Item Writing

Call for Subject Matter Expert (SME) Item Writers

Submit your qualifications to be considered for item writing.

Item writing is the process utilized to develop test questions for ISPE-PCC professional certification examinations.

The examination is one of the most important assessment methods of a professional certification program. The International Standard ISO/IEC 17024, Conformity Assessment, requires the certification body to develop examinations that are fair, valid and reliable.

To comply with these International Standards, the ISPE-PCC utilizes subject matter experts (SMEs) to write the items. The SMEs are evaluated and selected in accordance with standards established by the ISPE-PCC. Selected SMEs will be required to sign an ISPE-PCC Confidentiality, Conflicts and Copyright Assignment Agreement. Each approved SME is assigned a unique password used to access the on-line item writing section of the ISPE-PCC Web Site.

All SME item writers attend a mandatory item writing workshop (face-to-face or recorded webinar) prior to writing their assigned items. An item writing manual is prepared for the SMEs . Download The Item Writing Manual for the CPIP Examination . (PDF file, 94KB)

After all SME item writers complete their item writing assignments an item review workshop is conducted where all items are reviewed by the ISPE-PCC Examination Development Committee. Approved items are placed into an "item bank" from which items are randomly selected for the construction of examinations thus requiring a yearly replenishing of the "item bank."

On-line Item Writing

ISPE-PCC certification examination items are written and modified on-line using a password-protected item writing section. The examination item writing section guides SMEs through the item writing process allowing for multiple item writers to participate in creating a reliable and valid examination. The items are stored in a secure item bank on the ISPE Professional Certification server. NOTE: CPIP SM credential holders can gain recertification points for writing examination items (refer to the recertification section of this Web Site.)