PC Test Development and Validation Flashcards

The first step in developing a psychometrically sound certification exam is typically:

Answer: Conducting a job task analysis

A job task analysis (or practice analysis) identifies the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the role, providing the content blueprint for the exam.

Content validity evidence in test development is best established through:

Answer: Expert review confirming items represent the intended content domain

Content validity is demonstrated when subject matter experts confirm that test items adequately and representatively sample the defined content domain.

A test blueprint (table of specifications) in certification exam development specifies:

Answer: The proportion of items covering each content area

A test blueprint maps content areas to the number or percentage of items, ensuring the final exam adequately represents all relevant domains.

In psychometric test development, construct validity refers to:

Answer: The degree to which a test measures the theoretical construct it purports to measure

Construct validity is the extent to which a test accurately measures the theoretical psychological attribute or construct it was designed to assess.

Which method is used to set a defensible passing score on a professional certification examination?

Answer: Standard-setting methods such as the Angoff method

The Angoff method and similar standard-setting procedures use expert judgment to establish criterion-referenced passing scores based on minimally competent performance.

Pilot testing or field testing new psychometric items primarily serves to:

Answer: Collect item performance data before operational use

Pilot testing exposes new items to a representative sample to gather empirical data on difficulty, discrimination, and potential item flaws before live administration.