A Case for Using Excel in Scoring Multiple Choice Test Items and Conducting Item and Test Analysis

Abstract

Scoring of multiple choice objective test items and conducting item analysis has been a problem for teachers at all levels of Nigerian educational system. In view of the longer procedural steps it will take for item and test analysis coupled with complex mathematical / statistical computations involved, teachers nowadays jump the protocol of the normal procedure to be followed in constructing items for a credible, reliable and valid tests. The effect of this is that teacher-made tests are no longer yielding the true performance of examinees’ ability. This problem persists because of the inability of making teachers to fully integrate ICT into the school assessment practices. This paper makes a case for the use of spreadsheet package (Microsoft Excel) in scoring multiple choice objective test items and conducting item / test analysis. Excel was used in this article to score hypothetical 15 students’ responses to 20 items multiple choice questions. This same excel was later used to compute the dificulty index, discrimination index of the items and also validity and reliability of the test. The scoring and the analysis of both test and item statistics were performed at faster rate and with utmost great accuracy. It is hereby recommended that: 1. Government, University Management and Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) should as a matter of urgency organize seminars and workshops for lecturers / teachers periodically so as to update their knowledge in ways of using spreadsheet package (Microsoft Excel) to score multiple choice objective test items and conducting item / test analysis. 2. Curriculum of Teachers Training programme needed to be re-designed to enable prospective teachers have irsthand experience during their training programme on how to use computers to score their students’ tests, analyze the psychometric properties of such tests and even familiar with the ways of using statistical packages like Excel, Lotus 1-2-2, SPSS and E-views in analyzing data emanated from their research project.