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CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS
We scan and score many tests each month. For each batch, we typically
provide a roster of all scores with associated statistics, an individual score report
for each candidate, an analysis of incorrect items for each candidate, and an item
analysis report containing difficulty. For some clients, we print and mail certificates for individuals who pass the tests.
Infoscan provides effective and rapid turnaround for your testing needs. We
know that your candidates and other constituents have time-sensitive expectations
of you.
Infoscan can function as simply a test scoring service for programs that have in-house
capability for other test-related functions. However, some clients may wish
a broader array of services, including help in attaining third-party accreditation
of their certification programs. Infoscan has PhD-level personnel who have
designed and implemented large and small testing programs for national certifying
organizations over the past 25 years and are experienced in the accreditation process.
They can work with you to design and/or update a testing program with standard operating
procedures and policies that promote validity, reliability, fairness, help avoid
legal challenges, and help you meet accreditation standards.
In the scoring process, we sometimes observe situations that suggest that a testing
program has not been carefully designed and implemented, such as:
- Some questions never get answered correctly.
- Some questions are multiple choice and there
is not one correct answer but a specific set of answers that must all be chosen
to get any credit for the question (like 1, 2, 3, and 5).
- Answersheet marks have been erased and changed,
sometimes all in the same manner.
- Specific series of tests have to be passed
for certification, and this sometimes requires many re-takes and years before certification.
- Candidate critiques frequently say that some
items are ambiguous and "tricky" or that material on the test was not covered in
the associated course material.
- Sometimes test items remain the same but the
answers are changed or any answer is counted as "correct". Careful panel review
of test items and pre-testing have not been performed.
- Tests sometimes have a very large number of
items, over 300.
- We are asked for "content area" analysis, but
test items have not been categorized into these areas.
- Passing scores are arbitrarily set to 70% but
no consideration has been given to test performance. For example, the longitudinal
mean is sometimes below the passing grade, which says more about the test developers
and training program
than about the test takers.
- Only occasionally are different test versions
used.
The list goes on and the conclusion is that some
testing programs are put together without any "big picture" design or psychometric
foundation.
Fill in the
Information Request page if you would like to investigate this area
further, either to design a new program or to revamp an existing program.
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