MODULE No. 4.

a
PREPARING A TABLE OF
SPECIFICATION

&

MODULE No. 4.b

PRINCIPLES OF
FORMULATING GOOD
TEST ITEMS
 Assessment in Learning 1

MODULE No. 4.a

PREPARING A TABLE OF SPECIFICATION

Objectives

1. Identify the elements in a Table of Specification (TOS)

2. Draft a TOS for a 50-item test showing the content, objectives, type of examination, and item
placement.
3. Align the test items with the TOS.

Anticipatory Set

Whatever we set to do well has to have a plan. For effective assessment of learning, we need
to have a test plan. The test plan or test blueprint must precede the preparation of test items. To ensure
that the test covers all that have been discussed, and to ensure that your test include items that
measure lower- level thinking (LOT) and higher-level thinking (HOT), a test blueprint has to be prepared.
Much like a blueprint used by a builder to guide building construction, the test blueprint used a by
teacher guides test construction. The test blue print is also called table of specifications (TOS) and it is
essential to good test construction.

Lesson Proper

Why Prepare a TOS?

The test blueprint or table of specification (TOS) ensures that a test will sample whether
learning has taken place across the range of:
1) Content areas covered in class and readings (modules and other self-learning materials (SLM)
2) Cognitive processes (recalling, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating and creating)
considered important.
The TOS ensures that your test will include a variety of items that tap different levels of
cognitive complexity or processes. It is suggested that the blueprint should be assembled before you
begin a unit.
What are the Basic Elements of a TOS?
Content Outline. The content outline lists the topic and the important objectives included under
the topic. It is for these objectives that you will write test items. Try to keep the total number of
objectives to a manageable number, certainly no more than are needed for any one unit.
Categories. The categories serve as a reminder or a check on the “cognitive complexity” of the
test. Obviously, many units over which you want to test will contain objectives that do not go beyond
the comprehension level. However, the outline can suggest that you try to incorporate higher levels of
learning into your instruction and evaluations. In the cells under these categories, report the number of
items in your tests that are included in that level for a particular objective. See the example in Table 1.
There are five items to be constructed to measure comprehension level objective in Table 1.
 Table 1: Test Blueprint for a Unit on Instructional Objectives

Categories
Comprehension
AnalysisTotal Percentage
Application
Knowledge

Content outline

(Number of Items)
1. Role of Objectives
a. The student can state purposes for objectives in
education. 4 4 12%
b. The student can describe a classroom system model
and the role of objectives in it. 1 1 3%
2. Writing Objectives
a. Given a general educational goal, the student will
write an instructional objective that specifies that
goal. 5 5 14%
b. The students can match instructional objectives with
their appropriate level in the cognitive domain. 5 5 14%
c. The student can identify the three parts of an
objective: behavior, conditions, criteria. 5 5 14%
d. The student can distinguish learning activities from
learning outcomes when given examples of each. 10 10 29%
3. Decoding Ready-Made Objectives
a. Given instructional objectives in need of modification,
the student will rewrite the objective so that it is a
suitable instructional objective. 5 5 14%
Total 4 21 5 5 35
Percentage 12% 60 14% 14 100%
% %

___________________
Taken from:
Kubiszyn, Tom and Borich, Gary. (2007). Educational Testing and Measurement: Classroom
Application and Practice. Australia: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

N.B. USE THE TOS FORMAT PRESCRIBED BY YOUR SCHOOL.

 Number of Items. Fill in the cells in Table 1, using the following procedure:
1. Determine the classification of each instructional objective.
2. Record the number of items that are to be constructed for the objective in the cell
corresponding to the category for that objective.
3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 for every objective in the outline.
4. Total the number of items for the instructional objective and record the number in the Total
column,
5. Repeat Steps 1 through 4 for each topic.
6. Total the number of items falling into each category and record the number at the bottom of the
table.
7. Compute the column and row percentages by dividing each total by the number of items in the
test.
Functions. The information in Table 1 is intended to convey to the teacher the following:
 How many items are to be constructed for which objectives and content topics.
 Whether the test will reflect a balanced picture of what was taught.
 Whether all topics and objectives will be assessed and their level of cognitive complexity.

Seldom can such “balance” be so easily attained. It requires considerable time and effort.
However, a thoroughly prepared test plan will serve both teacher and students well for improving the
appropriateness of the test.
Major Points to Consider in Preparing a TOS:
1. A complete instructional objective includes
a) an observable learning outcome,
b) any special conditions under which the behavior must be displayed, and
c) a performance level considered to be indicative of mastery.

Example: The learner will compose an original 17-syllable haiku about nature following
a b
the 5-7-5 format with at least 2 adjectives and one adverb.
C
Example of an outcome of the objective:

Full moon up above (5 syllables) [full (moon) - 1 adjective)

brightly shining, lighting up [7 syllables [brightly (shining) – 1 adverb]
the cloudless skies. (5 syllables) [cloudless (skies) – I adjective]

2. Learning outcomes are ends (products); learning activities are the means (processes) to the
ends.
3. Objectives may be analyzed to determine their adequacy by
a) determining whether a learning outcome or learning activity is stated in the objective.
b) rewriting the objective if a learning is not stated,
 c) determining whether the learning outcomes are stated in measurable or unmeasurable
terms, and
d) determining whether the objective states the simplest and most direct way of measuring
the learning outcome.
4. Learning outcomes and conditions stated in a test item must match the outcomes and
conditions stated n the objective if the item is to be considered a valid measure of or match for
the objective.

Learning outcome: a haiku

Condition: an original composition of haiku following the 5-7-5 syllable format using at least 2
adjectives and 1 adverb.

5. The taxonomy of educational objectives for the cognitive domain helps categorize objectives at
different levels of cognitive complexity. There are six levels (using DEP Ed suggested
categorization): recalling, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating and creating).

The taxonomy level “to compose” is creating.

6. A test blueprint, including instructional objectives covering the content areas to be covered and
the relevant cognitive processes, should be constructed to guide item writing and test
construction.

7. The test blueprint conveys to the teacher the number of items to be constructed per objective,
their level of cognitive complexity in the taxonomy, and whether the test represents a balanced
picture based on what was taught.
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ACTIVITY SM 4.a

Select from a Dep Ed- prepared Resource Units in your field of specialization (e.g. in English
or Mathematics) and study the content very well. DO THE FOLLOWING:

1. Construct a Table of Specification (TOS) on one unit consisting of 50 items using

multiple choice type of test. [YOU CAN REFER TO BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY OR REFER
TO ONLINE SOURCES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PREPARATION OF TOS].
2. The same TOS will be used in constructing a 50-item test in any subject in your field of
specialization as you have been instructed in TASK 2.
3. OR, as instructed in TASK 2, you can critique and existing test based on the criteria for
constructing test items in Module 5
4. If you are teaching already, you can submit your TOS and your term exam in the
course you are teaching.
5. YOU WILL BE GRADED ON THIS ACTIVITY. WITHOUT THIS ACTIVITY YOU WILL GET AN
INCOMPLETE GRADE in the course.
 Frajenkin-04-21-23

MODULE No. 4.b

PRINCIPLES OF FORMULATING GOOD TEST ITEMS

A. Principles that apply to all good objective test items

1. Keep reading level and vocabulary appropriate to the purpose of the test;
2. Make sure each item has one correct/best answer;
3. Make sure the content is important (not trivial);
4. Keep items independent;
5. Avoid trick questions; and
6. Make sure the item poses a clear problem.
B. Principles to be followed in writing true-false items
1. Ensure that each statement is unequivocally true or false;
2. Avoid specific determiners;
3. Avoid ambiguous terms of amount;
4. Avoid negative statements;
5. Limit each item to a single idea;
6. Make true and false statements approximately equal in length; and
7. Have about the same number of true statements as false ones.

C. Principles to be followed in writing multiple-choice items

1. Be sure the stem formulates a clear problem;
2. Include as much of the item in the stem as possible to reduce reading load;
3. Include only necessary material in the item;
4. Avoid negatively worded items;
5. Use novel material to assess comprehension and application objectives;
6. Be sure there is only one correct answer;
7. Be sure wrong answers are plausible;
8. Avoid unintentional clues to the correct answer; and
9. Use sparingly the “none of these” and “all of these” response alternatives.

D. Principles to be followed in writing matching items

1. Write more items than you intend to use;
2. Proofread the items carefully;
3. Arrange the items in a readable form;
4. Plan a layout that enables you to use separate answer sheets;
5. Group items by format and by content;
6. Arrange items by difficulty;
7. Prepare specific directions for each type of item;
8. Make sure one item does not give away the answer to another; and
9. Make sure there is no systematic pattern to the correct answers.
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