This is the third article in a series about writing good test items. The first article identified the importance of aligning a test item to a standard. The second article defined how to choose an appropriate context for an item. In this article I’ll introduce you to item specifications.Item specifications (specs) are used to communicate important information to item writers about how items should be written. Good specs describe, for each standard or benchmark, what an item should include and what should not be included. The specs also provide details about how, for a particular standard, an item is to be written. Items that do not adhere to the specs will not be used on the test.Both assessment consortia have developed item specifications. These specs state how each consortium intends to assess the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-M). Each consortium worked with national content experts, state-level representatives, higher education officials, and classroom teachers to develop its specs. In my opinion, the two sets of specifications are the most comprehensive ever written to assess a given set of standards.The links below will take you to the specs for each consortium. If you have thoughts about how the consortia are assessing the CCSS-M, please leave a comment.
PARCC item specifications
http://www.parcconline.org/assessment-blueprints-test-specs
Smarter Balanced item specifications
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