TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS

presented

by

Everton Briggs
 What is a Test?
1. A systematic procedure for
obtaining a sample of student
behavior

2. A process of collecting
information.

Testing & Measurement

 Types of Tests

Criterion-Referenced Tests.

Pre-tests

Post-tests

Norm-Referenced Tests.

Testing & Measurement

 Why Do We Test?
Diagnose student strengths and weaknesses.
Monitor each students progress.
Assign grades.
Determine the teachers own instructional
effectiveness.
Provide information to inform instructional
and curricular decisions.
Help teachers clarify their instructional
intentions.
Testing & Measurement
 When Do We Test?
Formative Testing/Assessment for Learning.
After each module - to ascertain whether each objective
has been met.
After each topic - to gauge if each student has grasped
the concept taught.
After each module - to determine if we have to modify
our methods or strategies used to get information across.

Summative Testing/Assessment of Learning.

At the end of the teaching of the syllabus.
To assign a mark or grade?

Testing & Measurement

 Educational Objectives to be Tested
Questions are constructed based of the
educational objectives you want to test.
Use of Blooms Taxonomy.
Creation of a Table of Specifications.
Every item should be accounted for in the table.
Should be a guideline to the development of your
marking scheme.

Testing & Measurement 09/04/14

 What is a Table of
Specifications?
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.

The Table of Specifications identifies the

achievement domains being measured and ensures
that a fair and representative sample of questions
appear on the test.
 Why a Table of Specifications

A Table of Specifications allows the teacher to

construct a test which focuses on the key
areas and weights those different areas based
on their importance.

A Table of Specifications provides the teacher

with evidence that a test has content validity,
that it covers what should be covered.
 Constructing the Table of
Specifications
Table is usually guided by objectives and
topics taught and covered during the term or
year.

Blooms Taxonomy also guides the

construction of the table but other profiles can
be used as necessary.

All areas of the taxonomy can be used or

areas can be combined as seen fit.
 Constructing the Table of
Specifications
Knowledge remembering facts, terms, definitions
and concepts.

Comprehension understanding the meaning of

material. Explain, interpret, summarize, give
examples, predict, translate.

Application selecting a concept or skill and using

it to solve a problem. Compute, solve, apply, modify,
construct.
 Constructing the Table of
Specifications
Analysis breaking down material into its parts and
explaining the ordered relations.

Synthesis producing something new from

material that was broken down into its component
parts.

Evaluation making a judgement based on a set

criteria.
 Constructing the Table of
Specifications Contd.
There are verbs associated with the
taxonomy which can be used to structure
questions under each cognitive level.

Weighting increases depending on where

in the taxonomy the question falls.
 Constructing the Table Of
Specifications contd.
Objectives/ concepts which account for most of
the teaching usually carry highest weight.

List topics covered assigning them a percentage

according to time spent on the topic. Percentage
should work back to 100%.

Determine how many questions will comprise the

test/ exam.
 Constructing A Table of
Specifications.
Now we will have a practical exercise in
constructing a table of specification.

For the purpose of this exercise you will be

teaching twenty-five lessons during the term
and there will be four topics which will be
taught.

You can work individually or in groups of no

more than four.
 Constructing the Table of
Specifications.
Divide your twenty-five lessons among the
four topics which will be taught. You should
know which one will have the most teaching
time and which will have the least.

Next calculate the percentage for each topic in

terms of lessons to be taught.
 Constructing the Table of
Specifications
You will determine how many items you wish
to have on your examination paper.
Once you have done that you will now work
out how many items there must be for each
topic.
That is done by finding the percentage, which
you calculated previously, of the total number
of items which will constitute your paper for
each topic.
 Constructing the Table Of
Specifications contd.
Some proponents stipulate that Knowledge &
Comprehension account for 30 to 40% of the
items.

Application and Analysis account for between 25

and 30 percent.

Synthesis and Evaluation can be between 30 and

40 %.
 Constructing the Table of
Specifications Contd.
Using 40% for Knowledge &
Comprehension, 25% for Application &
Analysis and 35% for Synthesis &
Evaluation, calculate the number of items
to fall under the sections.

If decimals occur take to the nearest whole

number under Application & Analysis.
 Constructing the Table Of
Specifications contd.
Now you are ready to fill in your table with the
information you have gathered.

Be mindful you are just putting numbers in the spaces.

You must ensure that your cognitive levels are covered
and the number of your items are not exceeded.

You may need to re-arrange in order to get the correct

configuration but both columns should work back to
the same.
 Constructing the Table Of
Specifications contd.

If you have checked and all your columns

have tallied, congrats you have completed
your table of specifications.
 Completed Table of
Specifications
Subject Content Kno. Comp. App. Ana. Syn. Eval. Total
The Road To
2 1 2 1 1 1 8
Independence
National
3 2 2 2 2 3 14
Symbols
Nation
4 3 2 2 2 3 16
Builders
2 3 1 1 2 3 12
Our Nation
Total 11 9 7 6 7 10 50

20 (40%) 13 (25%) 17 (35%)

 Blank Table of
Specifications
Subject Content Knowledge & Application Analysis, Total
Comprehension Synthesis &
Evaluation

Total
Table of Specifications

QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU
THE END!!!!