Ministry of Education

Test Blueprint for National Exit Examination to be held in

2015 E.C

Band: Two (2)

Program: Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics

Compiled By:

1. Teferi Daba (PhD), Addis Abeba university

2. Aleka Jeldu, Jimma University
3. Getachew Petros (assistant professor), Wolaita Sodo University
4. Ayana Anteneh (assistant professor), Wolaita Sodo University
5. Tessema Endalkachew (assistant professor), university of Gondar

January, 2023
Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia
Table of Contents
1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1
2. Objective of test blueprint.............................................................................................................. 2
3. Expected profile of the Graduates .................................................................................................. 2
4. General objective ............................................................................................................................ 3
5. Specific objectives ........................................................................................................................... 3
6. Themes and list of courses.............................................................................................................. 4
7. Courses to be Included in the Exit Examination ............................................................................. 5
8. Total credit hour of the selected courses ....................................................................................... 5
9. Share of the Themes/Courses/Items in Percentage (%) ................................................................. 5
10. Test Blue print table share of Competencies (KSA) per courses............................................... 12
11. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 12

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 1. Introduction

The Ministry of Education of Ethiopia has announced the implementation of exit exam for all
undergraduate program students (public and private), beginning with the 2022/2023 academic
year, in order to improve the quality of graduates produced by higher learning institutions. The
exit exam aimed at checking whether students have acquired the required knowledge, skills
and attitudes or not. To implement this, it requires determining competency areas for a specific
program, which is already completed. Based on the competency areas prepared, it needs to plan
the construction of tests.

Planning of a test is a first and vital step in the construction of an achievement test. An
achievement test demands very systematic and careful planning, as a fact that good planning is
a symbol of success. Tests are the tools that provide scores that measure level of student
learning and study program learning outcomes. In order to achieve the valid and reliable
measurement of student learning and program learning outcomes, the development of valid and
reliable test is the mandatory. Test should be able to measure student performance in all
dimensions of knowledge, skill and attitude. The carefully planned test construction contributes
to improve the overall quality of the test in terms of test content validity, difficulty level,
discrimination power and test reliability. Test preparation is not an easy task; it requires a
careful planning and guideline to make the task simple. Test construction needs the preparation
of test blue print. Test blueprint is defined as a complete plan that explains how to develop a
test. The term refers to a map or specification of assessment to ensure that all aspects of the
curriculum and educational domains are covered by the assessment programs over a specified
period of time. It helps curriculum developers/test constructors to match various competencies
with the course content and the appropriate modality of assessment.

Generally, test blueprint will help to ensure tests: 1) Appropriately assess the achievement of
instructional objectives of the course; 2) Appropriately reflect key course goals, objectives and
the material learned or covered during the instruction period; and 3) Include the appropriate
item formats along with the knowledge and skills being assessed.

Keeping this in mind, the team has prepared this test blueprint document in order to help the
test developers or content specialists in their process of valid and reliable test construction. The
major points considered in the process of preparing this test blue print guideline were the core

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competencies that have been already identified for the themes of courses, the course contents,
course credit hours, and the learning outcomes with their corresponding levels of achievement
by learning domains. In line with these, the number of test items that should adequately assess
the performance of students in all the content topics will be determined through discussion with
the content specialists who construct the blueprint and test for their corresponding study
program.

Therefore, the main purpose of this manual is to give direction on how to develop blueprint for
content specialists so that they can develop a test blueprint for their respective program.

2. Objective of test blueprint

Test blueprint preparation is generally opted to assist the preparation of a test that is
representative, broadly sampled, and consisting of complete knowledge domain expected of
the Ethiopian higher education students on completion of their study program. The specific
objectives of test blueprint are to:
• Facilitate the construction of a representative and balanced test items for the selected
courses in accordance with the competencies identified.
• Guide test developers or writers to write or set appropriate test items.

3. Expected profile of the Graduates

A graduate's profile is the general description of the desirable qualities of graduates in real-
world work. Graduates' profile helps to determine the students’ conceptual knowledge, skills,
and attitude that they possess. A graduate profile can be advanced through experience in the
real world. It is known that economics graduates have the necessary understanding of
theoretical, analytical tools, and practical implementation of contemporary economic issues.
Similarly, they should have knowledge and skills in resource allocation and critical thinking
on the various contemporary socio-economic phenomena. Firmly, they do also have good
mathematical and analytical knowledge and skill in computer usage and software applications.
Accordingly, graduates in economics are expected to present & transfer economic knowledge
to the target groups; construct economic models with a practical labor market; use empirical
evidence to evaluate an economic argument; develop attitudes that advance states' well-being;
genuine & objective comments on economic policies & strategies issues; develop project
designing, appraisal, financial and economic analysis, monitoring & evaluation; contribute to

2
the economic policy formulation & economic advancement of the state; conduct scientific
researches & assist in the dissemination of its findings; provide independent consultancy and
advisory services for various agents; initiate forum for the discussion of economic issues; create
professional linkage with domestic and foreign economists; far-sighted about socio-economic
& political issues, and develop a closer link between academic learning and practical problems
in analyzing various economic aspects.

4. General objective
The aim of the program is to produce high level professionals in Economics and high-
level qualified experts in different professions that will benefit the country’s
sustainable economic development and foster growth and transformation process of
Ethiopia to reach the middle-income countries in the near future, through offering
students a comprehensive basis for professional and academic careers and further
education in any economics specializations, and thesis work. The program will equip
students with a solid knowledge of economic theory as applied to development issues,
natural resources, and other socio-economic issues concerning the developing
countries in particular and the globe in general.

5. Specific objectives
• With these general objectives, the prime and specific focuses of the program is:
• to produce Economists (Economic thinkers) with basic skills that would help to teach and
do research in areas of economics.
• to better acquaint the students with solid understanding of microeconomic theories,
macroeconomic theories, and other economic issues for intelligent applications of
economics in a way that improve the quality, relevance and output of undergraduates in
economics in Ethiopia.
• to equip the students with the necessary methodologies in economics that enable them
explain the economic phenomenon, undertake economic analysis and design economic
policy.
• to highlight the different applications of economic theories in various sectors and expose
the students to the different sub-disciplines of economics
• produce graduates with a skill of planning, project preparation, monitoring and evaluation.

3
• to enable the students, undertake theoretical and applied researches relevant to the overall
development strategy and vision of the country and address national problems of socio-
economic roots; and disseminate research findings through outreach program.
• to promote interdisciplinary collaboration among the various programs in training,
research and extension.
• to offer short term training courses and to provide consultancy service for different
organizations and community.
• to show students how economic science evolved, its present and future vision of the field
and make them up-to-date with the dynamism of the field.

6. Themes and list of courses

National Exit Examination in economics program for undergraduate students’ competency
has three themes. These are basic microeconomics; basic macroeconomics; and
quantitative methods in economics with application. Under the basic microeconomics
theme, three courses such as microeconomics I, microeconomics II, and development planning
& project analysis II would be considered. While, macroeconomics I, macroeconomics II,
development economics I, development economics II, international economics I, international
economics II, and monetary economics courses are categorized under the basic
macroeconomics themes with seven core courses. Thus, these told us relatively students are
expected to give more emphasis to macroeconomics themes/issues as compared to other
themes. Moreover, the final theme takes into account three courses such as mathematical
economics, econometrics I, and econometrics II. Accordingly, for national exit examination
documentation the themes in economics program can be generalized by the table here below.

Table 1: List of Themes

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7. Courses to be Included in the Exit Examination
This document has been compiled with three themes and thirteen courses for exit
examination for achieving the competencies level of graduates that are expected to acquire. In
economics BA program the core courses are clearly presented and have been selected in this
document. Accordingly, this exit examination document has identified 13 courses delivered at
different semesters and academic calendars.

Table 2 List of courses in each theme

8. Total credit hour of the selected courses

The total credit hours of the courses included in the exit exam is 39. The detail of the credit
hour for each course is indicated in table 2.
9. Share of the Themes/Courses/Items in Percentage (%)
The share of the theme and the Couse/items are computed as per the following formula
𝑎
o Share of themes (T) = 𝑏 𝑥100, Where “a” is the credit hour of a theme and “b” is the

total credit hour of all themes. Credit hour of a theme is the sum of credit hours of
courses in the theme.
𝐶𝑟𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑡 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒
o Share of courses per theme (C) = 𝑥100
𝐶𝑟𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑡 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚𝑒

o Share of items per course = 𝑆ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒 𝑋 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑠

Please see Table 3 for details

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Table 3: Test blueprint Table (Table of Specification) for BA in Economics
Share
Courses of Competencies Learning outcome s and te st we ight

ts
en
s

e
Ch nts/

O ing
es

ter

m
nt
.H
under the theme / General Total
em

co
n
co
ap
nte
Cognitive Affective Psychomotor

Cr

ar
ut
Th

of
Co

Le
themes and Objectives

e
ar
1 2 3 4 5 6 T 1 2 3 4 5 T 1 2 3 4 5 T

Sh
courses
Chapter one: Theory of understand the neoclassical theory
Consumer Behavior and of consumer behavior, how each
demand consumer makes decision to
maximize her/his utility.

2.40 1 1
Chapter Two: Choice understand how to make rational
–involving risk and uncertainty decision under risk and uncertanity

0.72 1
Analyze and
interpret Chapter three: The Theory of Analyze theories of production
Microeconom economic Production and how firms optimize production
3 7.69 process.
ics I behaviors of
1.28 1
firms and
households Chapter Four: Theory of Costs analyze how firms decide to
minimize costs.

0.80 1
Chapter Five: Perfect understand and analyze perfectly
Competition Market competitive firms profit maximazing
1.20 behaviour. 1
Basic Chapter Six: Pure Monopoly understand and analyze
Microe Market monopoly's profit maximazing
conomi behaviour.
1.28 1
cs
Chapter One: Monopolistic understand and analyze profit
Competition maximizig behaviour of
monopolistically compettive firms

0.96 1
Chapter Two: Oligopoly Compare and analyze different
models and strategies of oligopoly
Analyze and 1.92 market structure 1 1
interpret Chapter Three: Game Theory Understand and apply game
economic theory in firms decsion making
Microeconom
3 7.69 behaviors of 0.96 1
ics II
firms in Chapter Four: Pricing of Understand how resources are
output and Factors of Production and valued under different market
factor market Income Distribution 2.40 structures. 1 1
Chapter Five: General Analyze general equilibrium and
Equilibrium and Welfare welfare
Economics 0.96 1
Chapter Six: Introduction to understand the effect of
Asymmetric Information asymmetric information on
0.48 decision making 1

6
 Share
Courses of Competencies Learning outcomes and test weight

ts
en
s

e
Ch nts/

O ing
.

ter

m
nt
.H
under the theme / General Total

co
n
co
ap
nte
Cognitive Affective Psychomotor

Cr

ar
ut
of
Co

Le
themes and Objectives

e
ar
1 2 3 4 5 6 T 1 2 3 4 5 T 1 2 3 4 5 T

Sh
courses
Chapter One: Basic Concepts Understand project concept and
0.96 project cycle. 1
Chapter Two: Financial Able to conduct Financial
Basic Analysis and Appraisal of Analysis and differntiate between
Microe Projects different project Appraisal
conomi Know project
Development 1.44 methods 2
cs implementatio
planning &
3 7.69 n, monitoring Chapter Three: Economic Able to condcut economic analysis
project Analysis of Projects of a project.
and 2.40 1 1
analysis II
evaluation Chapter Four Project understand and apply Project
Implementation, Monitoring Implementation and evaluation
and Evaluation tools and techiques
1.44 1 1
Chapter- Five Evaluation: Some Evaluate impact of a project
Basics of impact evaluation 1.44 1

Total 9 23.07%
Chapter One: The State of Recall different macroeconomic
Understand Macroeconomics school of thought
0.64 1
how a given
Chapter two: National Income Describe and calculate the
economy
Accounting concept of National Income
works and
1.60 Accounting. 1
different
Macroeconom Chpater Three: Aggregate Explain basic closed economy IS-
3 7.69 aggregate
ics I Demand in the closed economy LM model
economic
2.24 1 1
variables
interacts to Chapter Four: Aggregate Explain small open economy IS-LM
determine its Deamand in an open Economy 1.92 model 1 1
performance. Chapter five: Aggregate understand aggregate supply
Supply 1.28 1
Basic Chapter One: Behavioral Discuss the different hypothesis of
Macro Foundations: Theories of consumption demand
econo Consumption 1.28 1
mics Chapter Two: Theories of Discuss the determinants of
Investment 1.60 investment 1 1
Examine Chapter Three: Money Demand Analyze the demand for money in
theories of and Money Supply relation to money supply
0.96 1
consumption, Chapter Four: The Labor understand labor market models
Macroeconom
3 7.69 investment, Market 0.80 1
ics II
and Chapter Five: Macroeconomic understand and analyze policy
macroeconom Policy Debates 0.80 debates 1
ic debates Explain the various model of
Chapter Six: Models of
growth and economic development
Macroeconomic Growth
1.60 1
Chapter Seven: Explain the various model of
Macroeconomic Theories and growth and economic development
African Economies 0.64 for LDCs 1

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 Share
Courses of Competencies Learning outcomes and test weight

nts
s

e
Ch nts/

nte

O ing
.

ter

m
.H
under the theme / General Total

co
n
co
ap
nte
Cognitive Affective Psychomotor

Cr

ar
ut
of
Co

Le
themes and Objectives

e
ar
1 2 3 4 5 6 T 1 2 3 4 5 T 1 2 3 4 5 T

Sh
courses
chapter one: Economics of Distinguish between economic
Development: Concepts and development and growth
Approaches
1.44 1
Understand, chapter two Structural features Understand and list common
identify, and common characteristics of features of developing countries
analyze, and developing countries
measure 0.96 1
Development economic chapter three Growth Models Understand main economic growth
3 7.69
economics I development and Theories of development 1.92 and development models 2
of nations chapter four Historic Growth Comprehend and analyze history
and and contemporary expectation government and
development Development: Lessons and development
theories. controversies 1.44 1
chapter five Income Inequality, Differentiate Income Inequality,
Poverty and Development Poverty and Development
1.92 1 1
Basic chpater one: Population Understand and analyze the
Macro Growth and Economic relationship between Population
econo Development 1.44 Growth and Economic 1
mics chpater two: human Capital Development
Understand and analyze the
Education and Health in relationship between Population
Economic Development Growth and Economic
1.44 Development 1
chapter three: Rural-urban Understand and analyze Rural-
Analyze interaction, migration, and urban interaction, migration, and
economic unemployment 0.96 unemployment 1
Development
3 7.69 development
economics II chapter four: Agriculture and Understand and analyze
and its
Economic Development Agriculture and Economic
measurements 0.96 1
Development
chapter five: International trade understand and analyze
and economic development: International trade and economic
the trade policy debate and development: the trade policy
Industrialization debate and Industrialization
1.44 1
chpater six: Foreign aid, debt, understand and analyze Foreign
financial reform and aid, debt, financial reform and
development 1.44 development 1 1

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 Share
Courses of Competencies Le arning outcome s and te st we ight

ts
en
s

e
Ch nts/

O ing
.

ter

m
nt
.H
under the theme / General Total

co
co

n
ap
nte
Cognitive Affective Psychomotor

Cr

ar
ut
of
Co

Le
themes and Objectives

e
ar
1 2 3 4 5 6 T 1 2 3 4 5 T 1 2 3 4 5 T

Sh
courses
Acquaint with the concept of
Chapter One: Introduction international trade
0.64 1
Chapter Two: International understand international trade
Trade Theories 2.24 theories 1 1
Understand the economic basis
Chapter Three: International
behind current policy debates in
Know the Trade Policy
1.60 international economics. 2
International theories of
3 7.69 understand and evaluate
economics I international Chapter Four: International
trade Trade and Economic contribution of international trade
Development on economic development
1.28 1
Chapter Five: International Discuss and analyze nations’
Trade Institutions and international interaction through
Regional Economic trade and finance with the rest of
Arrangements the world.
1.92 2
Chapter One: The Foreign understand The Foreign Exchange
Exchange Market 1.60 Market 1 1
Chapter Two: Theories of understand theories of exchange
Exchange Rate Determination 0.96 rate determination 1
Know the Chapter Three: Balance of understand balance of payments
theories
Basic International 3 7.69
theories of Payments 1.92 1 1
Macro economics II international analyze macroeconomic policy in
finance Chapter Four: Macroeconomic
econo an open economy
Policy in An Open Economy 1.92 2
mics
Chapter Five: International Demonstrate how to apply
Monetary System and Key economic reasoning to global
International Financial policy issues in a critical manner.
Institutions 1.28 1
Chapter 1: Money and understand money and monetary
0.48 1
Monetary Theory policy
Chapter 2: An overview of the explain the rationale for the
Financial System existence and economic role of
Banks and non-Bank Financial
0.96 institutions 1
Familiarize
Chapter 3: The demand for familarize theory of Money, money
with the
Money and other assets 1.76 demand and its determinants 1 1
behavior
Monetary structure and Chapter 4: the Money supply understand and demonstrate the
3 7.69 Process money supply process, monetary
economics organization
of money and base, the determinants of money
monetary supply, how the behavior of the
policy general public and the banking
1.92 affect the money creation process 1 1
Chapter 5: Central Banking and understand the role of central bak
Monetary Policy 1.60 in the financial system 1 1
Chapter 6: Monetary Policy in understand and compare ethiopian
Ethiopia monetary policy with theories
0.96 1
Total 21 53.83

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 Share
Courses of Competencies Learning outcomes and test weight

nts
s

e
Ch nts/

nte

O ing
.

ter

m
.H
under the theme / General Total

co
n
co
ap
nte
Cognitive Affective Psychomotor

Cr

ar
ut
of
Co

Le
themes and Objectives

e
ar
1 2 3 4 5 6 T 1 2 3 4 5 T 1 2 3 4 5 T

Sh
courses
Chapter One: Derivatives in use derivatives to solve economic
Use 1.92 problems 1 1
Chapter Two: Constrained solve a range of mathematically
Optimization 1.44 formulated economics problems 1
Chapter Three: Comparative apply mathematical approach in
Application Static Analysis formulating and analyzing
of economic problems in static
Mathematical mathematical 0.96 settings 1
3 7.69
economics techniques in Chapter Four: Differential apply differential equation for
Quanti economic Equations 0.96 economic analysis 1
tative analysis Chapter Five: Difference apply difference equations to solve
Method Equation 0.96 economic problems 1
s in Chapter Six: Dynamic apply mathematical approach in
Econo Optimization formulating and analyzing
mics economic
with 1.28 problems in dynamic settings 1
applica Chapter One: Introduction Distinguish between economic and
tion 0.64 econometric models 1
Chapter Two: Simple Linear able to do simple regression with
Introducing Regression 2.72 economic data 1 2
the theory Chapter Three: Multiple Linear able to do simple regression with
Econometrics and practice Regression 2.08 economic data 1 1
3 7.69
I of cross- Chapter Four: Violations of the Identify the existence of problems
sectional Assumptions of the Classical of multicollinearity,
econometrics Linear Regression Model heteroscedasticity and
autocorrelation as well as suggest
how to rectify such problems
2.24 1 1

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 Share
Courses of Competencies Learning outcomes and test weight

nts
s

e
Ch nts/

nte

O ing
es

ter

m
.H
under the theme / General Total
em

co
co

n
ap
nte
Cognitive Affective Psychomotor

Cr

ar
ut
Th

of
Co

Le
themes and Objectives

e
ar
1 2 3 4 5 6 T 1 2 3 4 5 T 1 2 3 4 5 T

Sh
courses
Chapter One: Regression Understand and apply the basic
Analysis with Qualitative Data concepts in regression involving
Introducing independent dummy variables and
the theory limited dependent variables
Quanti 2.40 1 1 1
and practice
tative
of regression Chapter Two: Introduction to Understand and apply the
Method
on qualitative Simultaneous Equation models motivation and estimation methods
s in
Econometrics data, time of simultaneous equation modeling
Econo 3 7.69
II series and 1.44 1
mics
panel data as Chapter Three: Introduction to understand and apply the theory
with
well as Basic Regression Analysis and practice of elementary time
applica
simultaneous with Time Series Data 2.88 series econometrics 1 1 1
tion
equation Chapter Four: Introduction to Understand and apply
modeling Panel Data Regression Models introductory ideas on linear panel
data models
0.96 1

Total 9 23.07 4 35 20 23 5 0 0 0 6 1 0 0 0 5 1 0

Grnad Total 39 100 87 7 6 100

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 10. Test Blue print table share of Competencies (KSA) per courses

Table 4: Test Blue print table share of Competencies (KSA) per courses
Share of competencies (in %)

R. no. Themes Courses under the themes Cr. H. Share of

konowledge Skill Attitude
Total Remark
theme and
courses
Microeconomics I 3 7.69 6 1 7
1 Basic Microeconomics Microeconomics II 3 7.69 6 2 8
Development planning & project analysis II 3 7.69 7 1 8
Total 9 23.07 19 0 4 23
Macroeconomics I 3 7.69 7
Macroeconomics II 3 7.69 6 2
Development economics I 3 7.69 7
2 Basic Macroeconomics Development economics II 3 7.69 7
International economics I 3 7.69 8
International economics II 3 7.69 8
Monetary economics 3 7.69 8 1
Total 21 53.83 51 0 3 54

Quantitative Methods in Mathematical economics 3 7.69 6 1

3
Economics with application Econometrics I 3 7.69 4 4
Econometrics II 3 7.69 7 1
Total 9 23.07 17 6 0 23
Grnad Total 39 100 87 6 7 100

11. Conclusion

Exit examination can have a vital role in producing knowledgeable, skillful and attitudinally
matured graduates. It contributes to prepare competent economics graduates as it can serve as a
quality check for effectiveness. It also helps in improving the program quality and effectiveness.

In view of this, this document is produced to assist the setting of the exit examinations for
economics program, which is being delivered by public and private higher institutes of the country.
To meet the graduation profile, competency and learning outcome, exit exam competency
selection and identifying core course was done for 2015 EC graduating students. As a result,
preparing test blueprint is necessary to prepare fairly distributed items based on the above criteria.

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