why would one consider a three-way TOS than the other formats?
A TOS, sometimes called a test blueprint, is a table that helps teachers align objectives, instruction, and assessment (e.g., Notar, Zuelke, Wilson, & Yunker, 2004). This strategy can be used for a variety of assessment methods but is most commonly associated with constructing traditional summative tests. When constructing a test, teachers need to be concerned that the test measures an adequate sampling of the class content at the cognitive level that the material was taught. The TOS can help teachers map the amount of class time spent on each objective with the cognitive level at which each objective was taught thereby helping teachers to identify the types of items they need to include on their tests. There are many approaches to developing and using a TOS advocated by measurement experts (e.g., Anderson, Krathwohl, Airasian, Cruikshank, Mayer, Pintrich, Raths, & Wittrock, 2001, Gronlund, 2006; Reynolds, Livingston, & Wilson, 2006).
