TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS

Planning tools that link lesson objectives,

rigor, and testing.
 Process Steps

1) Identify & Classify each objective.

2) Weight the objectives.
3) Select the item type most appropriate to be used in
assessing the objective.

4) Decide the total score of your assessment tasks & allot

score points to each objective.

5) Prepare your assessment tasks, ensuring that the items are

written at the DOK level identified in your plan.
6) 2
 Process Steps

Step 1
List & Classify each objectives - Identifying thinking
(DOK or rigor) levels that will be emphasized
throughout the unit.

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STEP 2
Weight the importance of each level. This should
reflect the emphases you placed in your teaching and
the overall importance of tasks at each level
(Balance).

Write what percentage of the unit will be emphasized

for each objective – out of 100%.

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 BALANCE
The distribution of items in a good
test should match the emphases
of the teaching course.

Thus, if most of the time was spent

on a particular topic, and less time
on another, then the test should
contain more questions on the
area that more time was spent
covering, and less on the area less
time was spent covering.
STEP 3
Decide the total score of your assessment tasks
& allot score points to each objective.
Calculate score points based on the weighting
of your objectives.

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EXAMPLE:
Total score = 50 marks
Emphasis/Weighting = 25%
Score points = 25÷100 x 50mks
= 12.5 or 13mks

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STEP 4
Write the item type most
appropriate to be used in assessing
the objective. Match the Item type to
the DOK Ceiling of the objective.

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▪ Multiple Choice + Interpretative exercises/ with
explanation (DOK 1-3)

▪ Alternative responses (with explanation) (DOK 1-3)

▪ Matching (DOK 1 & 2)
▪

▪ Short response items ((DOK 1-3)

▪ Essay type items (DOK 2 & 3)
▪ Alternative assessment (DOK 3&4)

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 Lifting the DOK Level of
your tasks
INSTEAD OF THIS …
TRY THIS…

Find the area of the What do you notice? What else?

following shapes (DOK 1) (DOK 3)
STEP 5

Total your scores – add up the column and

rows to show total number of items and
total marks.

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STEP 6
Prepare your assessment tasks, ensuring that
the items are written at the DOK level identified
in your plan.
- traditional test
- alternative task + scoring instrument

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 Bibliography

Content informed by

1) Gareis, C. R., & Grant, L. W. (2008). Teacher-made

assessment: How to connect curriculum, instruction, and
student learning. Larchmont, New York: Eye on Education

2) Ministry of Education (JA) - Student Assessment Unit.

(2018). Assessment Coordinator’s Training Manual.:
Developing an Assessment Plan. Retrieved from
https://pep.moey.gov.jm//wp-content/uploads/2018/10/AC-
Feb-Mar-Training-Manual.pdf

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3) Marzano, R. (2000). Transforming classroom grading. USA:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

4) Evans, O. (1996). Statistics made simple for students of social

sciences and management (2nd Ed.). Jamaica: Packer-Evans &
Associates Ltd.

5) Gallagher, J. (1998). Classroom Assessment for teachers.

London: Prentice Hall International (UK) Limited.

6) Gronlund, N.; Linn, R. (2000). Measurement and assessment

in teaching (8th Ed.). London: Prentice Hall International
(UK) Limited.

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