Preparing

Table of Specification
(TOS)

ROXETTE U. LAYOSA
BSEd GenSci - 3
As a student have you ever
felt that the test you
studied for was completely
or partially unrelated to the
class activities you
experienced????
◊ Test map that guides teacher in
constructing a test.
◊ two-way chart which describes
the topics to be covered by a test
and the number of items or points
which will be associated with
each topic.
◊ Table of specification is a plan
prepared by a classroom teacher
as a basis for test construction
especially a periodic test.
What is the
importance
of TOS ?
• Help teachers frame the decision
making process of test
construction and improve the
validity of teachers’ evaluations
based on tests constructed.

• Helping teachers to identify the

types of items they need to
include on their tests.
• Identify the achievement domains
being measured and to ensure
that a fair and representative
sample of questions appear on
the test.
• provides the teacher with
evidence that a test has content
validity, that it covers
what should be covered.
Higher thinking skills
Lower thinking skills
 Consist of four columns
• Level objective
• Statement of objective
• Item number
• number items and percentage
 Table of Specification
Level Objective Item Numbers Number Percentage

1.Knowledge

2.Comprehension

3.Application

4.Analysis

5.Synthesis
• Knowledge – remembering facts, terms,
definitions, and concepts.
• Comprehension – understanding the meaning of
material.
• Application – selecting a concept or skill and
using it to solve a problem.
• Analysis – breaking material down into its parts
and explaining the hierarchical relations
• Evaluation – making a judgment based upon a
pre-established set of criteria.
 Steps in Preparing

Table of Specification
1. List down the topics
covered for inclusion in
the test.
2. Determine the objectives
to be assessed by the
test.
3. Specify the number of
days/hours spent for
teaching a particular
topic.
4. determine percentage allocation of the
test items for each of the topics covered.
The formula applied is as follows: % for a
topic = Total Number Of Days/ Hours
Spent
EXAMPLE
• Mrs. Reyes utilized 10 hours for teaching
the unit on photosynthesis. She spent 2
hours in teaching the topic, “Chemical
Processes”. What percentage of test items
should she allocate for the topic? % for a
topic .

2÷10 = 0.20 (20%)

5. Determine the number of the items for
each topic. This can be done by
multiplying the percentage allocation for
each topic by the total number of items to
be constructed.
EXAMPLE
• Mrs. Reyes decided to prepare a 50- item
test on the unit, “Photosynthesis”. How
many items should she write for the
“Chemical Processes”?

50 items x 0.20 = 10 items

• 6. Distribute the numbers to the objectives.
The number of items allocated for each
objective depends on the degree of
importance attached by the teacher to it.
OTHER REFERENCES
• http://www.eajournals.org/wp-
content/uploads/Table-of-Specification-and-
its-Relevance-in-educational-development-
Assessment.pdf
• http://pareonline.net/pdf/v18n3.pdf
• http://www.slideshare.net/MarcianoMelchor/
table-of-specifications-2013-copy-18908380
• http://www.slideshare.net/daenice/preparing
-the-table-of-specification
THANK YOU !!!
