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    Making A Table of Specifications

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    Rodel Ramos Daquioag
    The document discusses tables of specification, which break down topics that will be covered on a test and the percentage or number of test questions allocated to each topic. It provides examples of tables of specification for medical school exams in subjects like human physiology and clinical chemistry. The tables assign percentages or numbers of questions to topics based on importance and time spent covering that topic. They also sometimes classify questions as easy, average, or difficult. Well-designed tables of specification can help teachers effectively plan testing and guide their teaching.

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    Making A Table of Specifications

    Uploaded by

    Rodel Ramos Daquioag
    408 views4 pages
    The document discusses tables of specification, which break down topics that will be covered on a test and the percentage or number of test questions allocated to each topic. It provides examples of tables of specification for medical school exams in subjects like human physiology and clinical chemistry. The tables assign percentages or numbers of questions to topics based on importance and time spent covering that topic. They also sometimes classify questions as easy, average, or difficult. Well-designed tables of specification can help teachers effectively plan testing and guide their teaching.

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    Table of Specifications

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    Making a Table of Specifications

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    The document discusses tables of specification, which break down topics that will be covered on a test and the percentage or number of test questions allocated to each topic. It provides examples of tables of specification for medical school exams in subjects like human physiology and clinical chemistry. The tables assign percentages or numbers of questions to topics based on importance and time spent covering that topic. They also sometimes classify questions as easy, average, or difficult. Well-designed tables of specification can help teachers effectively plan testing and guide their teaching.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    408 views4 pages

    Making A Table of Specifications

    Uploaded by

    Rodel Ramos Daquioag
    The document discusses tables of specification, which break down topics that will be covered on a test and the percentage or number of test questions allocated to each topic. It provides examples of tables of specification for medical school exams in subjects like human physiology and clinical chemistry. The tables assign percentages or numbers of questions to topics based on importance and time spent covering that topic. They also sometimes classify questions as easy, average, or difficult. Well-designed tables of specification can help teachers effectively plan testing and guide their teaching.

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    The key takeaways are that a table of specification is used to plan assessments by breaking down topics and assigning weights or percentages to each. It also helps determine the number and type of questions for each topic. A table of specification structures topics in a table with columns for number of items, percentages and can include details like easy, average, difficult questions. The steps to create a table of specification are to assign percentages to topics based on importance, decide total number of items, use percentages to determine number of items per topic, and specify question types.

    A table of specification is used by teachers to help break down their testing outline on a specific subject. It helps plan what topics will be covered on a test and the weight or percentage each topic will contribute to the final grade.

    A table of specification is usually structured with the main topics listed as column headers and subtopics or details listed in rows underneath. It typically includes columns for number of items, percentages and can include additional details like question difficulty.

    Assessment of Learning

    This blog is created for the students enrolled in Assessment of Learning (EDUC5N-LET) at Far
    Eastern University, Institute of Education. This will be the venue for discussions as part of the
    Blended E-Learning Mode of the course.

    Friday, August 10, 2012

    TABLE OF SPECIFICATION- Sicat, Rachelle

    TABLE OF SPECIFICATION

    Essentially, a table of specification is a table chart that breaks down the topics that will be on a test
    and the amount of test questions or percentage of weight each section will have on the final test
    grade. This kind of table chart is usually split into two charts, and each sub topic is numbered under
    the main topics that are being covered for the test. This type of table is mainly used by
    teachers to help break down their testing outline on a specific subject. Some teachers use this
    particular table as their teaching guideline by breaking the table into subjects, the teachers main
    points, how much time should be spent on the point, and what assignment or project can be done to
    help the student learn the subject.

    Sample Table of Specifications for Multiple


    Choice Exams
    Sample Table of Specifications for Multiple Choice Exams in Medical School

    To prepare a multiple choice exam or test you have to know the percentages of the topics
    depending on their importance to the subject and the hours spent in their discussion.

    Let’s say you are preparing an exam for the prelim period, for your subject in Human Physiology in
    medical school; here are steps you can adapt.

    1. Assign the percentage per topic based on the course requirement:

    Intro to human physiology – 10%


    The human body- 15%
    The muscular system -25%
    The skeletal system -25%
    The cardiovascular system -25%
    TOTAL = 100%
    N.B. You can adjust the percentages according to your syllabus or academic requirements.

    2. Decide on how many items the test should be. Let’s say you have decided that the items for your
    Prelim exam are 150. The time allotted should at least be 2 hours for this exam, if 1 minute per
    question and 3 minutes per problem is assigned.

    3. Present your data in a table of specifications for clarity.

    TOPIC NO. OF PERCENTAGE


    ITEMS
    Intro to 10
    Physiology
    The Human 15
    Body
    The Muscular 25
    System
    The Skeletal 25
    System
    The 25
    Cardiovascular
    system
    TOTAL 100%

    4. Solve for the number of items of each topic by multiplying the percentage-decimal
    equivalent with the total number of items.

    Intro to Physiology = 0.10 (10%) X 150 = 15 items


    The Human Body = 0.15 (15%) X 150 = 22.50 items
    The Muscular System = 0.25 (25%) X 150 = 37.50 items
    The Skeletal System = 0.25 (25%) X 150 =37.50 items
    The Cardiovascular System = 0.25 (25%) X 150 = 37.50 items

    For a total of 150 items. Since there are no 0.5 questions, you may decide to which topic you would
    assign the 1 item excess.

    Let’s say you have the final items assigned:

    Intro to Physiology = 0.10 X 150 = 15 items


    The Human Body = 0.15 X 150 = 23 items
    The Muscular System = 0.25 X 150 = 37 items
    The Skeletal System = 0.25 X 150 =37 items
    The Cardiovascular System = 0.25 X 150 = 38 items

    You come up with this table

    TOPIC NO. OF PERCENTAGE


    ITEMS
    Intro to 15 10
    Physiology
    The Human 23 15
    Body
    The Muscular 37 25
    System
    The Skeletal 37 25
    System
    The 38 25
    Cardiovascular
    system
    TOTAL 150 100%

    5. This is the simplest form of preparing for a table of specifications. You may want to be more specific
    and prepare a more detailed table assigning easy, average and difficult questions. The average
    questions should at least be 80% of your exams, while the easy at least 20% and the difficult, at
    least 15 %. This is recommended but the final decision still relies on the subject per se, and the
    learning ability of your students.

    TOPIC Easy qsns. Average Difficult NO. OF PERCENTAGE


    qsns. qsns. ITEMS
    Intro to 3 10 2 15 10
    Physiology
    The Human 4 16 3 23 15
    Body
    The Muscular 5 28 4 37 25
    System
    The Skeletal 5 28 4 37 25
    System
    The 5 28 4 38 25
    Cardiovascular
    system
    TOTAL 22 111 17 150 100%

    6. You should be able to determine which questions are easy, average and difficult based on an item
    analysis that you have done in previous exams. This is an analysis of what questions were
    answered easily and correctly and which ones were difficult for the students. There are available
    software for item analysis that maybe available from your school or you could prepare one yourself
    through the semesters that you teach the subject.

    Another Sample Table of Specifications

    Clinical Chemistry 1 subject – Prelim Exams


    Topic Identification Multiple Problem Number of Percentage
    Choice Solving Items
    Intro to 2 10 0 12 10
    Clinical
    Chemistry
    Laboratory 2 14 20 36 30
    Mathematics
    Carbohydrates 3 33 0 36 30
    Lipids 3 33 0 36 30
    Total No. of 10 90 20 120 100%
    Items

    DECIDE THE NUMBER OF ITEMS FOR YOUR EXAM, BASED ON THE HOURS AVAILABLE.

    1. You assign the percentage according to the importance of the topic to your subject, or you can also
    refer to the required weight of the topic by your school or accrediting institution.
    2.
    Decide on the total number of items for the exam depending on the number of hours assigned.
    3.
    At least 1 minute is given for easy questions and 3-5 minutes for difficult questions. In case
    analyses, you may want to increase the time.
    4.
    Based on your total items, you now get the number of items for each topic simply by multiplying the
    total score with the percentage. Below is the computation for this Table of Specifications.

    How to solve the number of items for your Table of Specifications.

    Introduction to clinical chemistry = 120 X 0.10 (10%) = 12 items


    Laboratory Mathematics = 120 X 0.30 = 36 items
    Carbohydrates = 120 X 0.30 = 36 items
    Lipids = 120 X 0.30 =36 items

    Total number of items = 120

    Assign now the specific type of test for the items. As the instructor, you would know what type of test
    could effectively test the knowledge of your students with the different topics. Your Table of
    Specifications should reflect which topics are vital to your course.
    1.
    In this example, the Introduction to Clinical Chemistry would not use problem solving but only
    multiple choice and identification. You can compose 10 items for multiple choice and 2 items for
    identification.

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