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The ITC Guidelines on Test Security

The ITC Guidelines on Test Security

The ITC Guidelines on Test Security

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Download the ITC Guidelines on the Security of Tests, Examinations, and Other Assessments. (PDF document, original English version)


Translations

The ITC Guidelines on the Security of Tests: Spanish translation

The ITC Guidelines on the Security of Tests: Croatian translation

The ITC Guidelines on the Security of Tests: Ukrainian translation


About the ITC Guidelines on Test Security

These guidelines were prepared under the leadership of Dr. David Foster, Kryterion, Inc. and Caveon Test Security (USA), with support from Eugene Burke, SHL (UK), and Casey Marks, Cambridge Assessments (USA). The standards have drawn upon a variety of papers and publications in the field of test security, and we would therefore like to thank the various contributors in this field as well as those who have personally assisted in developing the standards contained in this document. Specifically, we would like to thank the contributions of the following: David Bartram (United Kingdom), Ian Coyne (United Kingdom), Dragos Iliescu (Romania), Tom Oakland (United States of America).

The author also acknowledges the effort and valuable comments and suggestions of a number of members of the community who have contributed in the review phase of the document: Sara Gutierrez (on behalf of CEB SHL Talent Measurement), William G. Harris (on behalf of the Association of Test Publishers), John Hattie, John Kleeman (on behalf of Questionmark), Fredi Lang (on behalf of the Diagnostics and Testing Advisory Board of German Psychologists’ Association), Peter Macqueen (on behalf of the Tests and Testing Reference Group of the Australian Psychological Society), Marcus Scott (on behalf of Caveon Test Security), Richard Smith (on behalf of the British Psychological Society).

We would also like to acknowledge a number of key standards and guidelines that have assisted us in developing the materials you will find in this document. These include:

  • American National Standards Institute (ANSI) (2006). Guidance for Conformity to ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024: Requirement for Certification Program Security.
  • American Educational Research Association (AERA), American Psychological Association (APA), & National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) (1999). Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing.
  • Caveon Test Security (2009). Test Security Standards.
  • Association of Test Publishers (ATP) (2002). Guidelines for Computer-Based Testing.
  • International Test Commission (ITC) (2005). International Guidelines on Computer-Based and Internet Delivered Testing.
  • National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) (2012). Testing and Data Integrity in the Administration of Statewide Student Assessment Programs.
  • National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA) (2001). Certification Testing on the Internet.

In addition, we would like to recognize the contribution of the following reference text devoted entirely to protecting tests and assessments: Wollack, J. A. & Fremer, J. J. (2013). Handbook of Test Security. New York: Routledge.


Summary

The amount and severity of security threats have increased considerably over the past two decades, calling into question the validity of assessments administered around the world. These threats have increased for a number of reasons, including the popular use of computerized and online technologies for test administration and the use of almost undetectable technologies for capturing test content and illegally sharing it instantly across borders and cultures. No assessment program, large or small, is immune to this potential damage.

The International Test Commission has recognized the critical need for every organization with an important assessment program to be aware of these and prepared to counter them. It was for this purpose that these guidelines were developed. Knowing the threats and the guidelines will lead to effective measures to protect the program and its assets, maintaining the value of the tests and assessments to the international community.

The guidelines listed in this document provide recommendations on planning for better security, maintaining security during the development of tests and while they are administered, and responding well when a security breach occurs. Following these guidelines will create a significant protective barrier between those who willingly commit test fraud and the valuable assets a program has spent time and money to build.