Analysis of Item Difficulty Parameters on Item Characteristic Curves as A Function of Changes in WAEC and NECO Examination Instruments and Students Ability Parameters in Mathematics Objective Test in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

In this study, we analysed the reflections of item difficulty parameters on item characteristic curves as a function of changes in West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) examination instruments and students’ ability parameters in mathematics objective test items in cross River State, Nigeria. The study was based on the item response theory and the classical theory. Two objective test instruments were adopted from WAEC and NECO examination bodies and administered on 873 students out of which 731 were actually used for the study. The item characteristic curve was used for the analysis of data. The results showed a significant difference between the difficulty levels of test items in WAEC and NECO mathematics objective test instruments, with NECO having more difficulty level in their instruments, as reflected in the item characteristic curves. Thus, the NECO examination mathematics objective test was more difficult than its WAEC equivalent.