Development, Validation and Standardization of Integrated Science Achievement Tests for Junior Secondary Schools by N. INYANG and O. JEGEDE

Abstract
This study reports the development. trial testing. validation procedures, refinement and standardization of test items that could be used in the formative and summative assessment of integrated science at the junior secondary school (JSS). The development was necessitated
by the felt need to fill the vacuum created by the absence of empirically developed standardized test items for the implementation of the continuous assessment in science classrooms. Using a table of specification that incorporated cognitive levels and all the JSS
integrated science core-curriculum themes, a set of 1290 four-option multiple-choice items were generated. trial tested and validated using a sample of 766 students from selected junior secondary classes in Zaria area. Further validation and standardization was done using selected norms with a sample of 2800 students selected using stratified random sampling in Akwa Ibom State.
The result indicated that a bank of valid, highly reliable and standardized test items which teachers and organizations could use for assessing cognitive outcomes of their integrated science students has emerged. The study has also provided normative data based on class, gender and school location for the tests. The implications of the results of the study and suggestion for further research have been discussed.