BICOL UNIVERSITY

College of Education
BSED Department
Daraga, Albay

TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS (TOS) and

Selecting the Test Format
Assessment of Learning I

HANDOUTS
I.

Table of Specification (TOS)

A. Meaning
It is a chart or table that details the content and level of cognitive level
assessed on a test as well as the types and emphases of test items (Gareis
and Grant, 2008).
It is important in addressing the validity and reliability of the test items. It
also provides the test constructor a way to ensure that the assessment is
based from the intended learning outcomes.
B. Preparing a Table of Specification (TOS)
a) Selecting the learning outcomes to be measured.
b) Make an outline of the subject matter to be covered in the test.
c) Decide on the number of items per subtopic.
d) Make the two-way chart as shown in the format 2 and format 3 of a Table
of Specification.
e) Construct the test items.
C. Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
Benjamin S. Bloom (1948), a well-known psychologist and educator, took
the initiative to lead in formulating and classifying the goals and objectives
of the educational processes.
The three domains of educational activities were determined:
1. Cognitive Domain
2. Affective Domain
3. Psychomotor Domain
D. Formats of TOS
a) Format 1

Specific Objectives
Solve worded
problems in
consecutive integers.

Cognitive Level
Application

Type of Test
Multiple-choice

Item Number
1 and 2

Total Points
4 points

b) Format 2
Contents
Basic Concepts
Fraction
Addition of Fraction
Subtraction of
Fraction
Multiplication and
Division of Fraction

Number of
Class
Sessions
1

Number of
Items
2

1-2

1
1

2
2

3-4
5-6

7-12

K-C

Cognitive Level
A

HOTS

Test Item
Distribution

Application/Problem
Solving
Total

10

20

13-20

c) Format 3
Content
concepts
z-score
t-score
Stanine
percentile
rank
application
Total

Class
Sessions

Krathwohls Cognitive Level

A
E
C

1
2
2
3
3

Total
Items
2
4
4
6
6

Item
Distribution
1-2
3-6
7-10
11-16
17-22

4
15

8
30

23-30

E. How to compute for the number of items

Example:

Number of item for the topic: Synthetic division

Number of class session discussing the topic: 3
Desired number of items: 10
Total number of class sessions for the unit: 10
Solution:
Number of items = number of class sessions x desired number of items

Total number of sessions

Number of items = 3 x 10
10
Number of items for the topic synthetic division = 3
II.

Selecting the Test Format

In selecting the test format, these are to be considered:
1. Length of time
2. Type of item
Assessment Format
True-false
Multiple-choice
Multiple-choice of higher level learning objectives
Short answer
Completion
Matching
Short Essay
Extended Essay
Visual Image

Average Time to Answer

30 seconds
60 seconds
90 seconds
120 seconds
90 seconds
30 seconds per response
10-15 minutes
30 minutes
30 seconds

Note: A visual representation only. Based on researches and study

Reported/Submitted by:
MARK JOHN DY DAYTO
BSED III-T
Submitted to:
Prof. JOCELYN GOYENA
Assessment of Learning I