Table of Specification

Table of Specifications
“Classroom tests provide teachers with

essential information used to make
decisions about instruction and student
grades. A table of specification (TOS) can
be used to help teachers frame the decision
making process of test construction and
improve the validity of teachers’ evaluations
based on tests constructed for classroom
use.”
- Fives and DiDonato-Barnes (2013)
Table of Specifications (TOS)
A table of specifications or TOS is a test map that

guides the teacher in constructing a test. (Navarro
and Santos, 2012)
A TOS, sometimes called a test blueprint, is a

table that helps teachers align objectives,
instruction, and assessment.
(Notar, Zuelke, Wilson, & Yunker,2004)
Table of Specifications (TOS)
A TOS is one tool that teachers can use

to support their professional judgment
when creating or selecting test for use
with their students.
The TOS can be used in conjunction
with lesson and unit planning to help
teacher make clear the connections
between planning, instruction, and
assessment.
- Fives and DiDonato-Barnes (2013)
Importance of TOS
 useful to organize the planning process of

designing a test which allows the teacher to
determine the content of the test.
 helps teachers align objectives, instruction

and assessment
 ensures proper emphasis given to all elements

of a course of study
Importance of TOS
 ascertains content validity
 clearly defines the scope and relates objectives

to the content in order to ensure a balanced
test items.
 it helps to provide for optimal learning on the

part of students and optimal teaching
efficiency on the part of the teacher.
Significance and Components
of Table of Specifications
- Kubiszyn and Borich (2003) as cited by Melchor (2013)
1. A table of specifications (TOS)
consists of a two-way chart or grid
relating instructional objectives to the
instructional content.
- The column of the chart lists the
objectives or levels of skills to be
addressed
- The rows list the key concepts or
content the test is to measure
2. A table of specifications identifies not only the

content areas covered in class but also the
performance objectives at each level of the cognitive
domain of Bloom’s Taxonomy.
3. A table of specifications is developed before the test

is written. In fact, it should be constructed before the
actual teaching begins.
4. The purpose of a TOS is to identify the

achievement domains being measured and to
ensure that a fair and representative sample of
questions appear on the test.
5. A TOS benefits students in two ways – it

improves the validity of teacher-made tests, it
can improve student learning as well.
6. A TOS helps to ensure that there is a match between what

is taught and what is tested.
-Classroom assessment should be driven by classroom
teaching which itself is driven by course goals and objectives
-TOS provides the link between teaching and testing
(University of Kansas, 2013)
Constructing the Table of Specifications
To align the assessment process with the

K to 12 Basic Education Program, the
adapted Cognitive Process Dimensions by
Anderson and Krathwohl (2005) will be
adopted in constructing the table of
specifications (TOS) for summative
assessment specifically for the quarterly
examinations.
Steps in Constructing TOS
List all the topics/learning competencies covered
within the prescribed term.
Indicate the number of teaching days hours spent for each
topic/learning competency.
45
Compute for the number of items each topic using the formula
Number of items = No. of Days (Column B) X No. of items

Total No. of Days
Note: The total number of test items will be

determined by the subject teacher.
Number of items = No. of Days X No. of items
Total No. of Days
No. of Days Taught
Number of items = 2 = 0.1818 x 50 = 9.1
11
No. of items
Total No. of Days

5. Determine the item placement based on the number of items align to the
behavioral domains.
Add the items (horizontally and vertically)
Compute the percentage per domain.
% = total number per domain
No. of items x 100
Compute the percentage per domain.
REFERENCES
DepEd Order No. 79, series 2003
Deped Order No. 8, series 2015
Downing, S. M., T. M. Haladyna (editors), Handbook of Test Development,

Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2006
Tarrant, M., J. Ware, A. Mohammed, An assessment of functioning and

nonfunctioning distractors in multiple-choice questions: a descriptive analysis,
http://www.springerlink.com/content/e8k8618552465484/fulltext.pdf, 2009
REFERENCES
Alade, O.M. and Omoruyi, I.V. (2014). Table of Specification and Its
Relevance in Educational Development Assessment. European Journal of
Educational and Development Psychology Vol.2, No.1, pp.1-17, March 2014
Devine, M. & Yaghlian, N. Test Construction Manual (Construction of

Objective Tests). Accessed November 3, 2017 from www.cte.cornell.edu
Rivera, A. (2016). Table of Specifications with an Overview of Test

Construction. Accessed November 3, 2017 from
http://www.slideshare.net/sirarnelPHhistory
Rivera, A. (2016). Test Construction: The Art of Effective Evaluation.

Accessed November 3, 2017 from http://www.slideshare.net/ArnelSSI
REFERENCES
Anderson, L.W. (Ed.), Krathwohl, D.R. (Ed.), Airasian, P.W., Cruikshank, K.A., Mayer, R.E.,
Pintrich, P.R., Raths, J., & Wittrock, M.C. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and
assessing: A revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (Complete edition). New
York: Longman.
Fives, Helenrose & DiDonato-Barnes, Nicole (2013). Classroom Test Construction: The Power
of a Table of Specifications. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 18(3). Available
online: http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=18&n=3
Notar, C.E., Zuelke, D. C., Wilson, J. D. & Yunker, B. D. (2004). The table of specifications:
Insuring accountability in teacher made tests. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 31, 115-129.
Ivanova, V. Construction and Evaluation of Achievement Test in English. Accessed November 3,

2017 from
http://sci-gems.math.bas.bg/jspui/bitstream/10525/1554/1/adis-may-2011-276p-285p.pdf
https://polguart.wordpress.com/2010/03/17/module-3-teacher-made-test-construction/

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Table of Specifications

“Classroom tests provide teachers with

A table of specifications or TOS is a test map that

A TOS, sometimes called a test blueprint, is a

A TOS is one tool that teachers can use

 useful to organize the planning process of

 helps teachers align objectives, instruction

 ensures proper emphasis given to all elements

 ascertains content validity

 clearly defines the scope and relates objectives

 it helps to provide for optimal learning on the

2. A table of specifications identifies not only the

3. A table of specifications is developed before the test

4. The purpose of a TOS is to identify the

5. A TOS benefits students in two ways – it

6. A TOS helps to ensure that there is a match between what

To align the assessment process with the

Number of items = No. of Days (Column B) X No. of items

Note: The total number of test items will be

No. of Days Taught

Number of items = 2 = 0.1818 x 50 = 9.1

Total No. of Days

DepEd Order No. 79, series 2003

DepEd Order No. 82, series 2003

DepEd Order No. 73, series 2012

Deped Order No. 8, series 2015

Downing, S. M., T. M. Haladyna (editors), Handbook of Test Development,

Tarrant, M., J. Ware, A. Mohammed, An assessment of functioning and

Devine, M. & Yaghlian, N. Test Construction Manual (Construction of

Rivera, A. (2016). Table of Specifications with an Overview of Test

Rivera, A. (2016). Test Construction: The Art of Effective Evaluation.

Ivanova, V. Construction and Evaluation of Achievement Test in English. Accessed November 3,

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