive systems in which the task is entrusted to one or two item writers or selectors, initial item selection is replicated across many selectors. Items that are repeatedly picked across the sample of selectors are used to form preliminary scales.