USING EXCEL IN TEST

CONSTRUCTION

• Identification (Show me the Picture

Puzzle)
TABLE OF
SPECIFICATIONS
(TOS)
REYMAR L. MADEJA
WHAT IS A TOS?
A Table of Specifications is a two-
way chart which describes the
topics to be covered by a test and
the number of items or points
which will be associated with each
topic.
SIGNIFICANCE AND
COMPONENTS OF A TABLE OF
SPECIFICATION
Kubiszyn & Borich, (2003) emphasized the following
significance and components of TOS:
1. A Table of Specifications consists of a two-way chart or
grid relating instructional objectives to the instructional
content.
The column of the chart lists the objectives or "levels of
skills" (Gredlcr, 1999) to be addressed;
The rows list the key concepts or content the test is to
measure.
 According to Bloom, et al. (1971),
"We have found it useful to represent the
relation of content and behaviors in the form
of a two dimensional table with the objectives
on one axis, the content on the other”.
2. A Table of Specifications identifies not only the
content areas covered in class, it identifies the
performance objectives at each level of the
cognitive domain of Bloom's Taxonomy.
Teachers can be assured that they are measuring students'
learning across a wide range of content and readings as well
as cognitive processes requiring higher order thinking.
3. A Table of Specifications is
developed before the test is written. In
fact it should be constructed
before the actual teaching begins.
4. The purpose of a Table of Specifications is
to identify the achievement domains being
measured and to ensure that a fair and
representative sample of questions appear
on the test.
 Carey (1988) pointed out that the
time available for testing depended
not only on the length of the class
period but also on students'
attention spans.
SOME RULES OF THUMB EXIST FOR HOW LONG IT
TAKES MOST STUDENTS TO ANSWER VARIOUS
TYPES OF QUESTIONS ACCORDING TO LINN &
GRONLUND (2000):

1. A true-false test item takes 15 seconds to answer

unless the student is asked to provide the
correct answer for false questions. Then the
time increases to 30-45 seconds.

2. A seven item matching exercise takes 60-90

seconds.
3. A four response multiple choice test item
that asks for an answer regarding a term,
fact, definition, rule or principle
(knowledge level item) takes 30 seconds. The
same type of test item that is at the
application level may take 60 seconds.
4. Any test item format that requires
solving a problem, analyzing, synthesizing
information or evaluating examples adds
30-60 seconds to a question.
5. Short-answer test items take 30-45 seconds.

6. An essay test takes 60 seconds for each

point to be compared and contrasted.
 If an individual can perform the
most difficult aspects of the objective,
the teacher can "assume" the lower levels
can be done.
However, if testing the lower levels, the
teacher cannot "assume" the individual can
perform the higher levels.
 The cornerstone of classroom assessment
practices is the validity of the judgments about
students’ learning and knowledge.
A TOS is one tool that teachers can use to
support their professional judgment when
creating or selecting test for use with their
students.
 In order to understand how to best modify a TOS
to meet your needs, it is important to understand the
goal of this strategy: improving validity of a teacher’s
evaluations based on a given assessment. Validity is the
degree to which the evaluations or judgments we
make as teachers about our students can be trusted
based on the quality of evidence we gathered
(Wolming & Wilkstrom, 2010).
HOW CAN THE USE OF A TABLE OF
SPECIFICATIONS BENEFIT YOUR
STUDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS?
A Table of Specifications benefits students in two ways.
First, it improves the validity of teacher-made
tests.
Second, it can improve student learning as
well.
 A Table of Specifications helps to ensure that there
is a match between what is taught and what is tested.
Classroom assessment should be driven by classroom
teaching which itself is driven by course goals and
objectives.

Tables of Specifications provide the link between

teaching and testing. (University of Kansas, 2013)
 Teachers can collaborate with students , teachers or
colleagues on the construction of the Table of
Specifications:
 what are the main ideas and topics,
 what emphasis should be placed on each topic,
 what should be on the test?

Open discussion and negotiation of these issues can

encourage higher levels of understanding while also
modeling good learning and study skills.
MAKING TOS
USING EXCEL