Protecting the Integrity of Tests

Delhi, 20 November, 2015

Threats to test security are real and ever on increase

Test scores from standardized tests are used for high stake purposes. Incentives to cheat on tests has never been higher. The incidence of test fraud is greater in these high-stakes scenarios.

Test scores from standardized tests are used for high stake purposes. Incentives to cheat on tests has never been higher. The incidence of test fraud is greater in these high-stakes scenarios.

- Leakage of test items breach of confidentiality, breaking into item bank, sharing on social media

- Plagiarism items used on a test copied from popular source, copyright violations

- Rampant cheating often in most ingenious ways mass copying, bluetooth, cheating vests, James Bond gadgets, professional

solvers to plain, bribery to get help from proctors

- Proxy test takersprofessional solvers impersonating the actual candidate

- Manipulation of test scorestampering with candidate responses

Maintain security through all stages of testing

Testing agency must integrate the crucial components of protecting professional tests—people, technology, policies and space design—into a comprehensive security program.

Testing agency must integrate the crucial components of protecting professional tests—people, technology, policies and space design—into a comprehensive security program.

Understand security vulnerabilities in the testing program and develop andimplement a security plan

- Non-disclosure and other agreements executed routinely for all parties, including test takers, service providers, and

program employees

- Security training to all staff to make sure they are current on security policies and procedures

- Data systems securityfully protected databases, test center servers and workstations, as well as comprehensive data transmission protocols to protect test content and result

Maintain security through all stages of testing

Protective the integrity of test and the soundness of test results require systematic efforts in the design, development, and maintenance of testing programs.

Protective the integrity of test and the soundness of test results require systematic efforts in the design, development, and maintenance of testing programs.

- Proper authentication procedures for test takers at the time of registration, scheduling and testing

- Test designs that limit item exposure linear-on-the-fly tests, multi-stage tests, multiple equivalent forms

- Test development & productiondefined practices for accessing, handling, transmitting and storing test content prior to administration

- Test centre security test center construction, layout, staffing and operations including recording and

preservation of a test event and security incidents

Perform advanced data forensics on test results

Be conservative when interpreting and acting on data forensics results. Consider all in-depth investigations as efforts to clarify results, not attempts to prove people guilty.

Be conservative when interpreting and acting on data forensics results. Consider all in-depth investigations as efforts to clarify results, not attempts to prove people guilty.

Data forensic is the process of investigating unusual test data or events as indicators of potential security concerns:

- unusual response patterns, such as skipping large numbers of items

- inconsistent response patterns such as answering difficult questions correctly while missing easy questions

- sudden performance improvements, both localized and universal

- unusual response similarity between pairs or groups of test takers

- unusual changes in item performance (item statistical parameters)

- abnormal response times for either tests or items, those that are abnormally short or long

Thank you.

Cheating and test fraud may happen. An active security management program helps ensure breaches are fewer and theirdamages are limited.

Test Security = Valid Test Result