Report on descriptive statistics and item analysis

Kariena Ras 
 

 
 

2009 

   
 Table of contents
Table of contents ............................................................................................................ ii
Table of tables ................................................................................................................ iii
Table of figures ...............................................................................................................iv
Terminology list .............................................................................................................. v
1. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1
2. Procedure followed................................................................................................ 1
2.1 Descriptive statistics ....................................................................................... 1
2.2 Item analysis.................................................................................................. 2
3. Descriptive statistics .............................................................................................. 3
3.1 Tabulation of data .......................................................................................... 3
3.2 Cumulative frequency polygon......................................................................... 4
3.3 The mean, mode and median .......................................................................... 5
3.4 The standard deviation of the data set ............................................................. 5
4. Item analysis ........................................................................................................ 5
4.1 Test compilation ............................................................................................. 5
4.2 Difficulty index for the test items ..................................................................... 6
4.3 Discrimination index for the test items ............................................................. 6
5. Summary .............................................................................................................. 7
6. Reference list ........................................................................................................ 7
 

   

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 Table of tables
Table 1 ................................................................................................................ 3

Table 2 ................................................................................................................ 4

Table 3 ................................................................................................................ 4

Table 4 ................................................................................................................ 6

Table 5 ................................................................................................................ 6

Table 6 ................................................................................................................ 6

Table 7 ................................................................................................................ 7

   

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Table of figures

Figure 1 5

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Terminology list
Word Meaning
Difficulty index Level of difficulty of a question in a test.
Discrimination index Quality of an item in a test.
Frequency The number of times a certain value appears in the scores.
Interval Space between two limits.
Item A question in a test can be true-false, matching, multiple-
choice or completion.
Mean The average of scores.
Median The middle value of the scores.
Mode Number in scores that appears most frequently.

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 1. Introduction
This report is done to comment on the descriptive statistics and item analysis.
The report is based on data from a test in which 25 learners were involved.
This report will include the descriptive statistics and the item analysis. The
result on the descriptive statistics can be used to determine whether or not a
student has excelled or not in this test’s, predecessor or successor. The
results on the item analysis will determine the level of difficulty and quality of
each item.

2. Procedure followed

2.1 Descriptive statistics

The data needs to be tabled. This means that the data needs to be
organized in an ascending or descending order.

Then the range has to be calculated. The range is symbolized by the

letter R. The range is calculated by the following formula:

   

Once the range is calculated, one needs to decide on the number of

intervals.

Then the interval size is calculated. The interval size is symbolized by

the letter i. The interval size is calculated by the following formula:

   

The intervals are then created by using the upper and lower limits,
where the upper limit is a multiple of the interval size, and the lower
limit is one point less than the lower limit of the next interval.

The intervals not in the range are then eliminated.

The frequency of each interval is then created. The frequency is

symbolized by f. To calculate the frequency in Microsoft Excel, select
the cells where the frequency should be calculated. Click on the
∑ and then click on more functions. Select Frequency, the data
range is the percentages of the learners; the bins are the upper level of
each interval. Then simultaneously press Ctrl+Shift+Enter.

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 The midpoint is then created. The midpoint is symbolized by MP. To
calculate the midpoint the following formula is used:

A frequency polygon is created by using the frequency as the y-axis

and the midpoint as the x-axis. Once the graph is created, it is then
anchored, or started at the exact point.

The mean, mode and median are also calculated. The mean is
calculated as an average of the test scores. The mode is calculated as
the number that appears the most frequently. The median is
calculated by sorting the data ascending, and then the median is the
middle value. If there are two middle values, a mean will be
calculated.

The standard deviation is also calculated. The standard deviation is

symbolized by SD. To calculate the standard deviation in Excel, type
the following formula:  

2.2 Item analysis

The answers are the recoded into values. The scores for each student
are then determined and the percentages calculated. The scores are
then sorted ascending or descending according to percentage. The
number of learners in the upper group (UG) and lower group (LG) are
then determined.

The difficulty index is then calculated. The difficulty index is

symbolized by p. The difficulty index is calculated by the following
formula: 
 
 
 
 

The discrimination index is then calculated. The discrimination index is

symbolized by D. The discrimination index is calculated by the
following formula:
                       
         

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 3. Descriptive statistics

3.1 Tabulation of data

The scores for the test are set out in Table 1.

Test Scores
St No %
11 100
16 100
2 90
3 90
25 90
14 89
13 85
20 85
5 75
4 70
12 70
18 68
8 65
9 65
23 65
10 60
6 58
21 55
7 50
22 50
15 45
17 44
24 33
1 32
19 15
Table 1

The grouped frequency distribution needs to be determined.

This is done by determining the range of the scores.

Range = Highest score – Lowest score

Range = 100 – 15
Range = 85

Then the number of intervals has to be decided upon.

# Intervals = 10

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 Then the interval size has to be calculated.
Interval size = Range
Number of intervals
Interval size = 85
10
Interval size = 8.5
Interval size = 9

The interval column is set out in Table 2.

Interval
column
10 - 18
19 - 27
28 - 36
37 - 45
46 - 54
55 - 63
64 - 72
73 - 81
82 - 88
89 - 99
100 - 108
Table 2

The frequency column is set out in Table 3.

Frequency column
Interval f
10 - 18 1
19 - 27 0
28 - 36 2
37 - 45 2
46 - 54 2
55 - 63 3
64 - 72 6
73 - 81 1
82 - 88 2
89 - 99 4
100 - 108 2
Table 3

3.2 Cumulative frequency polygon

The cumulative frequency polygon is created by using the frequency and
the midpoint of the data.

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 The frequency polygon is shown in Figure 1.

Frequency polygon of test scores
7
6
5
4
f
3
2
1
0
14 34 54 74 94
Midpoint

Figure 1

This polygon can be used to redetermine the average of the scores. It

can also be used for other information needed, and this information can
be concluded from the graph.

3.3 The mean, mode and median

The mean is 66.
The mode is 90.
The median is 65.

3.4 The standard deviation of the data set

The standard deviation of the test scores is 22,29. This standard deviation
results can only be used in conjunction with another test’s standard
deviation. Then a z-score can be calculated to determine of a learner
have improved or not.

4. Item analysis

4.1 Test compilation

The test consists of 20 multiple choice questions. There are 25 learners
who completed the test.

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 4.2 Difficulty index for the test items
The table with scores is set out in Table 4.

Table of scores
Question Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 Q19 Q20
#correct 21 22 17 12 21 17 11 12 13 8 23 19 15 21 20 22 15 8 13 16
#answered 25 25 24 25 25 25 24 23 25 24 25 25 25 25 25 24 24 24 25 25
p 0.8 0.9 0.7 0.5 0.8 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.3 0.9 0.8 0.6 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.6 0.3 0.5 0.6
Table 4

From the Table of scores, the results of the p-values are taken to the
Difficulty index table.

          The table with the difficulty index is set out in Table 5.

Difficulty index
p-Value Meaning Questions
p ≥0 and p<0.2  Unacceptable   
p≥0.2 and p<0.3  Too difficult   
p≥0.3 and p<0.7  Acceptable  Q4, Q7, Q8, Q9, Q10, Q13, Q17, 
Q18, Q19, Q20 
p≥0.7 and <0.8  Too easy  Q3, Q6 
p≥8  Unacceptable  Q1, Q2, Q5, Q9, Q11, Q 12, 
Q14, Q15, Q16 
Table 5

From the Difficulty index table three conclusions can be made.

1. Questions 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 17, 18, 19 and 20, were acceptable.

2. Questions 3 and 6, were too easy.
3. Questions 1, 2, 5, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15 and 16, were unacceptable.

4.3 Discrimination index for the test items

The table with discrimination index scores is set out in Table 6.

Discrimination index scores

# in UG 13
# in LG 12
# correct UG 13 13 12 8 13 10 8 10 10 8 12 12 10 13 12 13 10 5 11 11
# correct LG 8 9 5 4 8 7 3 2 3 0 11 7 5 8 8 9 5 3 2 5
D 0.4 0.3 0.5 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.1 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.7 0.5
Table 6

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 The table with the discrimination index is set out in table 7.

Discrimination index
Discrimination index Questions Explanation
D>0 Q1 – Q20 The index is positive
which means that it is
acceptable.
D=0 The index is neutral.
D<0 The index is negative
which means that it is
unacceptable.
Table 7

From the discrimination index it can be concluded that all the questions
were acceptable.

5. Summary
The descriptive statistics can be given to a head of department at a school to
give that person feedback on the results of the learners. That person can use
the frequency polygon to make certain conclusions about the group of
learners.
 

The item analysis can also be given to a head of department at a school. The
head of department can then look at the teacher and his/her abilities to
create a test. The head of department can determine the level of the test
that the teacher creates.

I feel that these statistics are very useful to conduct, especially when one
uses the computer and Microsoft Excel.

6. Reference list
1. Kubiszyn, T. & Borich, G. (2007). Educational Testing and Measurement:
Classroom Application and Practice, eighth edition. USA: Wiley/Jossey-
Bass Education.

2. Maree, Kobus (Ed.). (2007). First steps in research. Hatfield, Pretoria: Van
Schaik.

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