How to interpret P-Values

Definition (Assessment Context): p-value = proportion of students who answered the item correctly. It ranges from 0 to 1:

low p-value (close to 0) = the item is hard (few students got it right)

high p-value (close to 1) = the item is easy (many students got it right)

đź§Ş How to Interpret Assessment P-Values:

p-value RangeInterpretation
0.85 – 1.00Very easy item
0.60 – 0.84asy item
0.40 – 0.59Moderate difficulty
0.20 – 0.39Difficult item
0.00 – 0.19Very difficult item

Example: If an item has a p-value of 0.65, that means 65% of students got it correct—so it’s considered an easy to moderate item.

In OnTarget, there is a visual representation on the dashboard and within each test to show the overall P-Value from difficult to easy.

The key insight: The blue box at the bottom highlights the “sweet spot” – questions with P-values between 0.3 and 0.79. These are considered optimal because:

  • They’re not so easy that everyone gets them right (which doesn’t help you assess learning)
  • They’re not so hard that almost everyone gets them wrong (which can be discouraging)
  • They help you differentiate between students who have mastered the material and those who need more support

📌 Why It Matters:

Balance: A well-constructed test has a mix of easy, moderate, and difficult items.

Too many high p-values: The Test may be too easy and not challenging enough.

Too many low p-values: This may frustrate students or not reflect instruction.

Helps with validity and item revision

Updated on 05/29/2025

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