Test Objective and Subarea Matching Worksheet: Analyzing Test Results

The Test Objective and Subarea Matching Worksheet is a tool that can be used to help candidates analyze their past performance on the MTTC in order to evaluate how best to prepare for retaking a test. As a candidate for teacher certification, you may wish to complete the following steps to aid in your test preparation in the event you need to retake a test. A sample from a completed worksheet is provided below.

Directions for Completing the Worksheet

Step 1: Gather a copy of your latest score report and the copy of the Test Objective and Subarea Matching Worksheet that you completed before testing The score report indicates your performance on each subarea of the test. If you did not complete a worksheet before testing, do so now. Follow the separate instructions for Mapping the Test Objectives to Courses Taken.

Step 2: Summarize your past performance. Enter the test results from your latest score report in the section of the worksheet corresponding to the test subareas. Note that your score report contains subarea performance indices, designated as from one to four "+" marks. One "+" mark indicates weak performance; four "+" marks indicate strong performance.

To evaluate your need for additional preparation to improve your test scores, review the following information:

• The type of test questions (as noted in the study guide), to understand how the knowledge and skills in each content area will be assessed
• Your test results for each subarea, to understand your command of each content area
  If you received a subarea performance index of only "+" or "++," you may wish to concentrate your study on the objectives of that subarea by taking one of the following actions prior to retesting:
• Taking one or more additional courses
• Rereading textbooks and reviewing other materials from courses already taken
• Reviewing the preparation materials for the assessment
• Attending special workshops or extra help sessions with faculty or tutors
• Your performance by question type, to identify areas for improvement
  To better understand how the test objectives may be assessed by multiple-choice questions, review the sample questions in the study guide. If your test has one or more constructed-response assignments, review the criteria for scoring your response, available in the study guide. To improve your performance on the constructed-response assignment(s), complete the sample assignment(s) in the study guide, then review the sample response(s), your response(s), and the scoring criteria for each sample assignment. You may also want to ask a mentor, an advisor, or another faculty member to evaluate your response to the assignment.

Sample Score Report and Test Objective and Subarea Matching Worksheet

An example of a candidate's score report and part of a completed Objective and Subarea Matching Worksheet are shown below. In this sample, the candidate did not pass the English test (field 002). Note that the candidate can review his or her score report to determine in which areas of the test his or her performance needs improvement, as indicated by a subarea performance index of only "+" or "++." This performance information can then be mapped back to the Objective and Subarea Matching Worksheet. In this sample, the candidate performed particularly poorly on questions related to the second subarea, "Literature and Understanding." Note that there were test objectives within this subarea that the candidate had previously determined not to have had adequate background (namely, objective numbers 9 and 14). The candidate may wish to focus his or her studies on these objectives before retaking the test.