Release date: May 16th, 2014

Building a high-quality item bank is essential for maintaining test security and fairness, and improving test quality. It is the foundation for professional testing organizations and test sponsors in administrating tests and assessments. An increasing number of test sponsors have agreed on the fact that the computer-based testing format has outperformed the traditional paper-and-pencil testing format in terms of standardization, fairness and professionalism. How to acquire higher quality test content and item format has become the focus of many test sponsors. The 2014 Spring Conference on Testing Methodologies and Technologies, sponsored by ATA, was successfully held on May 15th. Several eminent experts in the testing industry and over 70 guests from government agencies, industry associations and higher education research institutes were invited to the conference where they had lively discussions and exchanged ideas on the topic “Building High-Quality Item Bank Based on Data Analysis”.

At the conference, Ms. Liu Ying, Director of ATA Assessment Research Institute, member of Measurement Branch of Chinese Society of Education and expert in data analysis, discussed “The General Methodology and Procedures of Item Bank Building” with the participants. The discussion involved the purpose and general procedures of item bank building, the composition and operation model of an item bank system, the structure and parameters of an item bank, IRT-based item bank building, etc. Then, Director Liu conducted a case study and had an interactive discussion with the participants on “How to Improve the Quality of the Item Bank through Data Analysis”. Director Liu’s substantial and vivid presentation featured solid theoretical research results, informative test and test item cases, and the latest information on the international testing industry.

It was then followed by a speech themed “Item Display Technology”, Mr. Zhao Shuqiu, Vice-president of ATA, shared the latest research findings of the global testing industry and ATA’s success in implementing theoretical research in practical test administrations. ATA created and adopted advanced i constructed responses technologies and enabled operation items, drag-and-drop items, matching items, coloring items, case analysis items, formula editing items, language proficiency test items to be used in computer-based tests internationally. 

ATA has not only accumulated rich experience in testing technologies and test delivery services, but also formed a robust and practical system based on enormous amount of test and candidate data, covering item consultation, item bank building, electronic item production, test paper production, test item and paper quality control, etc. ATA’s professional research findings, best practices and successful cases received considerable attention and discussion from the participants who later said that the conference was informative and inspiring to them on improving the quality of item bank building, innovative testing formats, etc.

The participants included State Personnel Examination Center, CEIAEC, Examination and Admission Division of State Administration of Civil Service, State Intellectual Property Office of the P.R.C, China Meteorological Administration, Training Center of National Audit Office of the P.R.C, Practice Qualification Registration Center of Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the P.R.C, Talent Development Office of Human Resources Division of China National Tourism Administration, Accreditation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of P.R.C, China Center for Financial Training, China Financing Guarantee Association, China Air Transportation Association, China Association of Chief Financial Officers, National Accountant Assessment & Certification Center, China National Examination Center for Overseas Related Accounting, China Accreditation Standard Committee of Certified Credit Risk Analyst, China Real Estate Valuers Association, China Water Engineering Association, China Environmental Protection Association, China Association of Plant Engineering Consultants, China Association for Quality, China Energy Conservation Association, Practicing Veterinarian Affairs Office, China Customs Brokers Association, and Southwestern University of Finance and Economics.

To promote sustainable innovation and development of testing methodologies and assessment technologies, ATA, as the largest computer-based testing and assessment service provider in China, aims to establish a platform for test sponsors, service providers, experts and scholars to communicate and share information through various forms such as non-periodic workshops.


(If there is any inconsistency or conflict between the English and Chinese versions, the Chinese version shall prevail.)