Standard Setting in Assessment:

TOPIC:
THE EBEL METHOD
PRESENTER:
FARAH RASHEED
CLASS:
M.PHIL. EDUCATION (E)
 Introduction:

Robert Ebel introduce the standard setting- method that

now bears his name in 1972.

Robert Ebel was an American educational psychologist

who specialized in educational measurement.

The Ebel method is a standard setting method normally

used to determine a cut score for multiple-choice
question types of tests.
 Conti….

 Ebel’s method currently used mainly in medical and

health related contexts and perhaps most commonly as a
method for setting the passing level on classroom
achievement tests.

It is generally applied to test comprising multiple-

choice format item.
 Implementation of Ebel method:

The Ebel Method is comprised of five steps:

 Select the judges
 Define “borderline” knowledge, skills and abilities
 Train the judges in the use of the Ebel Method
 Collect judgments
 Combine the judgments to determine a passing score
 Procedures for the Ebel Method:

Like other so-called test based approaches, the method

proposed by Ebel (1972)requires participants to make
judgments about individual test items.
However, unlike some other methods, Ebel’s method
requires participants to make two judgments for each
item: one judgment being an estimate of the difficulty of
each item, the other judgment regarding the relevance of
the item.
 Conti…

In methods based on judgments about test questions,

such as the Ebel Method, the cut score is established
through the concept of the “borderline” candidate.
This borderline candidate is one whose knowledge,
skills and abilities are on the borderline between being
competent or not-yet-competent.
The passing score (or cut score) is based on the
expected performance of the borderline candidate.
 Conti…

Once all questions have been standard set, Ebel (like

Angoff) determines a cut-off mark for the exam based on
the performance of candidates in relation to a defined
standard (absolute), rather than how they perform in
relation to their peers (relative).
Reviewers make a judgment on individual exam items
(test- centred) as opposed to exam candidates (examine-
centred).  
It is often used in high stakes exams.
 Levels:

Ebel suggests three difficulty levels;

1. Easy
2. Medium
3. Hard
Four relevance categories
4. Essential
5. Important,
6. Acceptable
7. Questionable
 Conti….

These judgments effectively croos_catogories all items

into one of 12 cells.
It is important at this point that participants judgments
about the characteristics of difficulty and relevance are
not made with respect to a hypothetical examinee but with
respect to the purpose of the test and the population of
examinees.
Item classifications for100 items by a panel of 5
participants, yielding a total of 500 item judgment..
 Conti….

For obtaining a cut score is to gather and summarize item

judgments regarding Relevance and Difficulty.

To obtain a cut score using the Ebel method, the number

of times item are judged to be in a category (A) is
multiplied by the percentage of those items participants
have deemed must be answered correctly (B).
 Advantages of using Ebel:

 It is easier for exam reviewers_ standard setters are

likely to find it simpler to make a judgment about how
difficult or relevant a question item it.
 Provide on overview of exam difficulty_ once standard
setting is completed it provides a good summary of how
the all question have been classified.
 Pass marks are determined prior to the exam.
 Disadvantages of using Ebel:

 Relatively time consuming and costly.

 Requires digital software.
 Matrix difficult to get right.