ABLE Technical Foundations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which statistical measure indicates the proportion of test-takers who answered an item correctly?
- Item discrimination index
- Difficulty index (p-value) (Correct answer)
- Standard error of measurement
- Cronbach's alpha
Correct answer: Difficulty index (p-value)
The difficulty index (p-value) is the proportion of examinees who answer an item correctly, ranging from 0.0 to 1.0.
Question 2: In classical test theory, an examinee's observed score equals their true score plus which component?
- Standard deviation
- Measurement error (Correct answer)
- Reliability coefficient
- Item difficulty
Correct answer: Measurement error
Classical test theory defines observed score as the sum of a person's true score and random measurement error.
Question 3: Which CEFR level describes a 'Basic User' who can understand and use familiar everyday expressions?
- B1
- A2
- A1 (Correct answer)
- B2
Correct answer: A1
A1 is the lowest CEFR level, describing beginners who can use basic phrases and introduce themselves.
Question 4: What term describes the degree to which a test measures what it is intended to measure?
- Reliability
- Validity (Correct answer)
- Practicality
- Authenticity
Correct answer: Validity
Validity refers to the extent to which a test accurately measures the construct or skill it purports to assess.
Question 5: A test blueprint that maps items to learning objectives is also known as a:
- Scoring rubric
- Table of specifications (Correct answer)
- Rating scale
- Concordance table
Correct answer: Table of specifications
A table of specifications (TOS) is a grid that aligns test items with content areas and cognitive levels to ensure adequate coverage.
Question 6: Which type of validity evidence is gathered by correlating a new test with an existing, established test measuring the same construct?
- Content validity
- Concurrent criterion validity (Correct answer)
- Consequential validity
- Face validity
Correct answer: Concurrent criterion validity
Concurrent criterion validity is established when a new test's scores correlate strongly with scores from an already-accepted measure administered at the same time.
Question 7: In language testing, 'washback' refers to the effect of a test on:
- Score reporting timelines
- Teaching and learning practices (Correct answer)
- Item writer training
- Standard error calculations
Correct answer: Teaching and learning practices
Washback (or backwash) describes how a test influences the instructional practices and learning behaviors that precede it.
ABLE Technical Foundations 2
Which statistical measure indicates the proportion of test-takers who answered an item correctly?