A comparison of cutting points determined by angoff, nedelsky and ebel standard setting methods

In this study, it was aimed to compare the cutting points determined by Angoff, Nedelsky and Ebel methods, one of test-based standard setting methods. In this study, data were collected from two different groups comprising of students and experts. The mathematics achievement test, comprising of 26 questions which are developed by the researcher with the aim of evaluating the objectives of 9th grade mathematics course related to the subjects of sets and equations-inequalities, is applied to 245 students and obtained achievement scores are used as student data of the study. Expert data of the study are collected by the "Expert Opinion Form" developed by the researcher and containing the decisions given by experts about three different standard methods. The differences between the percentages of students, considered as successful according to cut-off scores determined by each standard methods, have been tested with the test of difference between two percentages. The scores of students were categorized as successful and unsuccessful according to the cut-off scores determined by three methods. The compliance between three methods has been examined with Cohen's Kappa statistics. For each method, the relationship between the minimum passing scores defined by experts has been evaluated with Pearson-Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and the difference between the averages of the cut-off scores has been evaluated with paired samples t-test. At the end of this research, it is seen that the highest cut-off score is determined by Angoff method while the lowest cut-off score is determined by the Nedelsky method and also the percentages of students, considered as successful by taking above the cut-off points, differ statistically significant. When the students are classified as successful and unsuccessful according to calculated cut-off scores and the methods are compared as binary, it is seen that there is a high positive compliance between Angoff and Ebel methods and Ebel and Nedelsky methods while there is a positive compliance between Angoff and Nedelsky methods. It is seen that there is a low relationship between Angoff and Nedelsky methods in terms of the minimum passing scores obtained from the experts whereas the difference between the averages of minimum passing scores is significant. There is a high level significant relationship between Angoff and Ebel methods while the difference between the averages of minimum passing scores of these two methods is not significant. It is found that there is a low level relationship between Nedelsky and Ebel methods, while there is no significant difference between the averages of minimum passing scores of these two methods.