Standard setting of script concordance tests using an adapted Nedelsky approach

Standard setting in assessment seeks to apply meaning of achievement to an assessment score. Appropriate standard setting for script concordance tests (SCTs) remains a challenge, with existing methods representing norm-referenced approaches.

To develop a criterion-referenced standard setting approach for sct using an adapted nedelsky approach, to pilot feasibility, and to compare failure rates with two other methods.

Second- and third-year medical students were administered a 45-question SCT and results collated. Standard setting was applied using three approaches: (1) norm-referenced (student cohorts), (2) expert-referenced (student cohort compared to expert mean), and (3) adapted Nedelsky approach using answer key normalization. Feasibility and failure rates were measured.

All standard setting approaches were feasible, with 60 additional minutes required for the Nedelsky standard setting exercise. Failure rates between the three approaches were similar (Year 2: 8.0-9.8% and Year 3: 2.1-7.6%), with the adapted Nedelsky approach representing an intermediate option (Year 2: 8.0% and Year 3: 3.5%).

Standard setting SCT using the criterion-referenced method of an adapted Nedelsky approach was found to be both logically justifiable and logistically simple, and produced failure rates comparable to other currently utilized and less objective approaches.