FUNCTIONALITY OF ITEM DISTRACTERS OF SENIOR SECONDARY TWO MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT TEST SCORES IN BENUE STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the functionality of item distracters in multiple-choice Mathematics achievement tests for Senior Secondary Two (SS2) students in Benue State, Nigeria. The study aimed to determine the impact of functional and non-functional distracters on test reliability and student performance. A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving 501 SS2 students across 12 schools. Two Mathematics achievement test instruments: one containing more functional distracters (MATICMFD) and another with fewer functional distracters (MATICLFD) were administered. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including Item Response Theory (IRT), item difficulty index and t-test analysis. Findings revealed that both test instruments had acceptable item difficulty indices (0.30–0.90) and the mean achievement scores of students who took tests with more functional distracters (M = 14.63) and those with fewer functional distracters (M = 14.46) were not significantly different (t = 0.729, p > 0.05). The conclusion drawn from the study was that functional distracters do not significantly affect test scores but enhance item discrimination. It was recommended that Mathematics teachers undergo training in item analysis to ensure the development of high-quality multiple-choice tests that effectively measure student achievement.