This document discusses how to construct a table of specifications for test questions. It provides a 7-step process: 1) Determine number of test items, 2) List topics and time spent, 3) Calculate number of items per topic, 4) Round numbers, 5) Adjust totals, 6) Scatter items by cognitive level, 7) Allocate items. The purpose is to ensure tests are valid and cover appropriate content in a balanced way based on Bloom's taxonomy. Constructing a table of specifications helps improve test validity and identify question types needed.

1. DISCLAIMER
This presentation is for educational purposes only.
Credits to the rightful owner.
Atty. Donato D. Balderas, Jr
Schools Division Superintendent
Lecturer/ Discussant
Puerto Paraiso, Binalonan | June 28, 2018

2. Table of Specifications
relative to Constructing
Test Questions
CRISTINA A. ALVENDIA
Discussant

3. General Objectives:
Define Table of Specification (TOS)
Discuss the importance of TOS in test
construction
Construct a table of specifications

4. •A plan prepared by a classroom teacher as basis for
test construction.
•A table chart that breaks down the topics that will be
on a test and the number of test questions or
percentage of weight each section will have.
What is a Table of Specification?

5. • Ensure that a fair and representative question appear on the test.
• Improves the validity of teachers’ evaluation based on the tests
constructed.
• Help teachers identify the type of items they need to include on
their tests.
• Provide the teacher with evidence that a test has a content
validity, that it covers what should be covered.
• Help measure higher thinking skills and lower thinking skills
What is the importance of TOS?

6. • The TOS requires thorough knowledge of Blooms’ Revised
Taxonomy
What are the things you need to know
before constructing TOS?
REVISED BLOOM’S TAXONOMY
Pathway to
•Improve Thinking

7. What is Bloom’s Taxonomy?
Bloom’s Taxonomy
-is a classification of thinking organized by levels of
complexity
-it gives teachers and students an opportunity to
learn and practice a range of thinking and provides a
simple structure for many different kinds of
questions.

8. Evaluation
Synthesis
Analysis
Application
Comprehension
Knowledge
1956
Revised by
Anderson and
Krathwol (2001)

9. What is REVISED BLOOM’S TAXONOMY?
RBT provides the measurement tool for thinking. The
changes divided in three broad categories.
•Terminologies
•Structure
•Emphasis

10. A.Visual Comparison of Two Taxonomies
(Terminology Changes)
Evaluation
Synthesis
Analysis
Application
Comprehension
Knowledge
Creating
Evaluating
Analyzing
Applying
Understanding
Remembering
1956 2001
(Based on Pohl, 2000, Learning to Think, Thinking to Learn, p.8)

11. Changes in Terms
•Noun to Verb
•Thinking is an active process therefore verbs are
more accurate
•Knowledge is a product of thinking and was
inappropriate to describe a category of thinking and
was replaced with the word remembering.

12. - RECOGNIZING
- LISTING
- DESCRIBING
- IDENTIFYING
- RETRIEVING
- NAMING
- LOCATING
- FINDING
CAN YOU RECALL INFORMATION?
The learner is able to
recall, restate and
remember learned
information.

13. 3 R’S
RECALLING
RESTATING
REMEMBERING
(FACTS, TERMS, NAMES, DATES, PLACES)
-SERIES OF STEPS IN DOING AN ACTIVITY OR PROCESS
(ENUMERATION)

14. Sample Questions for Remembering
•Who is the author of Noli Me Tangere?
Who: recalling –remembering
•What are the steps in doing an activity?
listing – remembering
•Why did Little Red Riding Hood scream at the
wolf?
Retrieving - remembering

15. USE WH WORDS
• WHAT, WHERE, WHEN
(RECALLING)
• WHY (RETRIEVING)
• How (listing)

16. Sample Questions for Remembering
•Where is ________?
•How did it happen ____________?
•Why did __________ ?
•When did ___________?
•How would you show _______?
•Which one ________ ?
•How is __________?

17. - INTERPRETING
- EXEMPLIFYING
- SUMMARIZING
- INFERRING
- PARAPHRASING
- CLASSIFYING
- COMPARING
- EXPLAINING
CAN YOU EXPLAIN IDEAS OR CONCEPTS?
GET the meaning of
information by
interpreting and
translating what has
been learned

18. 1. Select the best definition of an adjective.
a. xxx
b. yyy
c. zzz
classify – understanding
2. What does the line, “ What is essential is invisible to the eye mean?”
interpret – understanding
3. What is the main idea of the selection?
a. xxx
b. yyy
c. zzz
summarizing – understanding

19. Sample Questions for Understanding
•State in your own words…
•Which are facts? Opinions?
•What does this means…?
•Is this the same as …?
•Giving an example
•Select the best definition

20. Questions with what, where, why
and how questions answers could
be taken between the lines of the
text through organizing,
comparing, translating,
interpreting, extrapolating,
classifying, summarizing and
stating main ideas fall under
understanding.

21. •Condense this paragraph
•What would happen if … ?
•What part doesn’t fit?
•How would compare? Contrast?
•What is the main idea of … ?
•How would summarized … ?

22. - IMPLEMENTING
- CARRYING OUT
- USING
- EXECUTING
CAN YOU USE THE INFORMATION IN ANOTHER FAMILIAR SITUATION?
The learner makes use
of information in a
context different from
the one in which it was
learned.

23. 1.What are the other ways to reduce garbage in your community?
New Knowledge: Proper Waste Disposal
2.SOLVE FOR THE X USING PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM
X 9
6
CAN YOU USE THE INFORMATION IN ANOTHER FAMILIAR SITUATION?

24. Sample Questions for Applying
•How would you organize _______ to show ________?
•How would you show your understanding of _______ ?
•What facts would you select to show what ________?
•What elements would you change __________ ?

25. •What other way would you plan to __________?
•What questions would you ask in an interview
with_______?
•How would you apply what you learned to
develop_________ ?
•How would you solve ___________ using what you
have learned?

26. - COMPARING
- ORGANIZING
- DECONSTRUCTING
- ATTRIBUTING OUTLINING
- FINDING
- STRUCTURING
- INTEGRATING
CAN YOU BREAK INFORMATION INTO PARTS TO EXPLORE UNDERSTANDINGS
AND RELATIONSHIPS?
The learner breaks
learned information
into its parts to best
understand that
information.

27. SELECTION…..
1. BASED ON THE SELECTION ABOVE WHAT DOES THE AUTHOR BELIEVE IN?
-THE LEARNER WILL CHUNK THE SELECTION INTO PARTS TO UNDERSTAND THE AUTHOR.
2. WHICH STATEMENT IS RELEVANT TO THE SAYING “ BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER’?
A.XXX
B. YYY
C. ZZZ
-THE LEARNER WILL COMPARE THE DIFFERENT STATEMENTS TO FIND THE BEST ANSWER

28. Sample Questions for Analyzing
•Which statement is relevant?
•What is the conclusion?
•What does the author believe? Assume?
•Make a distinction between _________
•What ideas justify the conclusion?
•Which is the least essential statement?
•What literacy form is used?

29. - CHECKING
- HYPOTHESIZING
- CRITIQUING
- EXPERIMENTING
- JUDGING
- TESTING
- DETECTING
- MONITORING
CAN YOU JUSTIFY A DECISION OR COURSE OF ACTION?
The learner makes
decisions based on in-
depth reflection,
criticism and
assessment.

30. READ THE SHORT PARAGRAPH
(SHORT PARAGRAPH ABOUT A PERSON DOING AN EXPERIMENT)
1.WHAT WENT WRONG ON THE EXPERIMENT?
a. xxx
b. yyy
c. zzz
2. Do you agree with the author’s point of view? Why or why not?
-the learner will reflect on the point of view of the author and assess his
beliefs.

31. Sample Questions for Evaluating
•What fallacies, consistencies,
inconsistencies appear __________?
•Which is more important ___________ ?
•Do you agree _________ ?
•What information would you use
____________ ?
•Do you agree with the ___________ ?
•How would you evaluate _________ ?

32. - DESIGNING
- CONSTRUCTING
- PLANNING
- PRODUCING
- INVENTING
- DEVISING
- MAKING
CAN YOU GENERATE NEW PRODUCTS, IDEAS, OR WAYS OF VIEWING THINGS?
The learner creates
new ideas and
information using
what has been
previously learned.

33. 1. HOW MANY WAYS CAN YOU IMPLEMENT A ZERO-PLASTIC ORDINANCE IN
YOUR COMMUNITY?
-THE LEARNER WILL MAKE NEW WAYS TO USE THE LESSON

34. Sample Questions for Creating
•Can you design a _____________?
•What possible solution to _________ ?
•How many ways can you __________ ?
•Can you create a proposal which
would_________ ?

35. Higher-order
Thinking
30%
20%
20%
10%
10%
10%
Suggested Percentage
Allocation
30%
BLOOM’S REVISED TAXONOMY
CREATING
Generating new ideas, products, or ways of viewing things
Designing, constructing, planning, producing, inventing
EVALUATING
Justifying a decision or course of action
Checking, hypothesizing, critiquing, experimenting, judging
ANALYZING
Breaking information into parts to explore understandings and
relationships
Comparing, organizing, deconstructing, interrogating, finding.
APPLYING
Using information in another familiar situation
Implementing, carrying out, using, executing
UNDERSTANDING
Explaining ideas or concepts
Interpreting, summarizing, paraphrasing, classifying, explaining
REMEMBERING
Recalling information
Recognizing, listing, describing, retrieving, naming, finding.
Lower-order
Thinking

36. 1.Determine the desired number
of test items.
How to Construct Table of Specification

37. TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________
Subject Grade Grading period School Year
Topic
Time
Spent/
Frequency
DOMAINS Total Number
Of Test items
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating Actual Adjusted
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
TOTAL
50

38. 2. List the topics with the
corresponding allocation of time
•The reference is the budgeted
lesson / lesson plan
How to Construct Table of Specification

39. TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________
Subject Grade Grading period School Year
Topic
Time
Spent/
Frequency
DOMAINS Total Number
Of Test items
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating Actual Adjusted
1. 3
2. 4
3. 1
4. 6
5. 8
6. 5
7. 8
8. 2
9. 4
10. 4
TOTAL
45
50

40. 3. Determine the total number of items per topic by using the formula:
Time Spent / Frequency per topic divided by the total number of
frequency in the grading period times total number of items.
Time Spent / Frequency per Topic
Total Frequency in the grading period
Example:
3
45
How to Construct Table of Specification
50 = 3.33
Total Number of items

41. TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________
Subject Grade Grading period School Year
Topic
Time
Spent/
Frequency
DOMAINS Total Number
Of Test items
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating Actual Adjusted
1. 3 3.33
2. 4 4.44
3. 1 1.11
4. 6 6.66
5. 8 8.88
6. 5 5.55
7. 8 8.88
8. 2 2.22
9. 4 4.44
10. 4 4.44
TOTAL
45 49.95
50

42. 4. Round off the value to become
whole numbers.
How to Construct Table of Specification

43. TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________
Subject Grade Grading period School Year
Topic
Time
Spent/
Frequency
DOMAINS Total Number
Of Test items
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating Actual Adjusted
1. 3 3.33 3
2. 4 4.44 4
3. 1 1.11 1
4. 6 6.66 7
5. 8 8.88 9
6. 5 5.55 6
7. 8 8.88 9
8. 2 2.22 2
9. 4 4.44 4
10. 4 4.44 4
TOTAL
45 49.95 49
50

44. 5. Adjust or Balance by either
adding or subtracting (any of the
topic totals) so that the sum will
amount to the desired number of
test items.
How to Construct Table of Specification

45. TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________
Subject Grade Grading period School Year
Topic
Time
Spent/
Frequency
DOMAINS Total Number
Of Test items
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating Actual Adjusted
1. 3 3.33 3
2. 4 4.44 4
3. 1 1.11 1+1
4. 6 6.66 7
5. 8 8.88 9
6. 5 5.55 6
7. 8 8.88 9
8. 2 2.22 2
9. 4 4.44 4
10. 4 4.44 4
TOTAL
45 49.95 49
50

46. 6. Scatter the items per topic per
domain
•Determine the number of items per
complexity / level of cognitive domain.
In this case, we have already a
pre-computed value of 30-20-20-30
(10-10-10)
How to Construct Table of Specification

47. TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________
Subject Grade Grading period School Year
Topic
Time
Spent/
Frequency
DOMAINS Total Number
Of Test items
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating Actual Adjusted
1. 3 3.33 3
2. 4 4.44 4
3. 1 1.11 1+1
4. 6 6.66 7
5. 8 8.88 9
6. 5 5.55 6
7. 8 8.88 9
8. 2 2.22 2
9. 4 4.44 4
10. 4 4.44 4
TOTAL
45 15 10 10 5 5 5 49.95 49
30% 20% 20% 30% ( Higher-order Thinking) 50

48. 7. On the basis of your experience / analysis start allocating the
items with respect to the total number of items per domain and the
total number of items per topic beginning with the higher-order
thinking domains down to remembering. It is suggested that the
order of complexity from creating to remembering is not altered.
• Review the topics, reflect on previous experiences, and imagine
the teaching learning processes (TLP) that can go with the
topics. You may use teaching guides and other similar materials.
• Be mindful of the total points per topic.
How to Construct Table of Specification

49. TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________
Subject Grade Grading period School Year
Topic
Time
Spent/
Frequency
DOMAINS Total Number
Of Test items
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating Actual Adjusted
1. 3 3.33 3
2. 4 4.44 4
3. 1 1.11 1+1
4. 6 1 6.66 7
5. 8 2 8.88 9
6. 5 5.55 6
7. 8 2 8.88 9
8. 2 2.22 2
9. 4 4.44 4
10. 4 4.44 4
TOTAL
45 15 10 10 5 5 5 49.95 49
50

50. TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________
Subject Grade Grading period School Year
Topic
Time
Spent/
Frequency
DOMAINS Total Number
Of Test items
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating Actual Adjusted
1. 3 3.33 3
2. 4 1 4.44 4
3. 1 1.11 1+1
4. 6 1 1 6.66 7
5. 8 2 8.88 9
6. 5 2 5.55 6
7. 8 2 8.88 9
8. 2 2.22 2
9. 4 1 4.44 4
10. 4 4.44 4
TOTAL
45 15 10 10 5 5 5 49.95 49
50

51. TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________
Subject Grade Grading period School Year
Topic
Time
Spent/
Frequency
DOMAINS Total Number
Of Test items
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating Actual Adjusted
1. 3 1 3.33 3
2. 4 1 1 4.44 4
3. 1 1.11 1+1
4. 6 1 1 6.66 7
5. 8 2 2 8.88 9
6. 5 2 5.55 6
7. 8 2 8.88 9
8. 2 2.22 2
9. 4 1 4.44 4
10. 4 1 4.44 4
TOTAL
45 15 10 10 5 5 5 49.95 49
50

52. TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________
Subject Grade Grading period School Year
Topic
Time
Spent/
Frequency
DOMAINS Total Number
Of Test items
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating Actual Adjusted
1. 3 1 1 3.33 3
2. 4 1 1 1 4.44 4
3. 1 1.11 1+1
4. 6 2 1 1 6.66 7
5. 8 2 2 8.88 9
6. 5 2 5.55 6
7. 8 2 2 8.88 9
8. 2 1 2.22 2
9. 4 2 1 4.44 4
10. 4 1 1 4.44 4
TOTAL
45 15 10 10 5 5 5 49.95 49
50

53. TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________
Subject Grade Grading period School Year
Topic
Time
Spent/
Frequency
DOMAINS Total Number
Of Test items
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating Actual Adjusted
1. 3 1 1 3.33 3
2. 4 1 1 1 4.44 4
3. 1 1 1.11 1+1
4. 6 2 2 1 1 6.66 7
5. 8 2 2 2 8.88 9
6. 5 2 2 5.55 6
7. 8 2 2 2 8.88 9
8. 2 1 2.22 2
9. 4 2 1 4.44 4
10. 4 1 1 1 4.44 4
TOTAL
45 15 10 10 5 5 5 49.95 49
50

54. TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________
Subject Grade Grading period School Year
Topic
Time
Spent/
Frequency
DOMAINS Total Number
Of Test items
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating Actual Adjusted
1. 3 1 1 1 3.33 3
2. 4 1 1 1 1 4.44 4
3. 1 2 1.11 1+1
4. 6 2 1 2 1 1 6.66 7
5. 8 3 2 2 2 8.88 9
6. 5 2 2 2 5.55 6
7. 8 3 2 2 2 8.88 9
8. 2 1 1 2.22 2
9. 4 1 2 1 4.44 4
10. 4 1 1 1 1 4.44 4
TOTAL 45 15 10 10 5 5 5
49.95 49
50

55. Item Placement
A. Items 1-15 (Type of Question is to measure remembering which cut
across all topics within the grading period.)
B. Items 16-25 (Type of Question is to measure understanding…)
C. Items 26-35 (Type of Question is to measure applying…)
D. Items 36-40 (Type of Question is to measure analyzing..)
E. Items 41-45 (Type of Question is to measure evaluating…)
F. Items 46-50 (Type of Question is to measure creating…)