Test Science

Nov 8, 20193 min read

Ask a Psychometrician: How Do Diplomates Perform on Quarterly Questions?

A key benefit of participating in the Quarterly Questions program is receiving instant feedback about your performance. Question by...

Aug 29, 20193 min read

Ask a Test Scientist: Why Do We Need Two Kinds of Quarterly Questions?

On July 1, the American Board of Ophthalmology released the article-based questions for the 2019 Quarterly Questions program. If you’re...

Jul 31, 20194 min read

New Timelines Introduced for Written, Oral Examinations

A new examination timeline in place at the American Board of Ophthalmology provides graduating residents with the opportunity to achieve...

Jul 30, 20193 min read

Subject Matter Experts Meet in Minnesota to Assemble Future Board Exams

From July 25-26 in Minneapolis, MN, the American Board of Ophthalmology conducted its annual exam development meeting to support the...

Jul 2, 20192 min read

Ask a Test Scientist: Why can't CME replace the assessment component of MOC?

The Quarterly Questions program, which consists of 40 knowledge-based and 10 article-based questions annually, is the activity through...

Apr 23, 20191 min read

ABO Psychometrician Publishes Article in CLEAR Exam Review

In the Spring 2019 edition of the CLEAR Exam Review, American Board of Ophthalmology Psychometrician Sarah D. Schnabel, PhD, discusses...

Apr 3, 20193 min read

Ask a Test Scientist: What's the lifecycle of a Quarterly Question?

To assemble a single year of the Quarterly Questions assessment program, it takes at least 530 test questions—enough to cover every...

Feb 27, 20193 min read

Ask a Test Scientist: Can Test Feedback Help Physicians Learn to Self-Assess More Accurately?

Our ability to accurately self-assess is based on many factors, among them, our likelihood to employ cognitive biases. The most...

Feb 5, 20192 min read

Ask a Test Scientist: Who Writes ABO Test Questions?

Diplomates often wonder “who writes the questions we see on tests?” Board-certified ophthalmologists volunteer annually to develop...

Jan 2, 20193 min read

Ask a Test Scientist: What Do Examination Scores Mean?

It is not uncommon to receive the results from an examination and see a score that in no way reflects the number of questions you...

Dec 6, 20184 min read

Ask a Test Scientist: How is the Quarterly Questions Program Scored?

Quarterly Questions, the exam alternative program that will replace the DOCK beginning in 2019, uses a longitudinal assessment model...

Sep 11, 20182 min read

A Test Scientist Explains: What’s Going to Be on the Test?

One of the main responsibilities of the American Board of Ophthalmology’s psychometric and examination development team is determining...

Jul 1, 20182 min read

The Science of Testing: How Key Validation Ensures Fairness on ABO Examinations

Key validation is a process whereby examination items (questions) are reviewed to ensure they are fair. After the administration of an...

Jun 1, 20182 min read

Two Facts About ABO Standards That May (Pleasantly) Surprise You

In early May, 18 board-certified ophthalmologists met with American Board of Ophthalmology Psychometrician Sarah D. Schnabel, Ph.D., to...

Apr 29, 20181 min read

The Science of Testing: Why AIG is No Substitute for SMEs

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the hottest topics in technology today. (Just ask Siri or Alexa.) But what if we could ask these...

Mar 26, 20182 min read

The Science of Testing: Similarities and DIFs

Do men and women answer test questions about ophthalmology differently? What about younger versus older ophthalmologists? In general,...

Feb 15, 20182 min read

The Science of Testing: What if We Judged Olympic Skating Like an ABO Exam?

Did you watch the Winter Olympics this year? With some sports, it’s easy to determine the winner: the first cross-country skier to cross...

Jan 17, 20181 min read

The Science of Testing: Why Do We Write Four Options for Multiple-Choice Questions?

The American Board of Ophthalmology writes multiple-choice examination questions (items) with four options: A, B, C, and D. One of those...

Dec 11, 20172 min read

The Science of Testing: How Does the ABO Create Reliable and Valid Examinations?

Note from the CEO: The ABO written and oral examinations are created through the dedicated collaboration of hundreds of volunteers along...