IMPORTANCE OF ITEM ANALYSIS

Item analysis is an essential dimension as far as education is concerned. Nitko (1983)

described item analysis as a process of collecting, summarising and using information about
individual test items, especially information about examinees responses to items. In the
standardized and objective evaluation of students performance, the item analysis is a process
in which both students answers and test questions are examined in order to assess the quality
and quantity of the items and tests as a whole ( Popham, 2002). Item analysis has many
importance some of which are: it helps to provide feedback to the teacher about students’
difficulties, provide feedback to students about their performance, helps to identify areas of
curriculum importance and it helps to improve item writing skills.

To begin with, item analysis helps to provide feedback to the teacher about pupil’s
difficulties. Item analysis aims at not differentiating students just for fun of it, but to be able
to measure the differences in mastery that occur (Pophan, 2008). Any learning difficulties
students have, become clearly displayed in item analysis, will enable the teacher to find ways
on how to help the students that have difficulties in that subject. For example, when a
mathematics test is given to the students and find out that forty five percent fails, the teacher
will conduct extra classes with those who did not perform well. The analysis displays the
percentage of pupils answering the item rightly or wrongly and helps the teachers to identify
the pupil’s problem areas more easily since the basic idea is that a good item is the one that
students get correct. As such it is easy for a teacher to make decis ion on the performance of
his or her students using item analysis. Item analysis gives a teacher a way to exercise
additional quality control over students’ tests.

Designing item analysis to assess students’ knowledge comprehensively at the end of the
term or semester is a complex and time consuming process. Tests play an important role in
giving feedback to the teachers on their educational actions, therefore, the quality of a test is a
critical issue. Having administered and scored a test, a teacher needs to know how good the
items are and whether the test items were able to reflect the students’ performance in the
course in relation to the specific learning objectives taught over the period of time. There are
several ways for teachers to use assessments. Pophan (2008) explains that teachers utilise
assessments in order to understand the student’s skills at the learning outcome, whether it is
cognitive, effective or psychomotor. Adjustments can, and should be made to the instruction
given to students based on the assessments. These include modification based on student’s
needs, pace of instruction, coverage of course material and developing a more effective and
comfortable classroom teaching and learning environment. XU and Liu (2009) explained that
teachers’ knowledge in assessments is an ongoing activity. This means that there is need for
classroom teachers to constantly update their knowledge regarding students understanding on
what they are teaching.

Another importance is that, item analysis provide feedback to students about their
performance. Each and every student expect him or herself to perform well in class. Only
with item analysis that will assess how one is performing in a particular subject. In a
classroom discussion a teacher can use item analysis data to classify the level of specificity
expected of pupils and reinforce good or correct response. This can be done with the help of
the teachers providing the item analysis. Miller, etal ( 2009) elaborated that some students
understand better when they read on their own, some they do better when they learn and
others when they do both studying and learning, but for them to know if they are really
understanding the concepts is when they have been given the item analysis, it gives the
perfect feedback. This will enable the students to know the areas they are best in and to know
where they have problems so that they should put more effort. As such, it is good to use item
analysis in the classroom for the student’s sake.

Identifying areas of curriculum importance is another importance of item analysis. Item

analysis is essential in improving items which will be used in later tests (Pophan, 2008). It
can also be used to eliminate misleading items in the test and the rests of the topics of that
particular subject. For example, when the Malawi National Examination Board (MANEB)
administer an exam repeatedly, and they find out that the same question is mostly failed by
many students, they are able to review and know the problem about it. If they are not able to
find the solution to the problem, they remove the concepts related to the questions from the
curriculum. As such specific problems become clear when item analysis data is used. When
you observe that particular kind of items are repeatedly difficult for pupils or when certain
kinds of errors occur often, you may wish to review the curriculum. This is done by teachers
of all levels who are also one of those that help in implementing the curriculum.

The last importance of item analysis is that it improve item writing skills. Item writing refers
to the process of constructing the items required for the given test or assessment Mertler
(2009). Item analysis help to assess and improve the reliability of your tests. If test reliability
is low, tests validity will necessarily be low. This is why it important to be involved in item
analysis. The knowledge in item analysis showing how an item functions with a group can
facilitate the acquisition of item writing skills. For example when the writer finds it difficult
to use homogenous way of writing the answers, the item analysis will enable the teacher to
find better so that in the next test he or she will be able to use it with the help of item
analysis.

In conclusion, item analysis involves examining a test after its administration. It is important
to practice item analysis so that the teachers are able to assess themselves and students if
there is an effective understanding of the concepts to ensure continuity. Item analysis will
also help the teacher to use different teaching method to enhance the students understanding
and also to provide extra lessons if required to do so. On the side of the students, it helps
them to know if they are understanding the concepts being taught and to put more effort in
concepts which they have difficulties to do better.
REFERENCE

Nitko,A. (1983). Measurement in Learning and Instruction. Pittsburgh University: Dev

centre.

Pophan, J. W. (2008). Classroom assessments: what teachers need to know (5th Ed.) Boston,
MA: Pearson Education, Inc. Research into high Education and Open University.

Xu, Y, & Liu, Y. (2009). Teacher assessment knowledge and practice: A narrative inquiry
of a Chinese College

Miller, D, M, Linn, R, L. & Gronlund, N, E. (2009), Measurement and Assessment in

Teaching. Pearson Education Inc.: Garamong: S4Carlisle publishing services

Mertler, C. A. (2007). Interpreting standard test scores: strategies for data driven
instructional decision making. London: Sage Publishing