2O23

TIMSS 2023 Assessment

Frameworks
Ina V.S. Mullis
Michael O. Martin,
Matthias von Davier,
Editors
2O23

TIMSS 2023 Assessment

Frameworks
Ina V.S. Mullis, Michael O. Martin, Matthias von Davier
Editors
2O23

Copyright © 2021
International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA)

TIMSS 2023 Assessment Frameworks

Ina V.S. Mullis, Michael O. Martin, and Matthias von Davier, Editors

Publishers: TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center,

Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Boston College and
International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA)

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2021918335

ISBN-978-1-889938-57-8

For more information about TIMSS contact:

TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center
Lynch School of Education and Human Development
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
United States

tel: +1-617-552-1600
e-mail: [email protected]
timssandpirls.bc.edu

Boston College is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer.

Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Ina V.S. Mullis, Michael O. Martin, Matthias von Davier

CHAPTER 1
TIMSS 2023 Mathematics Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Ray Philpot, Mary Lindquist, Ina V.S. Mullis, Charlotte E.A. Aldrich

CHAPTER 2
TIMSS 2023 Science Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Victoria A.S. Centurino, Dana L. Kelly

CHAPTER 3
TIMSS 2023 Context Questionnaire Framework. . . . . . . . . 46
Katherine A. Reynolds, Ina V.S. Mullis, Michael O. Martin

CHAPTER 4
TIMSS 2023 Assessment Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Liqun Yin, Pierre Foy

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Introduction
Ina V.S. Mullis
Michael O. Martin
Matthias von Davier

TIMSS 2023: First Fully Digital TIMSS Assessment

TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) is a long-standing international
assessment of mathematics and science at the fourth and eighth grades that has been collecting trend data
every four years since 1995. About 70 countries use TIMSS trend data for monitoring the effectiveness
of their education systems in a global context, and more countries join TIMSS with each subsequent
assessment cycle.
Because it marks the successful transition to its first fully digital assessment cycle, TIMSS 2023 is
a watershed cycle in the 28 year history of TIMSS. Half the TIMSS countries pioneered the transition
to digital assessment in TIMSS 2019 paving the way for an “all digital” turning point in TIMSS 2023.
Capitalizing on the benefits of technological advances is necessary for TIMSS to remain in sync with
global realities, and TIMSS 2023 will set the wheels in motion to improve the quality of TIMSS data,
increase efficiency in data collection, and make the data more useful.
To provide deeper insights into how students approach mathematics and science assessment tasks,
solve problems, and communicate their responses, TIMSS 2023 will include more complex and innovative
item types that capture both responses and process indicators. A digital item designer and translation
system will support TIMSS 2023 item development, enabling interactive opportunities and provision of
various digital tools for students to use in developing and providing their responses. The idea of Problem
Solving and Inquiry (PSI) Tasks introduced in TIMSS 2019 will be further developed (see Findings from
the TIMSS 2019 Problem and Inquiry Tasks).1 PSI tasks are based on attractive, interactive scenarios that
allow students to follow a series of steps toward a solution or goal. A variety of PSI tasks will be integrated
into the mathematics and science assessments. Finally, a concerted effort will be made to increase the
degree of automated scoring to improve scoring accuracy and comparability across countries, including
research into using machine learning to evaluate graphical and short written responses.

The TIMSS 2023 Mathematics and Science Frameworks

As a major ongoing program of IEA, TIMSS has the benefit of drawing on the cooperative expertise
provided by representatives from countries all around the world (see IEA’s TIMSS and PIRLS: Measuring
Long-term Trends in Student Achievement).2
Chapters 1 and 2 of the TIMSS 2023 Assessment Frameworks contain the TIMSS 2023 Mathematics
and Science Frameworks, respectively. Since its inception, TIMSS has used participating countries’
curricula, broadly defined, as the basis for creating and then subsequently updating the mathematics and

TIMSS & PIRLS

International Study Center
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TIMSS 2023 FRAMEWORKS INTRODUCTION 1
science frameworks for each assessment cycle during its 28 year history. As a trend assessment, TIMSS
needs stability from cycle to cycle and so the majority of the items (about two-thirds) are carried forward
from each assessment to the next. An item typically appears in three adjacent assessment cycles before
being retired. However, it is also necessary to keep the assessment frameworks educationally relevant,
and so a substantial number of items are newly developed for each cycle in accordance with the updated
frameworks. This permits the TIMSS assessment instruments and procedures to evolve gradually into
the future.3
Consistent with procedures implemented with each TIMSS is directed by the TIMSS & PIRLS
new assessment cycle, the TIMSS 2023 Mathematics and International Study Center established in
Science Frameworks for fourth and eighth grades were Boston College’s Lynch School of Education
updated from those used in TIMSS 2019 through an and Human Development. PIRLS (Progress
iterative review process. Taking into account curricular in International Reading Literacy Study) is
information provided by the participating countries an international assessment of reading, and
in the TIMSS 2019 Encyclopedia,4 the TIMSS & PIRLS together TIMSS and PIRLS comprise the core
International Study Center worked with the TIMSS 2023 cycle of international assessments managed
expert group, named the Science and Mathematics Item by IEA (the International Association for the
Review Committee (SMIRC), to develop and review Evaluation of Educational Achievement). IEA
the first drafts of the updated frameworks. Listed in the is an independent international cooperative of
Acknowledgments, the SMIRC members also participated national research institutions and government
in iterative reviews of the items newly developed for agencies that has been conducting studies of
TIMSS 2023. cross-national achievement since 1959. Today,
The TIMSS 2023 National Research Coordinators IEA Amsterdam manages country participation
(NRCs), comprised of the one or two individuals in a number of international studies and
that are responsible for implementing TIMSS within projects, and IEA Hamburg is a large research
each participating country, also had opportunities to and data processing center.
review the frameworks. The TIMSS 2023 NRCs (see
Acknowledgments) introduced fresh ideas and current information about curricula, standards, goals,
and objectives related to mathematics and science instruction. The TIMSS & PIRLS International Study
Center worked with the SMIRC to incorporate the NRCs’ recommendations into the frameworks, such
that the content of the frameworks evolved gradually.

The TIMSS 2023 Context Questionnaire Framework

Chapter 3 of the TIMSS 2023 Assessment Frameworks contains the TIMSS 2023 Context Questionnaire
Framework. Similar to the process used to update the content area frameworks, the TIMSS & PIRLS
International Study Center worked with the TIMSS 2023 Questionnaire Item Review Committee (QIRC)
to update the TIMSS 2019 Context Questionnaire Framework and the questionnaires for TIMSS 2023.
The QIRC members are listed in the Acknowledgments.

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TIMSS 2023 FRAMEWORKS INTRODUCTION 2
 To take into account students’ opportunities to learn mathematics and science in each country,
TIMSS collects an extensive amount of information about students’ learning experiences. As part of
each assessment cycle, TIMSS publishes an Encyclopedia about countries’ curricula and instructional
policies. TIMSS also updates and measures trends on the existing questionnaire scales, and develops
new context questionnaire scales that address emerging areas of research in educational effectiveness.
Consistent with prior assessment cycles, the forthcoming TIMSS 2023 Encyclopedia: Education
Policy and Curriculum in Mathematics and Science will contain a chapter prepared by each country and
benchmarking participant summarizing the structure of the country’s education system, the mathematics
and science curricula in the primary and secondary grades, the teacher education requirements, and
the types of examinations and assessments employed. To provide standard information about countries
that supplements the chapters, countries complete a TIMSS Curriculum Questionnaire about policies
associated with their mathematics and science curricula, school organizational approaches, and
instructional practices.
TIMSS 2023 also collects information about students’ home and school experiences relevant to
learning mathematics and science. Students, their parents or caregivers, their teachers, and their school
principals are asked to complete questionnaires about the students’ mathematics and science instructional
contexts. The TIMSS 2023 Context Questionnaire Framework and array of questionnaires were updated
through a sequence of reviews conducted by the QIRC and NRCs and include some new areas of interest.

A New Assessment Design for TIMSS 2023

Chapter 4 of the TIMSS 2023 Assessment Frameworks describes the populations assessed by TIMSS,
as well as the organization of the assessment instruments. With the transition to a completely digital
assessment, TIMSS 2023 took advantage of the opportunity to introduce a new group adaptive assessment
design, which includes items of three difficulty levels—easy, medium, and difficult. For each subject, a
student will be assigned a block of easy and a block of medium items, or a block of medium and a block
of difficult items. All countries will take all items, but higher performing countries can have higher
proportions of students taking more difficult item blocks and countries that perform less well can have
higher proportions of students taking less difficult item blocks.
The group adaptive design enables countries to better match the difficulty of the TIMSS assessment
items to their students’ level of achievement, resulting in less frustration among low achievers and
less boredom among more able students. This in turn should lead to greater engagement and higher
motivation, with improved response rates and less omitted or not reached data.

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TIMSS 2023 FRAMEWORKS INTRODUCTION 3
References
1 Mullis, I.V.S., Martin, M.O., Fishbein, B., Foy, P., & Moncaleano, S. (2021). Findings from the TIMSS 2019 problem
solving and inquiry tasks. Retrieved from Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center website:
https://timssandpirls.bc.edu/timss2019/psi/

2 Mullis, I.V.S. & Martin, M.O. (2022). IEA’s TIMSS and PIRLS: Measuring long-term trends in student
achievement. In T. Nilsen, A. Stancel-Pitątak, & J. Gustafsson (Eds.), International handbook of comparative
large-scale studies in education: perspectives, methods, and findings. Springer, forthcoming.

3 Mullis, I.V.S. & Martin, M.O. (2022). IEA’s TIMSS and PIRLS: Measuring long-term trends in student
achievement. In T. Nilsen, A. Stancel-Pitątak, & J. Gustafsson (Eds.), International handbook of comparative
large-scale studies in education: perspectives, methods, and findings. Springer, forthcoming.

4 Kelly, D.L., Centurino, V.A.S., Martin, M.O., & Mullis, I.V.S. (2020). TIMSS 2019 encyclopedia: Education policy
and curriculum in mathematics and science. Retrieved from Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS International Study
Center website: https://timssandpirls.bc.edu/timss2019/encyclopedia/

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TIMSS 2023 FRAMEWORKS INTRODUCTION 4
CHAPTER 1

TIMSS 2023 Mathematics Framework

Ray Philpot
Mary Lindquist
Ina V.S. Mullis
Charlotte E.A. Aldrich

Overview
All children can benefit from developing an understanding of mathematics and facility with the
mathematics needed in today’s technological world. Mathematics is essential in daily life as well as in
many career fields such as engineering, architecture, accounting, banking, business, medicine, ecology,
and aerospace. Mathematics is vital to economics and finance, as well as to computing technology and
software development. The ability to learn new skills and to solve problems is paramount in today’s
changing world.
This chapter presents the assessment frameworks for the two TIMSS 2023 mathematics assessments:
• TIMSS Mathematics—Fourth Grade
• TIMSS Mathematics—Eighth Grade
As described in the Introduction, the TIMSS 2023 Mathematics Framework for the fourth and eighth
grades builds on TIMSS’s 28-year history of assessments every four years since 1995, with this being the
eighth assessment in the series.
In general, the fourth and eighth grade frameworks are similar to those used in TIMSS 2019. Minor
updates reflect the curricula, standards, and frameworks of the participating countries as reported in
the TIMSS 2019 Encyclopedia1 and suggestions from the TIMSS 2023 National Research Coordinators.

TIMSS 2023 is Fully Digital

The transition to digital assessment initiated in about half the TIMSS 2019 countries will be completed
in TIMSS 2023, such that TIMSS 2023 is fully digital.
An overarching goal for TIMSS 2023 is capitalizing on the benefits of computer-based assessments,
including a fully digital item development system to incorporate new and better assessment items and
methods, and knowledge of the improved capacity for innovative item development influenced the
present framework. Digital assessment allows:
• Accounting for dynamic aspects of mathematical concepts such as relationships and
geometric operations by offering interactive simulations or tools closer to what these
concepts really address.

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TIMSS 2023 MATHEMATICS FRAMEWORK 5
 • Improved assessment of the reasoning cognitive processes by relegating some procedural
and secondary calculation tasks to the computer, allowing students to focus on strategy and
mathematical thinking.
• Process data associated with students’ response patterns that can be used to learn more about
students’ problem solving strategies, misconceptions, and approaches to test taking.
• Enrichment of the overall testing display and response formats, helping to improve students’
engagement and motivation to participate in TIMSS.

Expectations for a Range of Problem Solving Contexts

Previous TIMSS Mathematics frameworks have not been clear about the degree of emphasis that should
be placed on solving problems in context. Typically, solving problems was included as part of at least
one topic within a content domain, implying that some items within a content domain were expected to
be situated in contexts. Also, all items in the assessment are classified by cognitive domain— knowing,
applying, or reasoning— with 60 to 65 percent of the items requiring applying and reasoning in a
problem solving context. 
The TIMSS 2023 Mathematics Framework specifies that approximately 85 percent of the items
covering the topics in each content domain should be situated in a problem solving context. This is
consistent with other aspects of the framework, and clarifies that problem solving is an overarching
goal of TIMSS Mathematics, and not associated only with particular topics. The contexts can range
from straightforward to complex extended scenarios, such as in the Problem Solving and Inquiry Tasks
(PSIs). It is important, however, that at least 15 percent of the items are presented without context to be
able to examine the possible effects of reading load.

Organization of TIMSS 2023 Mathematics Framework

The mathematics assessment framework for TIMSS 2023 is organized around two dimensions:
• Content dimension, specifying the subject matter domains to be assessed
• Cognitive dimension, specifying the thinking processes to be assessed
Exhibit 1.1 shows the target percentage of testing score points devoted to each content and cognitive
domain for the TIMSS 2023 fourth and eighth grade assessments.

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TIMSS 2023 MATHEMATICS FRAMEWORK 6
Exhibit 1.1: Target Percentages of the TIMSS 2023 Mathematics Assessment Devoted to Content and
Cognitive Domains at the Fourth and Eighth Grades

Fourth Grade
Content Domains Percentages
Number 50%

Measurement and Geometry 30%

Data 20%

Eighth Grade
Content Domains Percentages
Number 30%

Algebra 30%

Geometry and Measurement 20%

Data and Probability 20%

Cognitive Domains Percentages

Fourth Grade Eighth Grade
Knowing 40% 35%

Applying 40% 40%

Reasoning 20% 25%

The content domains differ for the fourth and eighth grades, reflecting the mathematics widely
taught at each grade. There is more emphasis on number at the fourth grade than at the eighth grade.
Algebra becomes a topic of its own in eighth grade, whereas the introductory algebraic topics assessed
at the fourth grade are included in the number topic area. The eighth grade geometry domain includes
measurement but also a deeper inclusion of purely geometric topics. The fourth grade data domain
focuses on reading, representing, and interpreting data, whereas at the eighth grade it includes more
emphasis on drawing conclusions from data, basic statistics, and the fundamentals of probability.
It is important to highlight that TIMSS assesses a range of situations within mathematics, with
well over half (60-65%) the items requiring students to use applying and reasoning skills. The cognitive
domains are the same for both grades, but with less emphasis in the eighth grade on the knowing domain
and greater emphasis on the reasoning domain.
Following this brief introduction, the chapter begins with the fourth grade content domains,
identifying the three main content domains and the assessment topics within each domain. Chapter 1
continues with the description of the eighth grade domains and calculator policy. The chapter ends with
the description of the cognitive domains for both grades.

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TIMSS 2023 MATHEMATICS FRAMEWORK 7
Mathematics Content Domains—Fourth Grade
Exhibit 1.2 shows the TIMSS 2023 Mathematics—Fourth Grade content domains and the target
percentages of assessment score points devoted to each. Each content domain consists of topic areas,
and each topic area in turn includes several topics. Across the fourth grade mathematics assessment,
each topic receives approximately equal weight.

Exhibit 1.2: Target Percentages of the TIMSS 2023 Mathematics Assessment Devoted to
Content Domains at the Fourth Grade

Fourth Grade Content Domains Percentages

Number 50%

Measurement and Geometry 30%

Data 20%

Each of the following topics within each content area can be assessed by items measuring the
knowing, applying, or reasoning cognitive domains as appropriate. Also, the items covering the topics
in a content domain are expected to be situated in a range of contexts. At least 15 percent should
be presented without context, and the remaining should range from straightforward problem solving
situations to the complex extended scenarios in the PSIs.

Number
Number provides the foundation of mathematics in primary school. The number content domain
consists of three topic areas. The 50 percent of the assessment devoted to number is apportioned as
follows:
• Whole numbers (25%)
• Expressions, simple equations, and relationships (15%)
• Fractions and decimals (10%)
Whole numbers are the predominant component of the number domain and students should be
able to compute with whole numbers of reasonable size. Introductory algebraic concepts also are part of
the TIMSS assessment at the fourth grade, including understanding the use of variables (unknowns) in
simple equations and initial understandings of relationships between quantities. However, because objects
and quantities often do not come in whole numbers, it is also important for students to understand
fractions and decimals. Students should be able to compare, add, and subtract familiar fractions and
decimals.
Whole Numbers
1. Recognize place value of numbers to 6 digits, connect representations of numbers (words,
symbols, and models including number lines), and compare numbers.
2. Add and subtract up to 4-digit numbers.

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TIMSS 2023 MATHEMATICS FRAMEWORK 8
 3. Multiply (up to 3-digit by 1-digit and 2-digit by 2-digit numbers) and divide (up to 3-digit by
1-digit numbers).
4. Solve problems involving odd and even numbers, multiples and factors of numbers, rounding
numbers (up to the nearest powers of 10), and making estimates.
5. Combine two or more properties of numbers or operations to solve a problem.
Expressions, Equations, and Relationships
1. Find the missing number or operation in a number sentence (e.g., 17 + w = 29).
2. Match or write expressions or number sentences to represent problem situations that may
involve unknowns.
3. Match, describe, or use relationships in a well-defined pattern (e.g., describe the relationship
between adjacent terms and generate pairs of whole numbers given a rule).
Fractions and Decimals
1. Describe a fraction as part of a whole or collection; connect different representations of
fractions (words, numbers, and models); compare the size of fractions; add and subtract simple
fractions with like denominators of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, or 100.
2. Connect different representations of decimals (words, numbers, and models); compare and
order decimals and relate decimals to fractions; round decimals; add and subtract decimals (up
to two decimal places).

Measurement and Geometry

We are surrounded by objects of different shapes and sizes, and geometry helps us visualize and
understand the relationships between shapes and sizes. Measurement is the process of quantifying
attributes of objects and phenomena (e.g., length and time).
The two topic areas in measurement and geometry are as follows:
• Measurement (15%)
• Geometry (15%)
At the fourth grade, students should be able to use a ruler to measure length; perform calculations
involving length, mass, volume, and time; calculate areas of shapes based on rectangles; calculate
perimeters of polygons; and use cubes to determine volumes. Students should be able to identify the
properties and characteristics of lines, angles, and a variety of two- and three-dimensional shapes. Spatial
sense is integral to the study of geometry, and students will be asked to describe and draw a variety of
geometric figures. They also should be able to analyze geometric relationships and use these relationships
to draw conclusions about geometric objects.

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TIMSS 2023 MATHEMATICS FRAMEWORK 9
Measurement
1. Measure, estimate, add, and subtract lengths (millimeters, centimeters, meters, kilometers).
2. Add and subtract mass (gram and kilogram), volume (milliliter and liter), and time (minutes
and hours); select appropriate types and sizes of units and read scales.
3. Determine perimeters of polygons, areas of rectangles, areas of shapes covered with squares or
partial squares, and volumes filled with cubes.
Geometry
1. Recognize and draw parallel and perpendicular lines, right angles, and angles smaller or larger
than a right angle; compare the relative size of angles.
2. Use elementary properties, including line and rotational symmetry to describe and create
common two-dimensional shapes (circle, triangles, quadrilaterals, and other polygons).
3. Use elementary properties to describe three dimensional shapes (cubes, rectangular solids,
cones, cylinders, and spheres), the differences among them, and how they relate to their two-
dimensional representations.

Data
The explosion of data in today’s information society has resulted in a variety of visual displays of
quantitative information. Often the internet, newspapers, magazines, textbooks, reference books, and
articles have data represented in charts, tables, and graphs. Students need to understand that graphs and
charts help organize information or categories and provide a way to compare data.
The data content domain consists of two topic areas:
• Reading and displaying data (10%)
• Interpreting, combining, and comparing data (10%)
At the fourth grade, students should be able to read and create data displays. They should be able
to make inferences from data displays and use data from one or more sources to answer questions of
interest.
Reading and Displaying Data
1. Read data from tables, pictographs, bar graphs, line graphs, and pie charts.
2. Create or complete tables, pictographs, bar graphs, line graphs, and pie charts.
Interpreting, Combining, and Comparing Data
1. Interpret data and use it to answer questions that go beyond directly reading data displays.
2. Combine or compare data from two or more sources, and draw conclusions based on two or
more data sets.

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TIMSS 2023 MATHEMATICS FRAMEWORK 10
Mathematics Content Domains—Eighth Grade
Exhibit 1.3 shows the TIMSS 2023 Mathematics—Eighth Grade content domains and the target
percentages of assessment score points devoted to each. Each content domain consists of topic areas,
and each topic area in turn includes several topics. Across the eighth grade mathematics assessment,
each topic receives approximately equal weight.

Exhibit 1.3: Target Percentages of the TIMSS 2023 Mathematics Assessment Devoted to
Content Domains at the Eighth Grade

Eighth Grade Content Domains Percentages

Number 30%

Algebra 30%

Geometry and Measurement 20%

Data and Probability 20%

As with fourth grade mathematics, each of the following topics within each content area at the
eighth grade can be assessed by items measuring the knowing, applying, or reasoning cognitive domains
as appropriate. Also, the items covering the topics in a content domain are expected to be situated in a
range of contexts. At least 15 percent should be presented without context, and the remaining should
range from straightforward problem solving situations to the complex extended scenarios in the PSIs.

Number
At the eighth grade, the 30 percent of the assessment devoted to number consists of three topic areas:
• Integers (10%)
• Fractions and decimals (10%)
• Proportions, ratios, and percentages (10%)
Building on the number content domain at the fourth grade, eighth grade students should have
developed proficiency with more advanced whole number concepts and procedures as well as extended
their mathematical understanding of rational numbers (integers, fractions, and decimals). Students
also should understand and be able to compute with integers. Fractions and decimals are an important
part of daily life and being able to compute with them requires an understanding of the quantities the
symbols represent. A single rational number can be represented with many different written symbols,
and students need to be able to recognize the distinctions among interpretations of rational numbers,
convert between them, and reason with them. Students should be able to apply ratios, proportions, and
percentages to whole number amounts.

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TIMSS 2023 MATHEMATICS FRAMEWORK 11
Integers
1. Recognize and use properties of numbers and operations; find and use multiples and factors,
recognize prime numbers, evaluate positive integer powers of number, and square roots of
whole numbers.
2. Add and subtract positive and negative numbers, including through movement and position
on a number line or using various models (e.g., thermometers, losses and gains).
Fractions and Decimals
1. Using various models and representations, compare and order fractions and decimals, and
identify equivalent fractions and decimals.
2. Add, subtract, and multiply with fractions and decimals, and divide fractions and decimals by
a whole number.
Proportions, Ratios, and Percentages
1. Determine proportions and ratios of quantities (e.g. rates, scales on maps).
2. Apply or find percentages; convert between percentages and fractions or decimals.

Algebra
The 30 percent of the assessment devoted to algebra is comprised of two topic areas:
• Expressions, operations, and equations (20%)
• Relationships and functions (10%)
Patterns and relationships are pervasive in the world around us. Students should be able to use
algebraic models and express relationships algebraically. They need to be able to rearrange formulas
and substitute values into formulas. Their conceptual understanding can extend to linear equations for
calculations about quantities that change at constant rates. Linear and simple non-linear functions can
be used to describe what will happen to a variable when a related variable changes.
Expressions, Operations, and Equations
1. Find the value of an expression or a formula given values of the variables.
2. Simplify algebraic expressions involving sums, products, differences, and positive integer
powers; compare expressions to decide if they are equivalent.
3. Write expressions, equations, or inequalities to represent problem situations.
4. Solve linear equations, linear inequalities, and simultaneous linear equations in two variables,
including validating values as solutions.
Relationships and Functions
1. Interpret, relate, and generate representations of linear functions in tables, graphs, or words;
recognize properties of linear functions including slope and intercepts.

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TIMSS 2023 MATHEMATICS FRAMEWORK 12
 2. Interpret, relate, and generate representations of simple non-linear functions (e.g., quadratic)
in tables, graphs, or words; generalize linear and non-linear pattern relationships or sequences,
using words, or algebraic expressions.

Geometry and Measurement

The geometry and measurement content domain at the eighth grade consists of one topic area:
• Geometry and Measurement (20%)
Extending the understanding of shapes and measures assessed at the fourth grade, eighth grade
students should be able to analyze the properties of a variety of two- and three-dimensional figures and
calculate perimeters, areas, and volumes. They should be able to provide explanations based on geometric
relationships, such as congruence, similarity, and the Pythagorean Theorem.
Geometry and Measurement
1. Recognize and draw types of angles and pairs of lines and use the relationships between angles
on lines and in geometric figures, including those involving the measures of angles and line
segments; read and plot points in the Cartesian plane.
2. Recognize two-dimensional shapes and use their geometric properties (e.g. sums of interior
angles of triangles and quadrilaterals, properties of isosceles triangles), including to calculate
length and area, and use the Pythagorean Theorem.
Note: Two-dimensional shapes include circles; scalene, isosceles, equilateral, and right-angled triangles;
trapezoids, parallelograms, rectangles, rhombuses, and other quadrilaterals; as well as other polygons
including pentagons, hexagons, octagons, and decagons.

3. Determine the results of geometric transformations (translations, reflections, and rotations) in

the plane; recognize and use properties of congruent and similar triangles and rectangles.
4. Recognize three-dimensional shapes and use their properties to calculate surface area and
volume; relate three-dimensional shapes with their two-dimensional representations.
Note: Three-dimensional shapes include prisms, pyramids, cones, cylinders, and spheres.

Data and Probability

The data and probability content domain contains two topic areas:
• Data (15%)
• Probability (5%)
Increasingly, the more traditional forms of data display (e.g., bar graphs, line graphs, pie graphs,
pictographs) are being supplemented by an array of new graphic forms (e.g., infographics). By the eighth
grade, students should to be able to read and extract the important meaning from a variety of visual
displays. It is also important for eighth grade students to be familiar with the statistics underlying data
distributions and how these relate to the shape of data graphs. Students should know how to organize
and represent data. Students also should have an initial grasp of some concepts related to probability.

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TIMSS 2023 MATHEMATICS FRAMEWORK 13
Data
1. Interpret data from one or more sources (e.g., interpolate and extrapolate, make comparisons,
draw conclusions).
2. Organize and represent data to help answer questions. Representations include all those at
fourth grade (tables, pictographs, bar graphs, line graphs, and pie charts) and in addition,
histograms, dot plots, scatter plots, clustered and stacked bar charts, and infographics.
3. Summarize data distributions; calculate, use, or interpret mean and median; recognize the
effect of spread and outliers.
Probability
1. For simple and compound events: determine theoretical probability (based on proportions of
favorable outcomes, e.g., rolling a fair die or drawing marbles of a particular color from a bag);
estimate empirical probability (based on experimental outcomes).

Calculator Use at the Eighth Grade

At the eighth grade, students will be permitted to use the TIMSS on-screen calculator. This calculator
has the four basic functions (+, −, ×, ÷), a square root key, and the negative sign. Students will not be
permitted to bring their own calculators. On the whole the mathematics items are developed to be
calculator neutral and do not advantage or disadvantage students whether or not they use calculators.
A notable exception is the (very few) items that require the taking of a square root.

Mathematics Cognitive Domains—Fourth and Eighth

Grades
In order to respond correctly to TIMSS test items, students need to be familiar with the mathematics
content being assessed, but they also need to draw on a range of cognitive skills. These include the ability
to select and carry out procedures, apply knowledge to solve problems, make logical deductions, and give
reasons for an assertion. Describing these skills plays a crucial role in the development of an assessment
like TIMSS 2023, ensuring that the survey covers the appropriate range of cognitive skills across the
content domains already outlined.
The first domain, knowing, covers the facts, concepts, and procedures students need to know, while
the second, applying, focuses on the ability of students to apply knowledge and conceptual understanding
in a range of situations. The third domain, reasoning, involves the logical, systematic thinking that
students need to use to generate and justify solutions to problems, make inferences, and deal with
complex relationships between mathematical objects.
Knowing, applying, and reasoning are exercised in varying degrees when students display their
mathematical competency, which goes beyond content knowledge. These TIMSS cognitive domains
encompass the competencies of providing a mathematical argument to support a strategy or solution,

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representing a situation mathematically (e.g., using symbols and graphs), creating mathematical models
of a problem situation, and using tools such as a ruler or a calculator.
The three cognitive domains are used for both grades, with each item categorized into one of the
three domains. Reflecting the difference in age and experience of students, the balance of score points
differs between fourth and eighth grade (see Exhibit 1.4). For both grades, each content domain will
include some items developed to address each of the three cognitive domains. For example, the number
domain will include knowing, applying, and reasoning items as will the other content domains.
Exhibit 1.4 shows the target percentages of score points devoted to each cognitive domain for the
fourth and eighth grade assessments.

Exhibit 1.4: Target Percentages of the TIMSS 2023 Mathematics Assessment Devoted to Cognitive
Domains at the Fourth and Eighth Grades

Cognitive Domains Percentages

Fourth Grade Eighth Grade
Knowing 40% 35%

Applying 40% 40%

Reasoning 20% 25%

The following sections describe the types of cognitive skills particular to each of the three cognitive
domains. Items are classified according to cognitive skills to ensure a range of coverage within each
cognitive domain. However, there are no specified targets for the percentages of score points for each
cognitive skill.

Knowing
Facility in applying mathematics, or reasoning about mathematical situations, depends on familiarity
with mathematical concepts and fluency in mathematical skills. The more relevant knowledge a student
is able to recall and the wider the range of concepts he or she understands, the greater the potential for
engaging with a wide range of problem situations.
Without access to a knowledge base that enables easy recall of the language and basic facts and
conventions of number, symbolic representation, and spatial relations, students would find purposeful
mathematical thinking impossible. Facts encompass the knowledge that provides the basic language of
mathematics, as well as the essential mathematical concepts and properties that form the foundation
for mathematical thought.
Procedures form the foundation of the mathematics needed for solving problems, especially those
encountered by many people in their daily lives. In essence, a fluent use of procedures entails recall of
sets of actions and how to carry them out. Students need to be efficient and accurate in using a variety
of computational procedures and tools in relatively familiar and routine tasks. They need to see that
particular procedures can be used to solve entire classes of problems, not just individual problems.

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 Recall definitions, terminology, number properties, units of measurement,
Recall
geometric properties, and notation (e.g., a × b = ab, a + a + a = 3a).
Identify numbers, expressions, quantities, and shapes. Recognize when
Identify entities are mathematically equivalent. Read information from graphs,
tables, texts, or other sources.
Order and classify numbers, expressions, quantities, and shapes by
Order
common properties.
Compute arithmetic operations with whole numbers, fractions, decimals,
Compute and integers using algorithmic procedures. Carry out straightforward
algebraic manipulation.

Applying
The applying domain involves the application of mathematics in a range of situations. Problem solving
is central to this domain. Students will need to select suitable operations, strategies, and tools for
solving problems. Many of the problems are set in real life situations, requiring students to formulate
the problem in mathematical terms before implementing a solution. In these problems, students need
to apply mathematical knowledge of facts, skills, and procedures or understanding of mathematical
concepts to create representations. Representation of ideas forms the core of mathematical thinking
and communication, and the ability to create representations is fundamental to success in the subject.
Other problems may be concerned with purely mathematical questions involving, for example,
numeric or algebraic expressions, functions, equations, geometric figures, or statistical data sets. With
these problems, a mathematical representation might be given and students might need to interpret the
representation or generate an equivalent representation in order to solve the problem.

Determine efficient/appropriate operations, strategies, and tools for

Formulate
solving problems.
Implement suitable strategies and operations to produce solutions to
Implement
problems.
Represent data in tables or graphs; create equations, inequalities,
geometric figures, or diagrams that model problem situations; and
Represent
generate equivalent representations for a given mathematical entity or
relationship.

Reasoning
Reasoning mathematically involves logical, systematic thinking. It includes intuitive and inductive
reasoning based on patterns and regularities that can be used to arrive at solutions to problems. Evidence
of reasoning processes can be found in the explaining or justifying of a solution method, or the making
of valid inferences on the basis of information and evidence. Reasoning is required in analyzing or
generalizing mathematical relationships.
Even though many of the cognitive skills listed in the reasoning domain may be drawn on
when thinking about and solving complex problems, each by itself represents a valuable outcome of

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mathematics education, with the potential to influence learners’ thinking more generally. For example,
reasoning involves the ability to observe and make conjectures. It also involves making logical deductions
based on specific assumptions and rules, and justifying results.

Analyze, describe, or use relationships among numbers, expressions,

Analyze
quantities, and shapes.
Link different elements of knowledge, related representations, and
Integrate
procedures.
Make statements that represent relationships in more general and more
Generalize
widely applicable terms.

Justify Provide mathematical arguments to support a strategy or solution.

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References
1 Kelly, D.L., Centurino, V., Martin, M.0., & Mullis, I.V. S. (Eds.) (2020). TIMSS 2019 encyclopedia: Education
policy and curriculum in mathematics and science. Retrieved from Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS International
Student Center website: http://timssandpirls.bc.edu/timss2019/encyclopedia/

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CHAPTER 2

TIMSS 2023 Science Framework

Victoria A.S. Centurino
Dana L. Kelly

Overview
Innovations in technology and science constantly shape and reshape our daily life experiences: the
availability of clean water; the food we eat; the quality of the air we breathe; the vaccines, medicines, and
medical diagnostic tools available; the ways we communicate; the modes of transportation we use; and
more. Children in primary and lower-secondary grades today have lived all of their lives in a science-
and technology-enhanced world. Perhaps more than any previous generation, they have boundless
opportunities to engage in activities and experiences and with information that can satisfy their natural
curiosity about the world and their place in it. Science education in the primary grades capitalizes on
this curiosity and starts young students on a path of systematic inquiry about the world in which they
live. As their understanding of science develops, students in the lower-secondary grades are increasingly
able to make informed decisions about themselves and their world so that, as adults, they can become
informed and scientifically literate citizens capable of distinguishing scientific fact from fiction and
understanding the scientific basis of important social, economic, and environmental issues. Across the
world, there is an increased demand for those qualified to pursue the careers in science, technology,
and engineering to continue to drive the innovation necessary to solve global problems (e.g., mitigating
the environmental impacts of human activities, increasing access to clean water and nutritious food,
preparing next-generation medical therapies), grow economies, and improve quality of life. To meet this
demand, it is increasingly important to prepare students to enter advanced study in these areas.
This chapter presents the assessment framework for the two TIMSS 2023 science assessments:
• TIMSS Science—Fourth Grade
• TIMSS Science—Eighth Grade
The TIMSS 2023 Science Frameworks for the fourth and eighth grades extends the 28-year history
of TIMSS assessments, beginning in 1995 and taking place every four years since. TIMSS 2023 is the
eighth assessment in the series.
The TIMSS 2023 science frameworks are similar to those used in TIMSS 2019. However, there have
been minor updates to reflect countries’ evolving science curricula, frameworks, and learning goals as
reported in the TIMSS 2019 Encyclopedia.1 TIMSS 2023 completes the transition to digital assessment,
which began in TIMSS 2019. The science frameworks have been updated to reflect that TIMSS 2023 will
be developed in and for a digital environment, including capitalizing on innovative technology-based

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approaches to the assessment of inquiry and investigation in science. TIMSS 2023 will capitalize on the
benefits of digital assessment by:
• Incorporating a variety of technology-enhanced item formats to promote student
engagement.
• Including simulated real-world and laboratory situations where students can integrate
and apply process skills and content knowledge to perform scientific investigations or
experiments.
• Improving measurement of higher-order cognitive processes using interactive scenarios that
present students with adaptive and responsive ways to work through science problems.
• Collecting information about how students interact with the achievement items to learn
more about how students engage in the practice of science, their misconceptions, and their
test-taking strategies.
The Introduction to the TIMSS 2023 Frameworks provides further detail on the new interactive item
types and response types planned for TIMSS 2023. It also describes the initiative begun in TIMSS 2019
to develop and begin administering longer, scenario based Problem Solving and Inquiry Tasks (PSIs)
in the mathematics and science assessments, and the plans for incorporating the PSIs into the TIMSS
2023 assessments and beyond.
At each grade, the science assessment framework for TIMSS 2023 is organized around two
dimensions:
• Content dimension, specifying the subject matter to be assessed
• Cognitive dimension, specifying the thinking processes to be assessed
Exhibit 2.1 shows the target percentage of score points devoted to each content and cognitive domain
for the TIMSS 2023 fourth and eighth grade assessments.

Exhibit 2.1: Target Percentages of the TIMSS 2023 Science Assessment Devoted to Content and
Cognitive Domains at the Fourth and Eighth Grades

Fourth Grade
Content Domains Percentages
Life Science 45%
Physical Science 35%
Earth Science 20%

Eighth Grade
Content Domains Percentages
Biology 35%
Chemistry 20%
Physics 25%
Earth Science 20%

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Cognitive Domains Percentages
Fourth Grade Eighth Grade
Knowing 40% 35%

Applying 40% 35%

Reasoning 20% 30%

The content domains differ for the fourth and eighth grades, reflecting the nature and difficulty
of the science taught at each grade. There is more emphasis at the fourth grade on life science than its
counterpart, biology, at the eighth grade. At the eighth grade, physics and chemistry are assessed as
separate content domains and receive more emphasis than at fourth grade, where they are assessed as
one content domain (physical science). The Earth science content domain has the same level of emphasis
at both grades, but the objectives at the eighth grade are more sophisticated than at the fourth grade.
The three cognitive domains (knowing, applying, and reasoning) are the same at both grades,
encompassing the range of cognitive processes involved in learning science concepts, and then applying
these concepts and reasoning with them.
In 2023, TIMSS Science also will assess key science practices. These practices include skills from
daily life and school studies that students use in a systematic way to conduct scientific inquiry and
investigation and that are fundamental to all science disciplines. Increasing emphasis has been placed
on science practices and science inquiry in many countries’ current science curricula, standards, and
frameworks.2 Facility with science practices is essential for students to learn and understand science
concepts and to understand and appreciate the nature of science and scientific knowledge.
The practice of science is, by its very nature, strongly connected to the area of science under study
and, therefore, cannot be assessed in isolation. Some items in the TIMSS 2023 science assessment at
both the fourth and eighth grades will assess one or more of these important science practices together
with content specified in the content domains and thinking processes specified in the cognitive domains.
The science practices will primarily be assessed through the science PSIs, however. In the PSIs, students
conduct extended investigations and inquiries in a science content area and in doing so engage in one
or more of the science practices.
The next two sections of this chapter present the TIMSS 2023 science content domains for fourth
and eighth grades, followed by a description of the cognitive domains, which are applicable to both
grades. The chapter concludes with a description of the science practices.

Science Content Domains—Fourth Grade

Three major content domains define the science content for the TIMSS Science fourth grade assessment:
life science, physical science, and Earth science. Exhibit 2.2 shows the target percentages of testing time
for each of the three content domains in the TIMSS 2023 Science assessment.

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Exhibit 2.2: Target Percentages of the TIMSS 2023 Science Assessment Devoted to
Content Domains at the Fourth Grade

Fourth Grade Content Domains Percentages

Life Science 45%

Physical Science 35%

Earth Science 20%

Each of these content domains includes several major topic areas, and each topic area in turn
includes one or more topics. Each topic is further described by specific objectives that represent the
students’ expected knowledge, abilities, and skills assessed within each topic.
Across the fourth grade assessment, each objective receives approximately equal weight in terms
of the number of assessment items. The verbs used in the objectives are intended to represent typical
performances expected of fourth grade students, but are not intended to limit performances to a
particular cognitive domain. Each objective can be assessed drawing on any of the three cognitive
domains (knowing, applying, and reasoning). Some objectives include additional parenthetical
information. Illustrative examples appear after an “e.g.,” such as in “Relate major structures in animals
to their functions (e.g., bones support the body, lungs take in air, the heart circulates blood, the stomach
digests food, muscles move the body).” In some cases, the additional information indicates the scope of
the objective appropriate for fourth grade students and appears after an “i.e.,” such as in “Recognize that
matter can be changed from one state to another by heating or cooling; describe changes in the state of
water (i.e., melting, freezing, boiling, evaporation, and condensation).”

Life Science
The study of life science at the fourth grade provides students with an opportunity to capitalize on their
innate curiosity and begin to understand the living world around them. In TIMSS 2023, life science is
represented by five topic areas:
• Characteristics and life processes of organisms
• Life cycles, reproduction, and heredity
• Organisms, environment, and their interactions
• Ecosystems
• Human health
By the fourth grade, students are expected to be building a base of knowledge about general
characteristics of organisms, how they function, and how they interact with other organisms and with
their environment. Students also should be familiar with fundamental science concepts related to life
cycles, heredity, and human health that in later grades will lead to a more sophisticated understanding
of how the human body functions.

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Characteristics and Life Processes of Organisms
1. Differences between living and non-living things and what living things require to live:
A. Recognize and describe differences between living and non-living things (i.e., living things
can reproduce, grow and develop, respond to stimuli, and die; and non-living things
cannot).
B. Identify what living things require in order to live (i.e., air, food or nutrients, water, and an
environment in which to live).
2. Physical and behavioral characteristics of major groups of living things:
A. Compare and contrast physical and behavioral characteristics that distinguish major
groups of living things (i.e., insects, birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, and flowering plants);
distinguish groups of animals with backbones from groups of animals without backbones.
B. Identify or provide examples of members of major groups of living things (i.e., insects,
birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, and flowering plants).
3. Functions of major structures in living things:
A. Relate major structures in animals to their functions (e.g., bones support the body, lungs N
take in air, the heart circulates blood, the stomach digests food, muscles move the body).
B. Relate major structures in plants to their functions (i.e., roots absorb water and nutrients
and anchor the plant, leaves make food, the stem supports the plant and transports water,
food, and nutrients, petals attract pollinators, flowers produce seeds, and seeds produce
new plants).

Life Cycles, Reproduction, and Heredity

1. Stages of life cycles and differences among the life cycles of common plants and animals:
A. Identify stages of the life cycles of flowering plants (i.e., germination, growth and
development, reproduction, and seed dispersal).
B. Recognize, compare, and contrast the life cycles of familiar plants and animals (e.g., trees,
beans, humans, frogs, butterflies).
2. Inheritance and reproduction strategies:
A. Recognize that plants and animals reproduce with their own kind to produce offspring
with features that closely resemble those of the parents; distinguish between features of
plants and animals that are inherited from their parents (e.g., number of petals, color of
petals, eye color, hair color), and those that are not (e.g., some broken branches in a tree,
length of human hair).
B. Identify and describe different strategies that increase the number of offspring that survive
(e.g., a plant producing many seeds, mammals caring for their young).

Organisms, Environment, and Their Interactions

1. Physical features or behaviors of living things that help them survive in their environment:
A. Associate physical features of plants and animals with the environments in which they live

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 and describe how these features help them to survive (e.g., a thick stem, a waxy coating,
and a deep root help a plant survive in an environment with little water; the coloring of an
animal helps camouflage it from predators).
B. Associate behaviors of animals with the environments in which they live and describe how
these behaviors help them to survive (e.g., migration or hibernation helps an animal to stay
alive when food is scarce).
2. Responses of living things to environmental conditions:
A. Recognize and describe how plants respond to environmental conditions (e.g., amount of
available water, amount of sunlight).
B. Recognize and describe how different animals respond to changes in environmental
conditions (e.g., light, temperature, danger); recognize and describe how the human body
responds to changes in environmental conditions and how it reacts to physical activity
(e.g., exercise).
3. The impact of humans on the environment:
A. Recognize that human behavior has negative and positive effects on the environment
(e.g., negative effects of air and water pollution, positive effects of reducing air and water
pollution); provide general descriptions and examples of the effects of pollution on
humans, plants, and animals.

Ecosystems
1. Common ecosystems:
A. Relate common plants and animals (e.g., evergreen trees, frogs, lions) to common
ecosystems (e.g., forests, ponds, grasslands).
2. Relationships in simple food chains:
A. Recognize that plants need (sun)light, air, and water to provide energy for life processes
(i.e., growth and repair, movement, and reproduction); explain that animals eat plants or
other animals to get the food they need to supply energy for life processes (i.e., growth and
repair, movement, and reproduction).
B. Complete a model of a simple food chain using common plants and animals from
common ecosystems, (e.g., a forest, a desert, a river, an ocean).
C. Describe the roles of living things at each link in a simple food chain (e.g., plants produce
their own food; some animals eat plants, while other animals eat the animals that eat
plants).
D. Identify common predators and their prey and describe their relationships.
3. Competition in ecosystems:
A. Recognize and explain that some living things in an ecosystem compete with others for
resources (e.g., food, light, space).
E

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Human Health
1. Ways of maintaining good health:
A. Describe everyday behaviors that promote good health (e.g., a balanced diet, exercising
regularly, brushing teeth, getting enough sleep, wearing sunscreen); identify common food
sources included in a balanced diet (e.g., fruits, vegetables, grains).
B. Relate the transmission of common communicable diseases to human contact (e.g.,
touching, sneezing, coughing); identify or describe some methods of preventing disease
transmission (e.g., vaccination, washing hands, keeping a physical distance from people
who are sick).

Physical Science
At the fourth grade, students learn how many physical phenomena that they observe in their everyday
lives can be explained through an understanding of physical science concepts. The topic areas for the
physical science content domain at fourth grade are:
• Classification and properties of matter and changes in matter
• Forms of energy and energy transfer
• Forces and motion
Fourth grade students should have an understanding of physical states of matter (solid, liquid, and
gas), as well as common changes in the state and form of matter; this forms a foundation for the study
of both chemistry and physics in the middle and upper grades. At this level, students also should know
common forms and sources of energy and their practical uses, and understand basic concepts about light,
sound, electricity, and magnetism. The study of forces and motion emphasizes an understanding of forces
as they relate to movements students can observe, such as the effect of gravity or pushing and pulling.
Classification and Properties of Matter and Changes in Matter
1. States of matter and characteristic differences of each state:
A. Identify and describe three states of matter (i.e., a solid has a definite shape and volume, a
liquid has a definite volume but not a definite shape, and a gas has neither a definite shape
nor a definite volume).
2. Physical properties as a basis for classifying matter:
A. Compare and sort objects and materials on the basis of physical properties (e.g., weight/
mass, volume, state of matter, ability to conduct heat or electricity, ability to float or sink
in water, ability to be attracted by a magnet). [Note: Students in the fourth grade are not
expected to differentiate between mass and weight.]
B. Identify properties of metals (i.e., conducting electricity and conducting heat) and relate
these properties to uses of metals (e.g., a copper electrical wire, an iron cooking pot).
C. Describe examples of mixtures and how they can be physically separated (e.g., sifting,
filtration, evaporation, magnetic attraction).

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 3. Magnetic attraction and repulsion:
A. Recognize that magnets have two poles and that like poles repel and opposite poles attract.
B. Recognize that magnets can be used to attract some metal objects.
4. Physical changes observed in everyday life:
A. Identify observable changes in materials that do not result in new materials with different
properties (e.g., dissolving, crushing an aluminum can).
B. Recognize that matter can be changed from one state to another by heating or cooling;
describe changes in the state of water (i.e., melting, freezing, boiling, evaporation, and
condensation).
C. Identify ways of increasing how quickly a solid material dissolves in a given amount of
water (i.e., increasing the temperature, stirring, and breaking the solid into smaller pieces);
distinguish between weak and strong concentrations of simple solutions (e.g., water
sweetened with one versus two lumps of sugar).
5. Chemical changes observed in everyday life:
A. Identify observable changes in materials that make new materials with different properties
(e.g., decaying, such as food spoiling; burning; rusting).

Forms of Energy and Energy Transfer

1. Common sources and uses of energy:
A. Identify sources of energy (e.g., the Sun, flowing water, wind, coal, oil, gas), and recognize
that energy is needed for movement and transportation, manufacturing, heating, lighting,
and powering electronic devices.
2. Light and sound in everyday life:
A. Relate common physical phenomena (i.e., shadows, reflections, and rainbows) to the
behavior of light.
B. Relate common physical phenomena (i.e., vibrating objects and echoes) to the production
and behavior of sound.
3. Heat transfer:
A. Describe what will happen when a hot object and a cold object are brought into contact
(i.e., the temperature of the hot object decreases and the temperature of the cold object
increases).
4. Electricity and simple electrical systems:
A. Recognize that electrical energy in a circuit can be transformed into other forms of energy
(e.g., heat, light, sound).
B. Explain that simple electrical systems (e.g., a flashlight) require a complete (unbroken)
electrical pathway.

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Forces and Motion
1. Familiar forces and the motion of objects:
A. Identify gravity as the force that draws objects to Earth.
B. Recognize that forces (i.e., pushing and pulling) may cause an object to change its motion;
compare the effects of these forces (pushes and pulls) of different strengths in the same or
opposite directions acting on an object; and recognize that friction force works against the
direction of motion (e.g., friction working against a push or a pull makes it more difficult
to move an object along a surface).
2. Simple machines:
A. Recognize that simple machines, (e.g., levers, pulleys, gears, ramps) help make motion
easier (e.g., make lifting things easier, reduce the amount of force required, change the
distance, change the direction of the force).

Earth Science
Earth science is the study of Earth and its place in the Solar System, and at fourth grade focuses on the
study of phenomena and processes that students can observe in their everyday lives. While there is no
single picture of what constitutes an Earth science curriculum that applies to all countries, the three
topic areas included in this domain are generally considered to be important for students at the fourth
grade to understand as they learn about the planet on which they live and its place in the Solar System:
• Earth’s physical characteristics, resources, and history
• Earth’s weather and climates
• Earth in the Solar System
At this level, students should have some general knowledge about the structure and physical
characteristics of Earth’s surface, and about the use of Earth’s most important resources. Students also
should be able to describe some of Earth’s processes in terms of observable changes and understand the
time frame over which such changes have occurred. Fourth grade students should also demonstrate
some understanding about Earth’s place in the Solar System based on observations of patterns of change
on Earth and in the sky.
Earth’s Physical Characteristics, Resources, and History
1. Physical characteristics of the Earth system:
A. Recognize that Earth’s surface is made up of land and water in unequal proportions (more
water than land) and is surrounded by air; describe where fresh and salt water are found.
2. Earth’s resources:
A. Identify some of Earth’s resources that are used in everyday life (e.g., water, wind, soil,
forests, oil, natural gas, minerals).
B. Explain the importance of using Earth’s renewable and non-renewable resources
responsibly (e.g., fossil fuels, forests, water).

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 3. Earth’s history:
A. Recognize that wind and water change Earth’s landscape and that some features of Earth’s
landscape (e.g., mountains, river valleys) result from changes that happen very slowly over
a long time.
B. Recognize that some remains (fossils) of animals and plants that lived on Earth a long
time ago are found in rocks and ice and make simple deductions about changes in Earth’s
surface from the location of these remains.

Earth’s Weather and Climates

1. Weather and climates on Earth:
A. Apply knowledge of changes of state of water to common weather events (e.g., cloud
formation, dew formation, the evaporation of puddles, snow, rain).
B. Describe how weather (i.e., daily variations in temperature, humidity, precipitation in the
form of rain or snow, clouds, and wind) can vary with geographic location.
C. Describe how average temperature and precipitation can change with the seasons and
location; recognize that the average temperature on Earth has increased over the last
century and some effects of this increase on Earth’s physical characteristics (e.g., ocean
levels have increased, ice caps have melted, rivers have dried up, deserts have grown
bigger).

Earth in the Solar System

1. Objects in the Solar System and their movements:
A. Describe the Solar System as the Sun and the planets that revolve around it; recognize that
the Earth has a moon that revolves around it, and from Earth the Moon looks different at
different times of the month.
2. Earth’s motion and related patterns observed on Earth:
A. Explain how day and night are related to Earth’s daily rotation about its axis, and use the
changing appearance of shadows during the day as evidence of this rotation.
B. Recognize that seasons in Earth’s northern and southern hemispheres are related to Earth’s
annual movement around the Sun (and the tilt of Earth’s axis).

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Science Content Domains—Eighth Grade
Four major content domains define the science content for the TIMSS Science eighth grade assessment:
biology, chemistry, physics, and Earth science. Exhibit 2.3 shows the target percentages for each of the
four content domains in the TIMSS 2023 science assessment.

Exhibit 2.3: Target Percentages of the TIMSS 2023 Science Assessment Devoted to
Content Domains at the Eighth Grade

Eighth Grade Content Domains Percentages

Biology 35%
Chemistry 20%
Physics 25%
Earth Science 20%

Each of these content domains includes several major topic areas, and each topic area in turn
includes one or more topics. Each topic is further described by specific objectives that represent the
students’ expected knowledge, abilities, and skills assessed within each topic. Across the eighth grade
assessment, each objective receives approximately equal weight in terms of assessment items. The verbs
used in the objectives are intended to represent typical performances expected of eighth grade students,
but are not intended to limit performances to a particular cognitive domain. Each objective can be
assessed drawing on each of the three cognitive domains (knowing, applying, and reasoning). Some
objectives include additional parenthetical information. Illustrative examples appear after an “e.g.,” such
as in “Locate and identify major organs (e.g., lungs, stomach, brain) and the components of major organ
systems (e.g., respiratory system, digestive system) in the human body.” In some cases, the additional
information indicates the scope of the objective appropriate for eighth grade students and appears after
an “i.e.,” such as in “Describe the basic process of photosynthesis (i.e., requires light, carbon dioxide,
water, and chlorophyll; produces glucose/sugar; and releases oxygen).”

Biology
At the eighth grade, students build on the foundational life science knowledge they learned in the
primary grades, and develop an understanding of many of the most important concepts in biology. The
biology domain includes six topic areas:
• Characteristics and life processes of organisms
• Cells and their functions
• Life cycles, reproduction, and heredity
• Diversity, adaptation, and natural selection
• Ecosystems
• Human health

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 Concepts learned in each of these topic areas are essential for preparing students for more advanced
study. Eighth grade students are expected to understand how structure relates to function in organisms.
They also should have a foundational understanding of cell structure and function and the processes of
photosynthesis and cellular respiration. At this level, the study of reproduction and heredity provides a
foundation for later, more advanced study of molecular biology and molecular genetics. Learning the
concepts of adaptation and natural selection provides a foundation for understanding evolution, and
an understanding of processes and interactions in ecosystems is essential for students to begin to think
about how to develop solutions to many environmental challenges. Finally, developing a science-based
understanding of human health enables students to improve the condition of their lives and the lives
of others.
Characteristics and Life Processes of Organisms
1. Differences among major taxonomic groups of organisms:
A. Identify the defining characteristics that differentiate among major taxonomic groups of
organisms (i.e., plants, animals, fungi; mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and
insects).
B. Recognize and categorize organisms that are examples of major taxonomic groups of
organisms (i.e., plants, animals, fungi; mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and
insects).
2. Structures and functions of major organ systems:
A. Locate and identify major organs (e.g., lungs, stomach, brain) and the components of
major organ systems (e.g., respiratory system, digestive system) in the human body.
B. Compare and contrast major organs and major organ systems in humans and other
vertebrates (e.g., lungs in humans compared with gills in fish).
C. Explain the role of major organs and major organ systems in sustaining life (e.g., organs
involved in circulation and respiration).
3. Physiological processes in animals:
A. Recognize responses of animals that work to maintain stable body conditions under
external and internal changes (e.g., increased heart rate during exercise, feeling thirsty
when dehydrated, feeling hungry when requiring energy, sweating in heat, shivering in
cold).

Cells and Their Functions

1. The structures and functions of cells:
A. Explain that living things are made of cells that both carry out life functions and reproduce
by division.
B. Identify major cell structures (i.e., cell wall, cell membrane, nucleus, cytoplasm,
chloroplast, vacuole, and mitochondria) and describe the primary functions of these
structures.

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 C. Recognize that cell walls and chloroplasts differentiate plant cells from animal cells.
D. Explain that tissues, organs, and organ systems are formed from groups of cells with
specialized structures and functions.
2. The processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration:
A. Describe the basic process of photosynthesis (i.e., requires light, carbon dioxide, water, and
chlorophyll; produces glucose/sugar; and releases oxygen).
B. Describe the basic process of cellular respiration (i.e., requires oxygen and glucose/sugar;
produces energy; and releases carbon dioxide and water).

Life Cycles, Reproduction, and Heredity

1. Life cycles and patterns of development:
A. Compare and contrast the life cycles and patterns of growth and development of different
types of organisms (i.e., mammals, birds, amphibians, insects, and plants).
2. Sexual reproduction and inheritance in plants and animals:
A. Recognize that sexual reproduction involves the fertilization of an egg cell by a sperm
cell to produce offspring that are similar but not identical to either parent; relate the C
inheritance of traits to organisms passing on genetic material to their offspring.
B. Recognize that an organism’s traits are encoded in its DNA; recognize that DNA is genetic
information found in chromosomes located in the nucleus of each cell.
C. Distinguish inherited characteristics from acquired or learned characteristics.

Diversity, Adaptation, and Natural Selection

1. Variation as the basis for natural selection:
A. Recognize that variations in physical and behavioral characteristics among individuals
in a population give some individuals an advantage in surviving and passing on their
characteristics to their offspring.
B. Relate species survival or extinction to reproductive success in a changing environment
(natural selection).
2. Evidence for changes in life on Earth over time:
A. Draw conclusions about the relative lengths of time different organisms and groups of
organisms have existed on Earth using fossil evidence.
B. Describe how similarities and differences among living species and fossils provide evidence
of the changes that occur in living things over time, and recognize that the degree of
similarity of characteristics provides evidence of common ancestry.

Ecosystems
1. The flow of energy in ecosystems:
A. Identify and provide examples of producers, consumers, and decomposers; construct or
interpret food web diagrams.

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 B. Describe the flow of energy in an ecosystem (e.g., energy flows from producers to
consumers, and only a small part of the energy is passed from one level to the next);
construct or interpret energy pyramids.
2. The cycling of water, oxygen, and carbon in ecosystems:
A. Describe the role of living things in cycling water through an ecosystem (i.e., plants take
in water from the soil and give off water through their leaves (transpiration); and animals
take in water and release water during respiration and as waste).
B. Describe the role of living things in cycling oxygen and carbon through an ecosystem
(i.e., plants take in carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen into the air as part of
photosynthesis and store carbon in their cells; and animals take in oxygen from the air and
release carbon dioxide into the air as part of respiration).
3. Relationships among populations of organisms in an ecosystem:
A. Describe and provide examples of competition among populations or organisms in an
ecosystem.
B. Describe and provide examples of predation in an ecosystem.
C. Describe and provide examples of symbiosis (e.g., mutualism and parasitism) among
populations of organisms in an ecosystem (e.g., birds or insects pollinating flowers, ticks
living on deer or cattle).
4. Factors affecting population size in an ecosystem:
A. Describe factors that affect the growth of plants and animals; identify factors that limit
population size (e.g., disease, predators, food resources, drought, competition).
B. Predict how changes in an ecosystem (e.g., changes in the water supply, the introduction of
a new population, hunting, migration) can affect available resources, and thus the balance
among populations.
5. Human impact on the environment:
A. Describe and explain how human behavior (e.g., re-planting forests, reducing air and water
pollution, protecting endangered species) can have positive effects on the environment.
B. Describe and explain how human behavior (e.g., allowing factory waste water to enter
water systems, burning fossil fuels that release greenhouse gases and pollutants into the
air) can have negative effects on the environment; describe and provide examples of the
effects of air, water, and soil pollution on humans, plants, and animals (e.g., water pollution
can reduce plant and animal life in the water system).

Human Health
1. Causes, transmission, prevention of, and resistance to diseases:
A. Describe causes, transmission, and prevention of common viral, bacterial, and parasite
diseases (e.g., influenza, measles, HIV, COVID-19, tetanus, malaria).
B. Describe the role of the body’s immune system in resisting disease and promoting healing
(e.g., antibodies in the blood help the body resist infection and white blood cells fight

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 infection); recognize that antibiotics can help the immune system suppress bacterial
infections and antibiotics may become less effective when bacteria change.
2. The importance of diet, exercise, and other lifestyle choices:
A. Explain the importance of diet, exercise, and other lifestyle choices in maintaining health
and preventing illness (e.g., heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, skin cancer, lung
cancer).
B. Identify the dietary sources and roles of nutrients in a healthy diet (i.e., vitamins, minerals,
proteins, carbohydrates, and fats).

Chemistry
At the eighth grade, students’ study of chemistry extends beyond developing an understanding of
everyday phenomena to learning the central concepts and principles that are needed for understanding
practical applications of chemistry and undertaking later, more advanced study. The chemistry domain
includes three topic areas:
• Composition of matter
• Properties of matter
• Chemical change
The composition of matter topic area focuses on differentiating elements, compounds, and mixtures
E
and understanding the particulate structure of matter. Included in this area also is the use of the
periodic table as an organizing principle for the elements. At a more macroscopic level, the properties
of matter topic area focuses on distinguishing between physical and chemical properties of matter and
understanding the properties of mixtures and solutions and the properties of acids and bases. The study
of chemical change focuses on the characteristics of chemical changes and the conservation of matter
during chemical changes.
Composition of Matter
1. Structure of atoms and molecules:
A. Describe atoms as composed of subatomic particles (i.e., negatively charged electrons
surrounding a nucleus containing positively charged protons and neutrons with no
charge).
B. Describe the structure of matter in terms of particles (i.e., atoms and molecules) and
describe molecules as combinations of atoms (e.g., H2O, O2, CO2).
2. Elements, compounds, and mixtures:
A. Describe the differences among elements, compounds, and mixtures; differentiate
between pure substances (i.e., elements and compounds) and mixtures (homogeneous and
heterogeneous) on the basis of their formation and composition.
3. The periodic table of elements:
A. Recognize that the periodic table is an arrangement of the known elements; recognize and

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 describe that the elements are arranged in order of the number of protons in the nuclei of
the atoms of each element.
B. Recognize that an element’s properties (e.g., metal or non-metal, reactivity) can be
predicted from its location in the periodic table (i.e., row, or period, and column, or group/
family) and that elements in the same group have some properties in common.

Properties of Matter
1. Physical and chemical properties of matter:
A. Distinguish between physical and chemical properties of matter.
B. Relate uses of materials to their physical properties (e.g., melting point, boiling point,
solubility, thermal conductivity).
C. Relate uses of materials to their chemical properties (e.g., tendency to rust, flammability).
2. Physical and chemical properties as a basis for classifying matter:
A. Classify substances according to physical properties that can be demonstrated or measured
(e.g., density, melting or boiling point, solubility, magnetic properties, electrical or thermal
conductivity).
B. Classify substances according to their chemical properties (e.g., reactivity, flammability).
3. Mixtures and solutions:
A. Explain how physical methods can be used to separate mixtures into their components.
B. Describe solutions in terms of substance(s) (i.e., solid, liquid, or gas solutes) dissolved in
a solvent and relate the concentration of a solution to the amounts of solute and solvent
present.
C. Explain how temperature, stirring, and surface area in contact with the solvent affect the
rate at which solutes dissolve.
4. Properties of acids and bases:
A. Recognize everyday substances as acids or bases based on their properties (e.g., acids
have pH less than 7; acidic foods usually have a sour taste; bases usually do not react with
metals; bases feel slippery).
B. Recognize that both acids and bases react with indicators to produce different color
changes.
C. Recognize that acids and bases neutralize each other.

Chemical Change
1. Characteristics of chemical changes:
A. Differentiate chemical from physical changes in terms of the transformation (reaction) of
one or more pure substances (reactants) into different pure substances (products).
B. Identify and describe evidence (i.e., temperature changes, gas production, precipitate
formation, color change, or light emission) that a chemical change has taken place.

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 2. Matter and energy in chemical reactions:
A. Recognize that matter is conserved during a chemical reaction and that all of the atoms
present at the beginning of the reaction are present at the end of the reaction, but they are
rearranged to form new substances.
B. Recognize that some chemical reactions release energy (heat) while others absorb it,
and classify common chemical reactions (e.g., burning, neutralization, the mixing of
substances in a chemical cold pack) as either releasing heat or absorbing energy (heat).
C. Recognize that chemical reactions occur at different rates and that the rate of reaction
can be affected by changing the conditions under which the reaction is taking place (i.e.,
surface area, temperature, and concentration).
3. Chemical bonds:
A. Recognize that a chemical bond results from the attraction between atoms in a compound
and that the atoms’ electrons are involved in this bonding.

Physics
As in the chemistry domain, students’ study of physics at the eighth grade extends beyond understanding
the scientific basis of common everyday observations to learning many of the central physics concepts
that are needed for understanding practical applications of physics or for undertaking advanced study
later in their education. The physics domain includes five topic areas:
• Physical states and changes in matter
• Energy transformation and transfer
• Light and sound
• Electricity and magnetism
• Motion and forces
Eighth grade students are expected to be able to describe processes involved in changes in the state
of matter and relate states of matter to the distance and movement among particles. They also should
be able to identify different forms of energy, describe simple energy transformations, apply the principle
of conservation of total energy in practical situations, and understand the difference between thermal
energy (heat) and temperature. Students at this level also are expected to know some basic properties of
light and sound, relate these properties to observable phenomena, and solve practical problems involving
the behavior of light and sound. In the topic area of electricity and magnetism, students should be
familiar with the electrical conductivity of common materials, current flow in electric circuits, and the
difference between simple series and parallel circuits. They also should be able to describe properties and
uses of permanent magnets and electromagnets. Students’ understanding of motion and forces should
include knowing general types and characteristics of forces and how simple machines function. They
should understand the concepts of pressure and density and be able to predict qualitative changes in
motion based on the forces acting on an object.

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Physical States and Changes in Matter
1. Motion of particles in solids, liquids, and gases:
A. Recognize that atoms and molecules in matter are in constant motion and recognize the
differences in relative motion and distance between particles in solids, liquids, and gases;
apply knowledge about the movement of and distance between atoms and molecules to
explain the physical properties of solids, liquids, and gases (i.e., volume, shape, density, and
compressibility).
B. Relate changes in temperature of a gas to changes in its volume and/or pressure and
changes in the average speed of its particles; relate expansion of solids and liquids to
temperature change in terms of the average spacing between particles.
2. Changes in states of matter:
A. Describe changes of state (i.e., melting, freezing, boiling, evaporation, condensation, and
sublimation) as resulting from an increase or decrease of thermal energy; explain that mass
remains constant during changes of state.
B. Relate the rate of change of state to physical factors (e.g., surface area, the temperature of
the surroundings).

Energy Transformation and Transfer

1. Forms of energy and the conservation of energy:
A. Identify different forms of energy (e.g., kinetic, potential, light, sound, electrical, thermal,
chemical).
B. Describe the energy transformations that take place in common processes (e.g.,
combustion in an engine to move a car, photosynthesis, the production of hydroelectric
power); recognize that the total energy of a closed system is conserved.
2. Thermal energy transfer and thermal conductivity of materials:
A. Recognize that temperature remains constant during melting, boiling, and freezing, but
thermal energy increases or decreases during a change of state.
B. Relate the transfer of thermal energy from an object or an area at a higher temperature to
one at a lower temperature to cooling and heating; recognize that hot objects cool off and
cold objects warm up until they reach the same temperature as their surroundings.
C. Compare the relative thermal conductivity of different materials.

Light and Sound

1. Properties of light:
A. Describe or identify basic properties of light (i.e., speed; transmission through different
media; reflection, refraction, absorption, and splitting of white light into its component
colors); relate the apparent color of objects to reflected or absorbed light.
B. Solve practical problems involving the reflection of light from plane mirrors and the
formation of shadows; interpret simple ray diagrams to identify the path of light.

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 2. Properties of sound:
A. Describe or identify some basic properties of sound (i.e., is a wave phenomenon caused
by vibrations, is characterized by loudness (amplitude) and pitch (frequency), requires a
medium for transmission, is reflected and absorbed by surfaces, and has a relative speed
through different media, which is always slower than light).
B. Relate common phenomena (e.g., echoes, hearing thunder after seeing lightning) to the
properties of sound.

Electricity and Magnetism

1. Conductors and the flow of electricity in electrical circuits:
A. Classify materials as electrical conductors or insulators; identify electrical components or
materials that can be used to complete circuits.
B. Identify diagrams representing complete circuits.
2. Properties and uses of permanent magnets and electromagnets:
A. Relate properties of permanent magnets (i.e., two opposite poles, attraction/repulsion,
and strength of the magnetic force varies with distance) to uses in everyday life (e.g., a
directional compass).
B. Describe the properties that are unique to electromagnets (i.e., the strength varies with
current, number of coils, and type of metal in the core; the magnetic attraction can be
turned on and off; and the poles can switch) and relate properties of electromagnets to uses
in everyday life (e.g., doorbell, recycling factory).

Motion and Forces

1. Motion:
A. Recognize the speed of an object as change in position (distance) over time and
acceleration as change in speed over time.
2. Common forces and their characteristics:
A. Describe common mechanical forces (e.g., normal, friction, elastic, buoyant); recognize
and describe weight as a force due to gravity.
B. Recognize that forces have strength and direction; recognize that for every action force
there is an equal and opposite reaction force; recognize and describe the difference in the
force of gravity on an object when it is located on different planets (or moons).
3. Effects of forces:
A. Describe the functioning of simple machines (e.g., levers, inclined planes, pulleys, gears).
B. Explain floating and sinking in terms of density differences and the effect of buoyant force.
C. Describe pressure in terms of force and area; describe effects related to pressure (e.g., water
pressure increasing with depth, a balloon expanding when inflated).

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 D. Predict qualitative one-dimensional changes in motion (speed and direction) of an object
based on the forces acting on it; recognize and describe how the force of friction affects
motion (e.g., the contact area between surfaces can increase friction and impede motion).

Earth Science
Topics covered in the teaching and learning of Earth science draw on the fields of geology, astronomy,
meteorology, hydrology, and oceanography, and are related to concepts in biology, chemistry, and physics.
Although separate courses in Earth science covering all of these topics are not taught in all countries, it
is expected that understandings related to Earth science topic areas will have been included in a science
curriculum covering the physical and life sciences or in separate courses such as geography and geology.
The TIMSS 2023 Science Framework identifies the following topic areas that are universally considered
to be important for students at the eighth grade to understand as they learn about the planet on which
they live and its place in the universe:
• Earth’s structure and physical features
• Earth’s processes, cycles, and history
• Earth’s resources, their use, and conservation
• Earth in the Solar System and the universe
Eighth grade students are expected to have some general knowledge about the structure and physical
features of Earth, including Earth’s structural layers, and the atmosphere. Students also should have a
conceptual understanding of processes, cycles, and patterns, including geological processes that have
occurred over Earth’s history, the water cycle, and patterns of weather and climate. Students should
demonstrate knowledge of Earth’s resources and their use and conservation, and relate this knowledge to
practical solutions to resource management issues. At this level, the study of Earth and the Solar System
includes understanding how observable phenomena relate to the movements of Earth and the Moon,
and describing the features of Earth, the Moon, and other planets.
Earth’s Structure and Physical Features
1. Earth’s structure and physical characteristics:
A. Describe the structure of the Earth (i.e., crust, mantle, inner core, and outer core) and the
physical characteristics of these distinct parts.
B. Describe the distribution of water on Earth in terms of its physical state (i.e., ice, water, and
water vapor), and fresh versus salt water.
2. Components of Earth’s atmosphere and atmospheric conditions:
A. Recognize that Earth’s atmosphere is a mixture of gases; identify the relative abundance of
its main components (i.e., nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, and carbon dioxide), relate these
components to everyday life processes involving oxygen, water vapor, and carbon dioxide
(e.g., human lung function, photosynthesis).
B. Relate changes in atmospheric conditions (i.e., temperature and pressure) to changes in
altitude.

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Earth’s Processes, Cycles, and History
1. Geological processes:
A. Describe the general processes involved in the rock cycle (e.g., the cooling of lava, heat and
pressure transforming sediment into rock, weathering, erosion).
B. Identify or describe changes to Earth’s surface (e.g., mountain building), resulting from
major geological events (e.g., glaciation, the movement of tectonic plates and subsequent
earthquakes and volcanic eruptions).
C. Explain the formation of fossils and fossil fuels; use evidence from the fossil record to
explain how the environment has changed over long periods of time.
2. Earth’s water cycle:
A. Describe the processes in Earth’s water cycle (i.e., evaporation, condensation into clouds,
transportation, and precipitation) and recognize the Sun as the source of energy for the
water cycle.
B. Describe the role of cloud movement and water flow in the circulation and renewal of fresh
water on Earth’s surface.
3. Weather and climate:
A. Distinguish between weather (i.e., day-to-day variations in temperature, humidity,
precipitation in the form of rain or snow, clouds, and wind) and climate (i.e., long-term
typical weather patterns in a geographic area).
B. Interpret data or maps of weather patterns to identify climate types; relate the climate and
E
seasonal variations in weather patterns to global and local factors (e.g., latitude, altitude,
geography).
C. Identify or describe evidence for climate changes (e.g., changes related to ice ages, changes
related to global warming).

Earth’s Resources, Their Use and Conservation

1. Managing Earth’s resources:
A. Provide examples of Earth’s renewable and nonrenewable resources.
B. Discuss advantages and disadvantages of different energy sources (e.g., sunlight, wind,
flowing water, geothermal, oil, coal, gas, nuclear).
C. Describe methods of conservation of Earth’s resources and methods of waste management
(e.g., reduce, reuse, recycle).
2. Land and water use:
A. Explain how common methods of land use (e.g., farming, logging, mining) can affect land
and water resources.
B. Explain the importance of water conservation, and describe methods for ensuring that
fresh water is available for human activities (e.g., desalination, purification).

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Earth in the Solar System and the Universe
1. Observable phenomena on Earth resulting from movements of Earth and the Moon:
A. Describe the effects of the Earth’s annual revolution around the Sun, given the tilt of its axis
(e.g., different seasons, different constellations visible at different times of the year).
B. Recognize that tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon, and relate phases of
the Moon and eclipses to the relative positions of Earth, the Moon, and the Sun.
2. The Sun, stars, Earth, Moon, and planets:
A. Recognize that the Sun is a star and provides light and heat to each member of the Solar
System; explain that the Sun and other stars produce their own light, but that other
members of the Solar System are visible because of light reflected from the Sun.
B. Compare and contrast certain physical features of Earth with those of the Moon and other
planets (e.g., presence and composition of an atmosphere, average surface temperature,
presence of water, mass, gravity, distance from the Sun, period of revolution and rotation,
ability to support life); recognize that the force of gravity keeps planets and moons in their
orbits.

Science Cognitive Domains—Fourth and Eighth Grades

The cognitive dimension is divided into three domains that describe the thinking processes students
are expected to engage in when encountering the science items developed for TIMSS 2023. The first
domain, knowing, addresses the student’s ability to recall, recognize, describe, and provide examples
of facts, concepts, and procedures that are necessary for a solid foundation in science. The second
domain, applying, focuses on using this knowledge to compare, contrast, and classify groups of objects
or materials; relating knowledge of a science concept to a specific context; generating explanations;
and solving practical problems. The third domain, reasoning, includes using evidence and science
understanding to analyze, synthesize, and generalize, often in unfamiliar situations and complex contexts.
These three cognitive domains are used at both grades, however, the target percentages for each
domain vary between fourth and eighth grade in accordance with the increased cognitive ability,
instruction, experience, and breadth and depth of understanding of students at the higher grade level.
The percentage of items that involve knowing is higher at the fourth grade compared to the eighth
grade, while the percentage of items that ask students to engage in reasoning is higher at the eighth
grade compared to the fourth grade. While there is some hierarchy in the thinking processes across the
three cognitive domains (from knowing to applying to reasoning), each cognitive domain contains items
representing a full range of difficulty. Exhibit 2.4 shows the target percentages in terms of assessment
time for each of the three cognitive domains at the fourth and eighth grades.

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Exhibit 2.4: Target Percentages of the TIMSS 2023 Science Assessment Devoted to Cognitive Domains
at the Fourth and Eighth GradesCognitive

Cognitive Domains Percentages

Fourth Grade Eighth Grade
Knowing 40% 35%
Applying 40% 35%
Reasoning 20% 30%

For the fourth and eighth grades, each content domain includes items developed to address each of
the three cognitive domains. For example, the life science content domain includes knowing, applying,
and reasoning items, as do the other content domains. The following sections further describe the
thinking processes that define the cognitive domains.

Knowing
Items in this domain assess students’ knowledge of facts, relationships, processes, concepts, and
equipment. Accurate and broad-based factual knowledge forms a foundation that students can draw
upon to successfully engage in the more complex cognitive activities essential to the scientific enterprise.
Identify or state facts, relationships, and concepts; identify the
characteristics or properties of specific organisms, materials, and
Recognize processes; identify the appropriate uses for scientific equipment and
procedures; and recognize and use scientific vocabulary, symbols,
abbreviations, units, and scales.
Describe or identify descriptions of properties, structures, and functions
Describe of organisms and materials, and relationships among organisms,
materials, and processes and phenomena.
Provide or identify examples of organisms, materials, and processes that
Provide Examples possess certain specified characteristics; and clarify statements of facts or
concepts with appropriate examples.

Applying
Items in this domain require students to engage in applying knowledge of scientific facts, relationships,
processes, concepts, equipment, and methods in contexts likely to be common in the teaching and
learning of science.

Identify or describe similarities and differences between groups of

Compare/ Contrast/ organisms, materials, or processes; and distinguish, classify, or sort
Classify individual objects, materials, organisms, and processes based on
characteristics and properties.
Relate knowledge of an underlying science concept to an observed or
Relate
inferred property, behavior, or use of objects, organisms, or materials.
Use a diagram or other model to demonstrate knowledge of science
Interpret Models concepts, to illustrate a process, cycle, relationship, or system, or to find
solutions to science problems.

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 Use knowledge of science concepts to interpret relevant textual, tabular,
Interpret Information
pictorial, and graphical information.
Provide or identify an explanation for an observation or a natural
Explain
phenomenon using a science concept or principle.

Reasoning
Items in this domain require students to engage in reasoning to analyze data and other information, draw
conclusions, and extend their understandings to new situations. Scientific reasoning also encompasses
developing hypotheses as well as designing scientific models and investigations. In contrast to the
more direct applications of science facts and concepts exemplified in the applying domain, items in the
reasoning domain may involve less common or more complicated contexts. Answering such items can
involve more than one approach or strategy.

Formulate questions that can be answered by investigation and predict

results of an investigation given information about the design; use
scientific evidence and conceptual understanding to make predictions
Predict about the effects of changes in biological or physical conditions or about
the outcome of a dynamic situation; and formulate testable assumptions
based on conceptual understanding and knowledge from experience,
observation, and/or analysis of scientific information.
Develop models; plan investigations or procedures appropriate for
answering scientific questions or testing hypotheses; describe or recognize
the characteristics of well-designed investigations in terms of variables
Design
to be measured and controlled and cause-and-effect relationships; and
design a plan that applies scientific principles and appropriate technologies
to solve a problem.
Evaluate alternative explanations; weigh advantages and disadvantages to
make decisions about alternative processes and materials; evaluate models
Evaluate in terms of their merits and limitations; evaluate results of investigations
with respect to sufficiency of data to support conclusions; and evaluate
design plans in terms of criteria for success and constraints.
Make valid inferences on the basis of observations, evidence, and/or
understanding of science concepts; and draw appropriate conclusions
Draw Conclusions
that address questions or hypotheses, and demonstrate understanding of
cause and effect.
Identify the elements of a scientific problem and use relevant information,
Analyze concepts, relationships, and data patterns to answer questions and solve
problems.
Answer questions that require consideration of a number of different
Synthesize
factors or related concepts.
Make general conclusions that go beyond the experimental or given
Generalize
conditions; apply conclusions to new situations.
Use evidence and science understanding to support the reasonableness of
Justify
explanations, solutions to problems, and conclusions from investigations.

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Science Practices in TIMSS 2023
Scientific knowledge is developed through rigorous investigation of the natural world using key science
practices to answer questions and solve problems. Students of science must become proficient at these
practices to develop knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts. Engaging in science practices
also enables students to develop an understanding of how the scientific enterprise is conducted and, by
extension, understand and appreciate the nature of science and scientific knowledge. Science practices,
which are fundamental to all science disciplines, incorporate skills from daily life and school studies that
students use in a systematic way to conduct scientific inquiry.
TIMSS 2023 assesses a range of science practices in the context of the TIMSS science content
objectives and cognitive domain areas. While these practices are presented below as an ordered list,
the complexity of scientific inquiry means that the process of employing them is, in reality, most often
nonlinear and carried out in an iterative fashion.
Practice 1: Asking questions based on observations and theories
Observations of phenomena in the natural world, when considered together with scientific
theory, often lead to scientific questions. These questions are used to formulate testable
hypotheses that guide the development of investigations designed to help answer them.
Practice 2: Designing investigations and generating evidence
Testing hypotheses requires designing and executing systematic investigations and controlled
experiments in order to generate evidence to support or refute the hypothesis. Scientists create
models to relate their theories to properties that can be observed or measured in order to
determine the evidence to be gathered, the equipment and procedures needed to collect the
evidence, and the measurements to be recorded. They make choices about the factors to include
and exclude from their models.
Practice 3: Working with data
Once data are collected, scientists summarize it in various types of visual displays and describe
or interpret patterns in the data and explore relationships between variables.
Practice 4: Answering research questions
Scientists use evidence from observations and investigations, together with their theories and
models, to support or refute hypotheses and answer questions. They also recognize limitations
of their investigations, evidence, and answers.
Practice 5: Making arguments from evidence
Scientists use evidence together with science knowledge to construct explanations, justify and
support the reasonableness of their explanations and conclusions, and extend their conclusions
to new situations.

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 TIMSS assesses the science practices primarily with the science PSIs, in which students conduct
extended investigations and inquiries, and in doing so engage in one or more of the science practices.
However, regular items in TIMSS can also incorporate one or more of the science practices.

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References

1 Kelly, D., Centurino, V. A. S., Martin, M. O., & Mullis, I. V. S. (2020). TIMSS 2019 encyclopedia: Education policy
and curriculum in mathematics and science. Retrieved from Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS International Study
Center website: https://timssandpirls.bc.edu/timss2019/encyclopedia/

2 Kelly, D., Centurino, V. A. S., Martin, M. O., & Mullis, I. V. S. (2020). TIMSS 2019 encyclopedia: Education policy
and curriculum in mathematics and science. Retrieved from Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS International Study
Center website: https://timssandpirls.bc.edu/timss2019/encyclopedia/

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CHAPTER 3

TIMSS 2023 Context Questionnaire

Framework
Katherine A. Reynolds
Ina V.S. Mullis
Michael O. Martin

Overview
In addition to measuring trends in students’ mathematics and science achievement, TIMSS collects
important information about contexts for student learning. Educational research, including previous
cycles of TIMSS, has long demonstrated substantive relationships among learning environments and
student achievement across countries. Students with more opportunities to learn and more supportive
learning environments consistently have higher mathematics and science achievement than those who
do not. While the indicators and components of these factors may shift (particularly with the ongoing
introduction of new technological tools and approaches for digital learning), these relationships have
remained stable over time.
Previous cycles of the TIMSS assessment have provided high-quality measures of mathematics
and science achievement for fourth and eighth grade students, as well as extensive information about
those students’ in- and out-of-school experiences. These data are an important resource for research
on improving mathematics and science education. TIMSS 2023 builds upon this foundation, collecting
information that allows for measurement of contextual factors that have remained relevant over time,
while also addressing new areas of research and policy relevance.
The TIMSS 2023 Context Questionnaire Framework outlines the information to be collected in the
TIMSS 2023 Questionnaires with brief rationales and selected references. It begins with an overview
of the questionnaires and a brief summary of their development process. A discussion of the analytic
approach employed in the construction of scales for TIMSS 2023 follows this introduction. Similar to
previous TIMSS cycles, the bulk of the framework is organized by five areas of influence on students’
mathematics and science achievement: home contexts, school contexts, classroom contexts, student
attributes, and national contexts.

The Data Collection Instruments

TIMSS 2023 includes four context questionnaires with the fourth grade assessment, and three with the
eighth grade assessment. Each is described below:
• The Home Questionnaire, entitled the Early Learning Survey, is completed by the parents or
primary caregivers of fourth grade students participating in TIMSS 2023. This questionnaire

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 collects information about students’ home contexts, including participation in early
childhood education, early literacy and numeracy activities, language(s) spoken at home,
and parents’/guardians’ educational and professional backgrounds. The questionnaire
requires about 20 minutes to complete.
• The School Questionnaire is completed by the principal of each participating school sampled
for TIMSS 2023. This questionnaire collects information about school characteristics,
including student demographics and school resources. The questionnaire requires about 30
minutes to complete and is administered as a part of TIMSS 2023 for both the fourth and
eighth grades.
• The Teacher Questionnaire is completed by students’ mathematics and science teachers.
This is typically one classroom teacher for fourth grade students and separate mathematics
and science teachers for eighth grade students. This questionnaire asks about classroom
contexts, such as instructional approaches and integration of technology, as well as
teacher characteristics, including teacher preparation, career satisfaction, and professional
development. The questionnaire takes about 35 minutes to complete.
• The Student Questionnaire is completed by all fourth and eighth grade students participating
in TIMSS 2023 following the mathematics and science assessment. This questionnaire
collects information about students’ home environment, such as resources for learning,
as well as students’ experiences in school (e.g., sense of school belonging, bullying) and
attitudes towards mathematics and science. The questionnaire takes up to 30 minutes to
complete. Two versions of this questionnaire are provided at the eighth grade: one for
students who take science as an integrated subject and one for students enrolled in separate
science subjects (biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science).
In addition to the four questionnaires described above, TIMSS 2023 collects information about
national contexts shaping mathematics and science education. As with previous cycles of TIMSS,
representatives from each country provide information for the TIMSS 2023 Encyclopedia. This includes
the completion of a curriculum questionnaire about mathematics and science education policies and
curricula, as well as contribution of a country-specific encyclopedia chapter providing additional
qualitative information about these topics.

The Development Process

The TIMSS questionnaires focus on policy relevant and potentially malleable attributes of students’
learning contexts that can aid interpretation of mathematics and science achievement across and within
countries.
The TIMSS and PIRLS International Study Center works with the TIMSS 2023 Questionnaire
Item Review Committee (QIRC) and National Research Coordinators (NRCs) to update the context
questionnaire framework and questionnaires for each successive TIMSS assessment. This includes
adding new topics, refining measurement of existing topics, and deleting topics that are no longer useful.
Development for TIMSS 2023 began in January 2021, when staff at the TIMSS and PIRLS International

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Study Center drafted an updated context questionnaire framework and suggested revisions for each
of the questionnaires. The TIMSS 2023 QIRC reviewed the updated framework at its first meeting in
March 2021. This was followed by an online asynchronous review by NRCs prior to publication. The
questionnaire instruments were reviewed at the second QIRC meeting in August 2021, as well as by the
NRCs prior to field testing. Following the field test, the QIRC and NRCs reviewed and finalized the
questionnaires in 2022 for the TIMSS 2023 data collection.

The Analytic Approach

Since 2011, TIMSS has used item response theory methods to develop background scales measuring
constructs that are related to students’ mathematics and science achievement.1 These scales summarize
select questionnaire data more reliably than the responses to individual questions and enhance the
interpretability of relationships with achievement. All four of the TIMSS 2023 questionnaires (Home,
School, Teacher, and Student) include several scales. Through each assessment cycle, work continues on
improving the content and measurement properties of the context questionnaire scales. For TIMSS  2023,
this includes evaluating measurement invariance of the context scales across countries, use of the
generalized partial credit model2 for scale calibration, and exploring more complex types of reporting
to better capture the interrelatedness of unidimensional constructs measured in individual scales.
Constructs that TIMSS 2023 intends to measure utilizing scales are noted throughout the remainder of
this framework, along with the names of the intended scales.

Home Contexts
Home Environment Support
Home Resources
Parents’ or guardians’ socioeconomic status has long had consistent relationships with students’ academic
achievement.3,4,5 This pattern holds across both developed and developing countries, and socioeconomic
academic achievement gaps have grown within the past few decades.6,7 Socioeconomic status is often
indicated through proxy variables, including parental level of education and occupation. TIMSS expands
this classic definition by also collecting information about various resources for learning that are available
in the home, such as the number of books, a quiet place to do schoolwork, and access to the internet
and various digital devices.
For fourth grade students, TIMSS collects and summarizes information about home resources
through the Home Resources for Learning scale, which is created from items in the Home and Student
Questionnaires. The eighth grade counterpart is the Home Educational Resources scale, which is created
from items in the Student Questionnaire.

Language(s) Spoken at Home

Internationally, there are many reasons why children might speak a different language at home than
they do in school. Some countries have numerous national languages, and immigrant families may be
unfamiliar with a given national language. Some parents may also prize multilingualism and deliberately

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expose their children to more than one language at home. Learning mathematics or science in a language
other than that which is primarily spoken at home can pose difficulties for students because they are
learning both curricular concepts and a less familiar or unfamiliar language.8,9
For fourth grade students, TIMSS collects information about the language(s) spoken in the home
through both the Home and Student Questionnaires. For eighth grade students, this information is
collected through the Student Questionnaire.

Expectations for Further Education

Parents and guardians have expectations for their children’s educational attainment. These adults can
play a key role in setting educational goals for their children, as well as in teaching their children about
the value of education.10,11 Research has shown positive relationships between these expectations and
academic achievement at various levels of schooling.12,13,14
TIMSS collects information about parent/guardian expectations for their children’s education
through the Home Questionnaire. Parents are asked to indicate the level of education they expect their
child to attain. Eighth grade students are asked to indicate the level of education they expect themselves
to attain in the Student Questionnaire.

Early Learning Experiences

Early Literacy and Numeracy Activities
Considerable research has documented the importance of early childhood learning activities and their
relationships with student achievement and other education outcomes.15,16,17,18 Early numeracy activities
at home may influence later mathematics performance not only directly, but also through the enhancing
students’ mathematics self-efficacy.19 Engaging children in early numeracy activities can also stimulate
their interest in mathematics and enhance development of numeracy skills.20,21 Past analyses of TIMSS
and PIRLS data have shown that both early numeracy and literacy activities are related to children’s
fourth grade achievement in mathematics, science, and reading.22 The association between mathematics
and science achievement and literacy skills may be attributable to the fact that students’ understanding
of mathematics and science tasks typically requires reading.23
TIMSS collects and summarizes information about early literacy and numeracy activities through
the Early Literacy and Numeracy Activities Before Primary School scale. This is complemented by
information on how well students could perform different literacy and numeracy tasks upon school
entry in the Could Do Early Literacy and Numeracy Tasks When Beginning Primary School scale. Both
scales are included in the Home Questionnaire; these data are only available for fourth grade students.

Preprimary Education
Research has shown the importance of preprimary education (e.g., preschool, kindergarten) in influencing
later academic outcomes.24,25 High-quality preprimary education and other early childhood interventions
can be especially beneficial for students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds.26,27

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 TIMSS gathers information about the types of preprimary education programs in which fourth
grade students have participated, as well as the duration of their enrollment in these programs through
the Home Questionnaire.

The COVID-19 Pandemic

Staying Home from School
The COVID-19 pandemic has been an immense disruption to students’ educational experiences. It is
impossible to predict what the state of the pandemic will be when students participate in TIMSS 2023;
however, TIMSS still aims to gather some information about school that students missed because of
COVID-19 disruptions. Parents are asked to indicate the amount of time during various school years
(beginning with the 2019 – 2020 school year) where their child had to stay home from school for reasons
related to COVID-19.

At-Home Learning
TIMSS also aims to gather information about the specific learning resources that were available to fourth
grade students while they were home from school because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents are asked
to indicate the resources their child’s school provided during the pandemic. Parents are also asked if they
provided particular learning resources for their child, and if they believe their child’s learning progress
has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

School Contexts
School Characteristics
Size and Geographic Location
Internationally, schools vary in size and are located in a variety of different geographical areas (e.g.,
urban, suburban, rural). Smaller schools can provide more intimate learning environments, which may
be beneficial for students.28 Smaller schools in rural areas may also face particular challenges, such as
lower budgets and difficulty recruiting highly qualified teachers; however, there is still great diversity in
resources among rural schools.29,30,31 Depending on the country, schools in urban or suburban areas may
also have access to more educational resources outside the school (e.g., museums, libraries, bookstores)
than schools in rural areas.
TIMSS obtains information about school size and geographic area through the School Questionnaire
for the both fourth and eighth grades.

Composition of the Student Body

Socioeconomic Background
The relationship between socioeconomic composition of a school’s student body and individual student
achievement has been of sustained interest since the Coleman Report.32,33,34 There is evidence that
students from disadvantaged backgrounds may have higher achievement if they attend schools where the
majority of students are from advantaged backgrounds, which some have attributed to peer effects.35,36,37

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In some countries, schools with high proportions of disadvantaged students have difficulty attracting
highly qualified teachers.38,39
TIMSS obtains information about the socioeconomic backgrounds of students within schools
through the School Questionnaire for both fourth and eighth grades, which asks principals to report
the percentages of students from economically disadvantaged and affluent homes.

Languages Spoken in the School

Schools vary in their linguistic diversity. Students who speak a language other than the primary language
of instruction may require additional support and resources to support their academic success, and
schools vary in the resources and support they provide.
TIMSS obtains information about the percentage of students for whom the language of the TIMSS
assessment is their native language through the School Questionnaire for both fourth and eighth grades.

Literacy and Numeracy Skills of Entering Student Body

Students who enter the first grade of primary school with literacy and numeracy skills have a stronger
foundation for formal mathematics and science education. The TIMSS 2023 School Questionnaire asks
principals to estimate the percentage of students who can do various literacy and numeracy tasks when
they enter first grade, including reading words and sentences, recognizing written numbers, and doing
simple arithmetic. This information is only collected for the fourth grade and is summarized in the
Schools Where Students Enter the Primary Grades with Literacy and Numeracy Skills scale.

School Resources
Resources for Mathematics and Science Instruction
Adequate facilities and sufficient instructional resources are important for maintaining favorable school
learning environments.40 Although “adequacy” of resources can be relative, the supply and quality of
school resources have been shown to be critical for quality instruction.41,42 Important resources include
well-maintained school facilities, qualified staff, and access to adequate technologies (e.g., computers,
tablets, software) for instruction.
TIMSS conceptualizes school resources as both general and subject-specific, collecting information
on general resources such as school building facilities and instructional space or materials, as well
as resources specific to mathematics and science instruction. These subject-specific resources include
teachers with specialized training in mathematics or science, relevant library resources for mathematics
and science, and materials for carrying out hands-on science experiments or investigations. The
Instruction Affected by Mathematics Resource Shortages – Principals’ Reports and Instruction Affected by
Science Resource Shortages – Principals’ Reports scales summarize this information for both the fourth
and eighth grades.

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School Climate
School Emphasis on Academic Success
A school atmosphere of academic optimism and emphasis on student success can contribute positively
to overall school climate, and academic achievement.43,44,45 Such an atmosphere includes an overarching
emphasis on academics, collective efficacy in promoting academic performance, and trust among a
school’s staff, students, and parents.46,47
TIMSS collects information about school emphasis on academic success through both the School
and Teacher Questionnaires for the fourth and eighth grades and summarizes this information in the
School Emphasis on Academic Success – Principals’ Reports and Teachers’ Reports scales.

School Emphasis on Mathematics and Science

Schools can vary in the degree to which they emphasize mathematics and science. Some schools may
offer special initiatives to promote student interest in mathematics and science, such as after-school
activities or targeted exposure to careers utilizing mathematics and science. TIMSS collects information
about these kinds of initiatives through the eighth grade School Questionnaire.

Teacher Job Satisfaction and Challenges

Fostering teacher job satisfaction is important in retaining qualified teachers in the classroom.48
Research has shown that teachers who remain in the classroom are often motivated by collaboration
with colleagues, strong principal leadership, and meaningful relationships with students.49,50,51 Conversely,
challenges that teachers encounter may lead them to leave the classroom or diminish the quality of
instruction they provide. Such challenges include large class sizes, lack of planning time, and keeping
up with curricular changes.
TIMSS gathers information about both fourth and eighth grade teachers’ job satisfaction through
the Teacher Job Satisfaction scale. Several questions in the Teacher Questionnaire also ask teachers to
indicate the degree to which they experience various challenges.

Students’ Sense of School Belonging

Students’ sense of school belonging, also referred to as school connectedness, has been found to
contribute to general well-being and academic achievement.52,53,54 Students with a strong sense of school
belonging feel safe at school, enjoy school, and have good relationships with their teachers and peers.
TIMSS collects information about fourth and eighth grade students’ sense of school belonging
through the Students’ Sense of School Belonging scale on the Student Questionnaire.

Parents’ Perceptions of Their Child’s School

Parents and guardians can vary in their perceptions of their children’s schools, although research shows
that many are satisfied with the schools their children attend.55,56 TIMSS collects this information for
the fourth grade only via the Parent’s Perceptions of Their Child’s School scale.

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School Discipline, Safety, and Bullying
School Discipline and Safety
School safety is an important prerequisite for student achievement in many countries.57,58 Respect for
individual students and teachers, a safe and orderly environment, and constructive interactions among
teachers and administrators are all associated with higher student achievement.59,60 Research shows that
schools where rules are clear and enforced fairly tend to have atmospheres of greater discipline and
safety.61
TIMSS collects information regarding school discipline and safety from both principals and teachers
at the fourth and eighth grade. These data are summarized in the School Discipline – Principals’ Reports
scale and the Safe and Orderly Schools – Teachers’ Reports scale.

Student Bullying
Bullying is a unique aspect of school safety because it involves repeated aggressive behavior intended to
intimidate or harm students. Bullying can take a variety of forms, both mental and physical, and may
occur in person or virtually. Cyberbullying through both online games and social media has become
more prevalent as access to digital devices among children has increased.62,63,64 Experiencing in-person
or cyberbullying causes distress to victims and is associated with poorer academic achievement.65,66,67
TIMSS collects information regarding the frequency of student bullying from fourth and eighth
grade students and summarizes this information in the Student Bullying scale for each grade.

Principal Preparation and Years of Experience

Principals act as leaders in schools by overseeing school staff, students, and the school environment.
Research has shown that strong principal leadership can foster student achievement by creating an
atmosphere of collective efficacy through a positive school climate and trust among teachers.68,69
Additionally, rapid principal turnover can lead to decreases in student achievement.70,71
TIMSS collects information about principal preparation and years of experience through the School
Questionnaire for both the fourth and eighth grades.

The COVID-19 Pandemic

School Closure and Remote Learning
TIMSS 2023 also aims to collect information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic at the school level.
Principals are asked to indicate how long their schools were fully closed for in-person instruction because
of the pandemic during relevant school years (beginning with the 2019 – 2020 school year). They are
also asked to indicate whether or not specific resources related to remote learning were provided for
students and teachers during these times.

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Classroom Contexts
Teacher Characteristics
Preparation and Years of Experience
Quality teacher preparation is critical for effective teaching.72 Teachers’ subject-specific knowledge can
have positive impacts on student achievement in conjunction with their pedagogical skills.73 Teaching
experience is also important for teacher development, especially in the early years of teaching.74,75
Research has shown that teachers continue to develop pedagogical skills after five years of experience,
which can positively impact student achievement.76
TIMSS collects information about teacher preparation, including the highest level of education
completed and any subject-matter specializations, through the Teacher Questionnaire for both the fourth
and eighth grades. Teachers are also asked to indicate the number of years they have spent teaching.

Professional Development
Professional development is an important component of continuing education for the teaching
profession, and teacher participation in effective professional development activities can lead to positive
changes in teacher practices.77 Effective professional development engages teachers through concrete
tasks, is sustained and ongoing, and provides teachers space to reflect on their teaching.78 Teachers are
more likely to participate in professional development when they are encouraged and supported to
do so.79
TIMSS obtains teacher professional development information through the Teacher Questionnaire for
both the fourth and eighth grades. Teachers are asked to indicate topics for which they have participated
in professional development, as well as those for which they feel they need professional development.

Mathematics and Science Instruction

Instructional Time
The amount of instructional time that teachers have to teach the mathematics and science curricula is an
important aspect of curriculum implementation. Research has found instructional time to be related to
student achievement, although such relationships depend on how efficiently and effectively instructional
time is used.80,81
TIMSS gathers information about instructional time through the Teacher Questionnaire for
fourth and eighth grades. Teachers indicate the number of minutes spent on mathematics and science
instruction each week with the students participating in the TIMSS assessment.

Instructional Strategies
Teachers vary in their instructional strategies, both internationally and within countries.82 Effective
instruction in mathematics can include practices such as asking students to explain their answers or
purposefully practice mathematical procedures.83,84 Hands-on activities and experiments can be helpful
in promoting students’ understanding of science, although research suggests that such activities should
be appropriately scaffolded and supported.85,86

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 TIMSS obtains information about instructional practices in teaching mathematics and science
through the Teacher Questionnaire for the fourth and eighth grades. Teachers indicate how often they
perform or ask students to perform various activities during instruction, including working out practice
mathematics problems or making observations about the world around them.

Instructional Clarity
Instructional clarity concerns students’ perceptions of teachers’ instructional strategies.87 Teachers with
a high degree of instructional clarity provide straightforward explanations of content and effectively
monitor student understanding, employing a variety of pedagogical techniques as required.88,89 Linking
instruction to students’ prior knowledge is also likely to increase instructional clarity.90 Instructional
clarity is also related to establishing a supportive classroom climate where teachers engage in practices
such as providing helpful feedback and clearly addressing student questions.91 Instructional clarity has
been shown to have positive relationships with student achievement.92
TIMSS measures students’ perceptions of their teachers’ instructional clarity through the Student
Questionnaire at the fourth and eighth grades as a complement to teachers’ reports of their instructional
strategies. Their responses are summarized in the Instructional Clarity scales for mathematics and science
lessons. Eighth grade students enrolled in separate science subjects provide information for each subject
in which they are enrolled.

Emphasis on Science Inquiry

Student inquiry is an important component of science education; however, its relationships with
academic achievement are not necessarily straightforward.93 Some research utilizing TIMSS data from
past cycles suggests that frequency of inquiry may not be the most effective aspect to capture, as its
relationship with achievement is not necessarily linear.94 There are many aspects of scientific inquiry
in which teachers can engage students, including the articulation of research questions or hypotheses,
creating models and explanations, and effectively communicating results of investigations.95
TIMSS collects information about science inquiry emphasis and activities through the Teacher
Questionnaire for the fourth and eighth grades. Science teachers indicate how often they ask students
to carry out different types of investigations (e.g., open investigations of concepts, experiments with
prescribed steps), as well as the degree to which they emphasize different aspects of the science inquiry
process.

TIMSS Mathematics and Science Topics Taught

TIMSS collects information about teaching of the mathematics and science topics in the TIMSS 2023
assessment through the Teacher Questionnaire for fourth and eighth grade. Content exposure is an
important component of students’ opportunity to learn mathematics and science.96,97 Teachers are asked
to indicate whether specific topics or concepts have been covered in their own instruction, have been
taught in previous years or schooling, or have not yet been taught.

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Homework
Assignment of homework in mathematics and science varies both within and across countries, with
some countries having policies that fourth grade students should not be assigned homework. The
relationship between time spent on homework, types of homework assigned, and student achievement
is not straightforward and may vary depending upon a particular country’s context and policies.98,99
TIMSS collects information about homework through the Teacher Questionnaire for fourth and
eighth grades, as well as the Student Questionnaire for eighth grade only. Teacher Questionnaire items ask
how often homework is assigned and how homework is used in class, while the Student Questionnaire
asks how often homework is assigned.

Classroom Assessment
Classroom assessment is an important component of teaching, serving both formative and summative
functions.100 Teachers have a number of ways to monitor student progress and achievement, including
observing students as they work, asking students to answer questions during class, or administering
written assessments. Results of these classroom assessments can help teachers engage with students and
determine the best course of action during instruction. Clarifying or re-teaching concepts on the basis
of a variety of ongoing classroom assessment strategies can improve student achievement.101,102
TIMSS gathers information about classroom assessment through the Teacher Questionnaire for the
fourth and eighth grades. Teachers indicate the importance they place on various assessment strategies
for gathering information about student learning, including observations, written assessments, and
long-term projects.

Information Technology in the Classroom

Access to Digital Devices for Instruction
Access to digital devices is a necessary prerequisite for their use in instruction. Within and across
countries, schools and classrooms vary in access to devices such as computers and tablets. TIMSS gathers
information about access to digital devices during mathematics and science instruction through the
Teacher Questionnaire for the fourth and eighth grades. Teachers indicate the type of access students
have to digital devices, including school-owned devices shared among students and provisions for
students to bring their own devices to school.

Uses of Digital Devices During Instruction

There are many ways that digital devices might be used in mathematics and science instruction.
Teachers can utilize digital devices and other technologies to differentiate and personalize instruction
for students, engage in classroom assessment, or promote exploration of concepts through games and
activities.103,104,105 Use of digital devices for instruction both within and outside of the classroom has also
expanded considerably in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
TIMSS obtains information about use of digital devices during mathematics and science instruction
through the Teacher Questionnaire for the fourth and eighth grades. Teachers are asked to indicate how

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often they use digital devices for various instructional purposes, including simulated experiments and
problem-solving activities.

Challenges Using Digital Devices During Instruction

TIMSS 2019 results highlighted integration of technology within mathematics and science instruction
as a preferred area of professional development for teachers.106 Research has shown that factors such
as availability of professional development, on-site technological support, and teacher self-efficacy in
working with technology can all impact use of digital devices in the classroom, and that the impacts of
these factors varies internationally.107,108,109 Using digital devices as part of effective instruction can depend
on a number of factors beyond efficacy in using the devices. Teachers must meaningfully integrate digital
devices in their lessons, as well as manage simultaneously both the devices and their instruction.
TIMSS obtains information about the challenges of integrating technology into mathematics and
science instruction through the Teacher Questionnaire. Teachers indicate the extent to which lack of
resources, difficulties in instructional management, or challenges meaningfully integrating devices into
lessons limit their use of digital devices during instruction.

Classroom Climate
Classroom Management
Classroom management refers to noninstructional procedures that promote student learning and
discourage disruptive behavior.110 Although direct links between classroom management and student
achievement are difficult to establish, some research suggests that effective classroom management has
indirect, positive effects on student achievement.111,112
TIMSS obtains information on classroom management from fourth and eighth grade students.
For students, this information is summarized in the Disorderly Behavior During Mathematics or Science
Lessons scales. Eighth grade students enrolled in separate science subjects complete this scale for each
subject in which they are enrolled.

Instruction Limited by Student Attributes

Attributes that students bring with them to the classroom can limit the impact of instruction. For
example, research has shown that students lacking basic nutrition tend to have lower academic
achievement.113,114 Lack of sleep or prerequisite knowledge, as well as absences may negatively impact
the effects of mathematics and science instruction.
TIMSS obtains information about these limiting factors through the Teacher and Student
Questionnaires for the fourth and eighth grade. The Teacher Questionnaire contains items asking the
extent to which teachers find their instruction limited by various student attributes and summarizes these
responses in the Classroom Teaching Limited by Students Not Ready for Instruction scale. The Student
Questionnaire asks students how often they feel tired or hungry when they are at school, as well as how
often they are absent from school.

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Student Attributes
Student Demographics
TIMSS collects basic student demographic information through the Student Questionnaire for both
fourth and eighth grade. Students indicate their age, gender, and whether they were born in the country
in which they are assessed.

Attitudes Toward Mathematics and Science

Liking Mathematics and Science
Students who enjoy mathematics and science find the subjects interesting and are likely to be more
intrinsically motivated in mathematics and science classes. Intrinsic motivation influences behavior,115
and students who like mathematics and science may have higher achievement and be more likely to
choose courses in these subjects later in schooling.116,117 These relationships can be reciprocal; students
who do well in mathematics and science may be more likely to have positive attitudes towards the
subjects.
TIMSS measures fourth and eighth grade students’ liking of mathematics and science through the
Students Like Learning Mathematics and Students Like Learning Science scales. For countries where eighth
grade science is taught as separate subjects, students complete this scale for each of the science subjects
in which they are enrolled.

Confidence in Mathematics and Science

Students tend to have distinct views of their abilities in different subjects, and their self-appraisal is often
based on past experiences and how they see themselves compared with their peers.118 Students who are
confident in a particular subject persevere through challenging material because they believe they will
ultimately succeed.119 Additionally, anxiety or a lack of confidence in a subject is associated with lower
achievement.120,121
TIMSS measures fourth and eighth grade students’ confidence in mathematics and science through
the Students Confident in Mathematics and Students Confident in Science scales. For countries where
eighth grade science is taught as separate subjects, students complete this scale for each of the science
subjects in which they are enrolled.

Valuing Mathematics and Science

Students who value mathematics and science are extrinsically motivated to learn these subjects because
of future opportunities, such as entrance into desirable educational programs or a well-paying career.
Some research has shown that such motivation is associated with choosing science courses later in
schooling, particularly for students from disadvantaged backgrounds122. Additionally, students who
articulate an interest in science careers in primary or early secondary school are more likely to actually
pursue those careers.123
TIMSS measures students’ valuing of mathematics and science for the eighth grade only using the
Students Value Mathematics and Students Value Science scales.

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Information Technology and Digital Devices
Use of Digital Devices
Students vary in their uses of digital devices, both at home and in school.124 TIMSS collects this
information through the Student Questionnaire for the eighth grade. Students indicate how often they
use the internet for specific tasks, including accessing course materials, collaborating with classmates,
or asking questions of teachers.

Digital Self-Efficacy
Although students participating in TIMSS 2023 have greater access to information technology and
digital devices than past generations, it is a mistake to assume that they innately understand how they
work.125 Students vary in both their actual knowledge of digital devices, as well as their self-efficacy for
using them.126,127
TIMSS collects information regarding fourth and eighth grade students’ self-efficacy in the use
of information technology through the Digital Self-Efficacy scale. Students indicate how well they can
perform simple digital tasks, such as writing text, as well as more complex tasks, such as recognizing
trustworthy websites and learning to use new apps or programs.

National Contexts
In every country, the educational system is embedded in a unique configuration of historical, economic,
and language factors that combine to determine priorities in how the system is organized for teaching and
learning. In addition to the more granular data described in the previous sections, TIMSS also gathers
information on system-level characteristics that may contribute to students’ learning of mathematics
and science. Countries participating in TIMSS 2023 contribute information on many of these factors
through chapters in the TIMSS 2023 Encyclopedia, along with information collected through the
curriculum questionnaire. In particular, information collected on national contexts focuses on countries’
organization of their education systems and their mathematics and science curricula. Specific curricular
information is collected for both the fourth and eighth grades.

Organization of Education System

System for Preprimary Education
Even before they begin formal primary school, children receive considerable exposure to literacy,
numeracy, and science as part of their preprimary educational experiences (e.g., preschool, kindergarten).
Preprimary education is an area of investment for many countries. Research indicates that attending
preprimary programs can have a positive impact on later academic outcomes.128 The TIMSS curriculum
questionnaire gathers information on the different types of early childhood and preprimary education
available within countries.
Research has also shown that that the positive effects of preprimary education on later academic
outcomes are dependent on the quality of the preprimary program.129,130 TIMSS gathers information on

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any available curricular documents for early childhood and preprimary education, including provisions
for socioemotional development as well as for the development of literacy and numeracy skills. This
serves to contextualize the information on student participation in preprimary education that is collected
through the Home Questionnaire.

Age of Entry and Retention Policies

Because TIMSS assesses students in the grades corresponding to the fourth and eighth years of formal
schooling, policies about the age of entry into formal education (first year of primary school, ISCED
Level 1) are important for understanding variation in achievement and students’ ages within those grades
across countries.131 Countries’ promotion and retention policies during different phases of schooling are
also collected; research has shown that retention has negative relationships with student well-being and
achievement, particularly in the short term.132,133,134

Number of Years of School

Although only fourth and eighth grade students participate in TIMSS, these grades are situated within a
sequence of schooling that shapes the national context in which students learn. For this reason, TIMSS
collects data on nationally mandated and provided years of education.

Language(s) of Instruction
Some countries have one commonly spoken language, while others are historically multilingual.
Immigration has also increased the language diversity in many countries over time. TIMSS collects
data on any official languages of instruction, as well as if mathematics and science instruction is typically
presented to students in their native language.

Teacher and Principal Preparation

Information about the preparation of the teachers and principals whose students participate in TIMSS
is collected through the Teacher and School Questionnaires; this is complemented by the information
on the most typical preparation routes for teachers and principals within each country.

Mathematics and Science Curricula

Whether created at the national, provincial, community, or school level, curricular documents define
and communicate the curriculum that specifies expectations for students in terms of the knowledge,
skills, and attitudes to be developed or acquired through their formal mathematics and science education.
Mathematics and science curricula differ across countries and are constantly evolving, although there
is some evidence of curricular convergence over time.135 In mathematics, countries differ in the degree
of emphasis placed on acquiring basic skills, memorizing rules, procedures, or facts, understanding
mathematical concepts, applying mathematics to real life situations, and communicating or reasoning
mathematically. In science, countries vary in the extent to which they focus on acquiring basic science
facts, application of science concepts, formulating hypotheses and carrying out scientific investigations,
and communicating scientific explanations. At the eighth grade, countries differ as to whether science is
taught as a single subject or as separate science subjects (physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science).

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TIMSS collects information on countries’ coverage of the mathematics and science topics articulated in
the TIMSS 2023 Mathematics Framework and TIMSS 2023 Science Framework, as well as any curricular
specifications or mandates for incorporation of technology into instruction. Such information is essential
for contextualizing the performance of each country’s students on the TIMSS assessment.

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134 Mathys, C., Véronneau, M., & Lecocq, A. (2019). Grade retention at the transition to secondary school: using
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CHAPTER 4

TIMSS 2023 Assessment Design

Liqun Yin
Pierre Foy

Overview
TIMSS is designed to provide countries with information about their students’ mathematics and science
achievement that can be used to inform evidence-based decisions for improving educational policy and
practice. Conducted every four years since 1995, with each assessment linked to the one that preceded
it, TIMSS provides regular and timely data for educators and policymakers on trends in students’
mathematics and science achievement.
Central to TIMSS’s mission is the measurement of student achievement in mathematics and
science in a way that does justice to the breadth and richness of these subjects as they are taught in the
participating countries, and that monitors countries’ improvements or declines by tracking trends in
student performance from one assessment cycle to the next. This requires an assessment that is wide
ranging in its coverage and difficulties of mathematics and science and innovative in its measurement
approach. With a diverse set of countries participating in TIMSS, with varying curricula and ability levels,
this has always been a challenge. In the past, TIMSS has offered less difficult versions of mathematics that
countries participating at the fourth grade could choose to administer, starting with TIMSS Numeracy
in 20151 and following up with the TIMSS less difficult mathematics assessment in 2019.2 These efforts
were successful in expanding the TIMSS coverage of students at the lower end of the mathematics ability
distribution. However, the linked parallel assessments were complex both conceptually and operationally.
Most importantly, they did not address the need for more challenging mathematics material for higher
achieving students or science.
TIMSS continues its tradition of innovation in each assessment cycle. TIMSS 2019 began the
transition from paper-and-pencil to digital format, with about half of the countries choosing digital
format and half keeping paper format as in previous TIMSS assessments. For TIMSS 2023, the vast
majority of countries have transitioned, or are transitioning, to a digital assessment. Moreover,
TIMSS 2023 is adopting a single unified assessment based on a new group adaptive assessment design
to address the need for a broader range of assessment difficulty and better targeting of student ability.
The group adaptive design was introduced in the PIRLS 2021 assessment and its rationale can be found
in Appendix A of the PIRLS 2021 Assessment Design chapter.3

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 Since the majority of TIMSS 2023 countries have transitioned to a digital administration, the group
adaptive assessment for TIMSS 2023 is available in digital format only. For the new or trend countries not
ready for digital format, a paper assessment for TIMSS 2023 is provided and described in a later section.
The group adaptive design for TIMSS 2023 adopts the main aspects of the group adaptive design
introduced in PIRLS 20214 while maintaining the customary 14-block TIMSS design in order to
minimize its impact on item and block development, and booklet assembly. The TIMSS 2023 group
adaptive design has three levels of item block difficulty—difficult, medium, and easy—that are combined
into two levels of booklet difficulty. Each country administers the entire assessment, but the balance of
more difficult and less difficult booklets varies with the mathematics and science achievement level of
the students in the country. TIMSS 2023 aims to improve the match between assessment difficulty and
student ability in each country’s population by having a greater proportion of more difficult booklets in
countries with relatively high achievement and a greater proportion of less difficult booklets in countries
with relatively low achievement. Accordingly, the new design maximizes the information obtained from
the assessment while limiting changes to the TIMSS assessment design.

Student Population Assessed

TIMSS assesses the mathematics and science achievement of students in their fourth and eighth years
of formal schooling. Participating countries may choose to assess one or both populations, according to
their policy priorities and resource availability. Because in TIMSS the number of years of formal schooling
(four or eight) is the basis for comparison among participating countries, the TIMSS assessment is
targeted at the grade levels that correspond to these. TIMSS defines the fourth year and eighth year of
formal schooling according to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) developed
by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics5. The ISCED classification provides an international standard
for describing levels of schooling across countries, and covers the full range of schooling, from early
childhood education (Level 0) to doctoral or equivalent level study (Level 8). The target populations for
TIMSS are defined as follows:
• At the fourth grade, the TIMSS target grade should be the grade that represents four years of
schooling, counting from the first year of ISCED Level 1.
• At the eighth grade, the TIMSS target grade should be the grade that represents eight years
of schooling, counting from the first year of ISCED Level 1.
ISCED Level 1 corresponds to primary education, or the first stage of basic education, and
is considered to be the first stage of formal schooling. The target grade for the fourth grade TIMSS
assessment typically is the fourth grade in most countries. Similarly, the target grade for eighth grade
TIMSS is the eighth grade in most countries and usually corresponds to ISCED Level 2 or lower
secondary education. However, given the cognitive demands of the assessments, TIMSS aims to avoid
assessing very young students. Thus, TIMSS recommends that countries assess the next higher grade
(i.e., fifth grade for fourth grade TIMSS, and ninth grade for eighth grade TIMSS) if, for fourth grade

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students, the average age at the time of testing would be less than 9.5 years, and, for eighth grade students,
less than 13.5 years.

Reporting Student Achievement

The TIMSS assessment is designed to provide a comprehensive picture of the mathematics and
science achievement of fourth and eighth grade students in each participating country. This includes
achievement in each of the content and cognitive domains (as defined in Chapters 1 and 2) as well as
overall mathematics and science achievement.
A major consequence of TIMSS’s ambitious reporting goals is that many more questions are required
for the assessment than can be answered by any one student in the amount of testing time available.
Accordingly, TIMSS uses a matrix sampling approach that involves packaging the entire assessment
pool of mathematics and science items at each grade level into a set of booklets, or virtual eBooklets
(booklets for short) in the digital version. Each item appears in two booklets, providing a mechanism
for linking together the student responses from the various booklets when data from all booklets are
taken together. To facilitate the process of creating the student achievement booklets, TIMSS groups
the assessment items into a series of item blocks, with approximately 10 to 14 items in each block at
the fourth grade and 12 to 18 at the eighth grade. As much as possible, the distribution of items across
content and cognitive domains within each block matches the distribution across the item pool overall,
as described in the TIMSS 2023 Mathematics and Science Assessment Frameworks.
To keep the assessment burden on any one student to a minimum, each student is presented with
only one booklet which contains a sample of the items, as described in the next section. Following data
collection, student responses to the items in each assessment are aggregated and converted to the TIMSS
mathematics and science scale metrics at each grade level to provide a comprehensive picture of the
assessment results for each country.
One of the major strengths of TIMSS is its measurement of trends over time in mathematics and
science achievement. The TIMSS achievement scales provide established metrics on which countries
can compare students’ progress in mathematics and science from assessment to assessment at the fourth
and eighth grades. The TIMSS mathematics and science achievement scales were created with the first
TIMSS assessment in 1995, separately for each subject and each grade. The scale units were established so
that 100 points on the scale was equivalent to one standard deviation of the distribution of achievement
across all of the countries that participated in TIMSS 1995, and the scale midpoint of 500 was located at
the mean of this international achievement distribution.
Using items that were administered in both 1995 and 1999 assessments as a basis for linking the two
sets of assessment results, the TIMSS 1999 data also were placed on the scales so that countries could
gauge changes in students’ mathematics and science achievement since 1995. This was done separately
for mathematics and science and for fourth and eighth grades. Using similar procedures, the data from
TIMSS 2003, TIMSS 2007, TIMSS 2011, TIMSS 2015, and TIMSS 2019 were placed on the TIMSS scales6,
as will be the data from TIMSS 2023. This will enable TIMSS 2023 countries that have participated in

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TIMSS since its inception to have comparable achievement data from 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015,
2019, and 2023, and to plot changes in performance over this 28-year period.
In addition to the overall achievement scales for mathematics and science, TIMSS 2023 will
construct scales for reporting relative student performance in each of the mathematics and science
content and cognitive domains defined in the TIMSS 2023 Mathematics and Science Assessment
Frameworks. Reporting scales will be constructed for each content and cognitive domain in mathematics
and science at each grade level.
Because the TIMSS 2023 paper booklets are limited to trend blocks from the 2019 assessment, the
TIMSS 2023 paper administration will provide only overall mathematics and science achievement results.

TIMSS 2023 Group Adaptive Design

The group adaptive testing design for TIMSS 2023 is modeled after the PIRLS 2021 group adaptive
design. Consistent with the goal of comprehensive subject coverage, the TIMSS 2023 design preserves
those main aspects of the PIRLS group adaptive design while maintaining the conventional 14-block
design. The complete TIMSS 2023 group adaptive assessment has a total of 28 blocks at each grade, 14
consisting of mathematics items and 14 consisting of science items. Implementing the group adaptive
design in TIMSS 2023 required grouping the item blocks into three levels of difficulty—easy, medium,
and difficult—with five easy, four medium, and five difficult item blocks per subject and grade. Of the
14 item blocks by subject and grade needed for the design, eight were administered previously in TIMSS
2019 and available to support the measurement of trends and six were developed and field tested for
first time use in TIMSS 2023. Exhibits 4.1 and 4.2 show how the existing trend item blocks fit into the
subject-by-difficulty level scheme at the fourth grade and eighth grade, respectively, and also where the
new item blocks belong.

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Exhibit 4.1: Subject and Difficulty Level for TIMSS 2023 Fourth Grade Item Blocks

TIMSS 2023 TIMSS 2019

Subject Difficulty Level
Item Block Label Trend Block Label*
MD1 ME08 (19)
MD2 ME09 (15)
Difficult MD3 New item block for 2023
MD4 MI01 (19)
MD5 New item block for 2023
MM1 New item block for 2023
MM2 ME04 (19)
Mathematics Medium
MM3 ME10 (19)
MM4 ME14 (19)
ME1 New item block for 2023
ME2 ME11 (15)
Easy ME3 New item block for 2023
ME4 ME13 (15)
ME5 New item block for 2023
SD1 SE10 (19)
SD2 SE13 (15)
Difficult SD3 New item block for 2023
SD4 SI02 (19)
SD5 New item block for 2023
SM1 New item block for 2023
SM2 SE09 (15)
Science Medium
SM3 SE12 (19)
SM4 SE08 (19)
SE1 New item block for 2023
SE2 SE14 (19)
Easy SE3 New item block for 2023
SE4 SE04 (19)
SE5 New item block for 2023
* The number in parentheses is the assessment year in which the item block was first introduced.

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Exhibit 4.2: Subject and Difficulty Level for TIMSS 2023 Eighth Grade Item Blocks

TIMSS 2023 TIMSS 2019

Subject Difficulty Level
Item Block Label Trend Block Label*
MD1 ME08 (19)
MD2 ME12 (19)
Difficult MD3 New item block for 2023
MD4 MI02 (19)
MD5 New item block for 2023
MM1 New item block for 2023
MM2 ME04 (19)
Mathematics Medium
MM3 ME14 (19)
MM4 ME10 (19)
ME1 New item block for 2023
ME2 ME11 (15)
Easy ME3 New item block for 2023
ME4 ME13 (15)
ME5 New item block for 2023
SD1 SE04 (19)
SD2 SE09 (15)
Difficult SD3 New item block for 2023
SD4 SI01 (19)
SD5 New item block for 2023
SM1 New item block for 2023
SM2 SE11 (15)
Science Medium
SM3 SE10 (19)
SM4 SE14 (19)
SE1 New item block for 2023
SE2 SE12 (19)
Easy SE3 New item block for 2023
SE4 SE13 (15)
SE5 New item block for 2023
* The number in parentheses is the assessment year in which the item block was first introduced.

In 2019, the TIMSS computer-based assessments included Problem Solving and Inquiry (PSI)
tasks—two item blocks for mathematics and two item blocks for science at each grade—arranged in
two separate assessment booklets. Half of the PSI item blocks—one per subject and grade—were secured
for use as trend blocks in TIMSS 2023. Also, the TIMSS fourth grade assessment was accompanied by a
less difficult mathematics assessment consisting of the same science item blocks, and with 10 of the 14
mathematics item blocks designed specifically with easier material, six of which were secured for future

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use. Since relatively few countries were exposed to these less difficult mathematics item blocks in 2019,
they were considered as suitable candidates for the new easy fourth grade mathematics item blocks
required for the TIMSS 2023 group adaptive design. Taking all of these materials together, there were
eight regular TIMSS trend item blocks and one PSI trend item block available at each subject and grade
for 2023, as well as six less difficult mathematics item blocks available as new easy item blocks for fourth
grade mathematics. Five of the six available TIMSS 2019 less difficult mathematics item blocks were
included in the TIMSS 2023 field test, with the intent of including the three more suitable candidates
for inclusion as new easy item blocks.
Of the six new item blocks per subject and grade, three will be easy item blocks, one will be medium,
and two will be difficult. However, for the three new fourth grade easy item blocks, three item blocks
from the TIMSS 2019 less difficult mathematics assessment will be used. The exhibits also include an
item block label for each item block to facilitate the assignment of item blocks to booklets. The item
block labels begin with either as ME or MI for mathematics, SE or SI for science.

Item Block Difficulty Level

For the group adaptive design to be effective, it is necessary that there be distinctive differences in the
average difficulties of the item blocks across the difficulty groups (difficult, medium, easy). Reasonable
difficulty goals in terms of average percent correct across student populations would be 40% for the
difficult group, 55% for the medium group, and 70% for the easy group. New item blocks developed for
TIMSS 2023 will aim for these difficulty levels, but there is less flexibility with the existing trend item
blocks, which make up about 60% of the assessments.
As shown in Exhibit 4.3, the difficulties of the existing trend blocks are not well differentiated across
the three difficulty groups at both grades and subjects. In particular, the existing trend blocks designated
as easy are far more difficult than the long-term goal of 70% for this group. However, by combining the
existing item blocks with new blocks developed to be closer to the target difficulties, it will be possible
to make progress toward the long-term goals in each of the three difficulty groups.

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Exhibit 4.3: Average Difficulties of Existing Trend Blocks from 2019 and Target Difficulties for 2023
(Average Percent Correct)

Difficulty of Trend Target Difficulty

Subject Item Block Level
Blocks from 2019 for 2023
Difficult 46% 44%
Fourth Grade
Medium 49% 50%
Mathematics
Easy 51% 64%
Difficult 47% 44%
Fourth Grade
Medium 54% 55%
Science
Easy 57% 65%
Difficult 37% 38%
Eighth Grade
Medium 42% 46%
Mathematics
Easy 45% 60%
Difficult 44% 42%
Eighth Grade
Medium 48% 50%
Science
Easy 51% 63%

Booklet Design
In TIMSS, each student is randomly assigned a test booklet (or booklet equivalent in the context of
computer-based assessments) consisting of two mathematics item blocks and two science item blocks. In
TIMSS 2023, the 14 mathematics and 14 science item blocks at each grade are arranged into 14 booklets
with two mathematics and two science blocks each, with each item block appearing in two booklets
and paired with different item blocks each time. Exhibit 4.4 summarizes the item block pairings among
the mathematics and science item blocks that make up each booklet. The pairing pattern is identical
at both grades. The direction of the arrows indicates which item block comes first in the booklet. For
example, an arrow points from block ME1, an easy block, to MM1, a medium block, indicating these
two blocks share a booklet, with ME1 preceding MM1. Note that when blocks of different difficulties
are paired in the same booklet, the easier of the two always comes first. Because each booklet consists
of two mathematics and two science item blocks, the matching pairs of mathematics and science blocks
appear in the same booklet. For example, ME1 & MM1 appear in the same booklet as their science
counterparts SE1 and SM1.

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Exhibit 4.4: Item Block Pairings for Each Assessment Booklet

Subject Difficult Item Blocks Medium Item Blocks Easy Item Blocks
MD1 MM1 ME1
MD2 MM2 ME2
Mathematics MD3 MM3 ME3
MD4 MM4 ME4
MD5 — ME5
SD1 SM1 SE1
SD2 SM2 SE2
Science SD3 SM3 SE3
SD4 SM4 SE4
SD5 — SE5

The 14 assessment booklets at each grade are divided into two levels of difficulty, as follows:
• More difficult booklets (7) composed of either two difficult item blocks or one medium and
one difficult item block for each subject;
• Less difficult booklets (7) composed of either two easy item blocks or one easy and one
medium item block for each subject.
Exhibit 4.5 shows the item block assignments for the 14 TIMSS booklets, with booklets 1-7 being
the more difficult booklets and booklets 8-14 the less difficult ones. The assignments are identical for
both grades.

Exhibit 4.5: Assessment Booklets with Item Block Assignments

Student Assessment
Part 1 Part 2
Booklets
Booklet 1 SM1 SD1 MM1 MD1
Booklet 2 MD2 MD3 SD2 SD3
Booklet 3 SM2 SD2 MM2 MD2
More
Difficult Booklet 4 MD5 MD1 SD5 SD1
Booklets Booklet 5 SM3 SD3 MM3 MD3
Booklet 6 MM4 MD4 SM4 SD4
Booklet 7 SD4 SD5 MD4 MD5
Booklet 8 ME1 MM1 SE1 SM1
Booklet 9 SE1 SE2 ME1 ME2
Booklet 10 ME2 MM2 SE2 SM2
Less
Difficult Booklet 11 SE3 SE5 ME3 ME5
Booklets Booklet 12 ME3 MM3 SE3 SM3
Booklet 13 SE4 SM4 ME4 MM4
Booklet 14 ME5 ME4 SE5 SE4

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 Exhibits 4.6 and 4.7 also present the item block assignments for each booklet, this time showing
where the existing trend blocks belong and where the new item blocks developed for 2023, including
the fourth grade less difficult mathematics blocks, will go. Exhibit 4.6 shows the fourth grade booklets,
Exhibit 4.7 shows the eighth grade booklets.

Exhibit 4.6: Fourth Grade Assessment Booklets with Trend and New Block Assignments

Student Assessment
Part 1 Part 2
Booklets
Booklet 1 New SM1 (23) SE10 (19) New MM1 (23) ME08 (19)
Booklet 2 ME09 (15) New MD3 (23) SE13 (15) New SD3 (23)
Booklet 3 SE09 (15) SE13 (15) ME04 (19) ME09 (15)
More
Difficult Booklet 4 New MD5 (23) ME08 (19) New SD5 (23) SE10 (19)
Booklets Booklet 5 SE12 (19) New SD3 (23) ME10 (19) New MD3 (23)
Booklet 6 ME14 (19) MI01 (19) SE08 (19) SI02 (19)
Booklet 7 SI02 (19) New SD5 (23) MI01 (19) New MD5 (23)
Booklet 8 New ME1(23) New MM1 (23) New SE1 (23) New SM1 (23)
Booklet 9 New SE1 (23) SE14 (19) New ME1 (23) ME11 (15)
Booklet 10 ME11 (15) ME04 (19) SE14 (19) SE09 (15)
Less
Difficult Booklet 11 New SE3 (23) New SE5 (23) New ME3 (23) New ME5 (23)
Booklets Booklet 12 New ME3 (23) ME10 (19) New SE3 (23) SE12 (19)
Booklet 13 SE04 (19) SE08 (19) ME13 (15) ME14 (19)
Booklet 14 New ME5(23) ME13 (15) New SE5 (23) SE04 (19)

Exhibit 4.7: Eighth Grade Assessment Booklets with Trend and New Block Assignments

Student Assessment
Part 1 Part 2
Booklets
Booklet 1 New SM1 (23) SE04 (19) New MM1 (23) ME08 (19)
Booklet 2 ME12 (19) New MD3 (23) SE09 (15) New SD3 (23)
Booklet 3 SE11 (15) SE09 (15) ME04 (19) ME12 (19)
More
Difficult Booklet 4 New MD5 (23) ME08 (19) New SD5 (23) SE04 (19)
Booklets Booklet 5 SE10 (19) New SD3 (23) ME14 (19) New MD3 (23)
Booklet 6 ME10 (19) MI02 (19) SE14 (19) SI01 (19)
Booklet 7 SI01 (19) New SD5 (23) MI02 (19) New MD5 (23)
Booklet 8 New ME1(23) New MM1 (23) New SE1 (23) New SM1 (23)
Booklet 9 New SE1 (23) SE12 (19) New ME1 (23) ME11 (15)
Booklet 10 ME11 (15) ME04 (19) SE12 (19) SE11 (15)
Less
Difficult Booklet 11 New SE3 (23) New SE5 (23) New ME3 (23) New ME5 (23)
Booklets Booklet 12 New ME3 (23) ME14 (19) New SE3 (23) SE10 (19)
Booklet 13 SE13 (15) SE14 (19) ME13 (15) ME10 (19)
Booklet 14 New ME5(23) ME13 (15) New SE5 (23) SE13 (15)

TIMSS & PIRLS

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Lynch School of Education
TIMSS 2023 ASSESSMENT DESIGN 80
Booklet Assignment within Countries
To ensure that the same assessment is conducted in every country, all 14 booklets in the TIMSS 2023
group adaptive design are distributed in every country, but with varying proportions of the more and less
difficult booklets depending on the average mathematics and science abilities of the student population.
This is estimated based on performance in prior TIMSS assessments, or in the field test for countries
participating for the first time. Higher performing countries assign proportionally more of the more
difficult booklets while lower performing countries assign proportionally more of the less difficult
booklets, with the goal of a better match between assessment difficulty and student ability in each
country.
Exhibit 4.8 illustrates the differential booklet assignment plan for higher, middle, and lower
performing countries. As a general objective, countries with higher average performance (above 550
on the TIMSS mathematics and science achievement scales) would randomly assign proportionally
more of the more difficult booklets (70%), and fewer of the less difficult booklets (30%). Countries
with performance between 450 and 550 would assign equal proportions of the more and less difficult
booklets. Countries with lower average performance (below 450 on the TIMSS mathematics and science
achievement scales) would assign proportionally fewer of the more difficult booklets (30%) and more
of the less difficult booklets (70%).

Exhibit 4.8: Booklet Assignment Plan for Higher, Middle, and Lower Performing Countries

625
600
575
70 % More
Difficult 30 % Less
Difficult

550
525
500
475
50 % More
Difficult 50 % Less
Difficult

450
425
400
375
30 % More
Difficult 70 % Less
Difficult

TIMSS & PIRLS

International Study Center
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TIMSS 2023 ASSESSMENT DESIGN 81
 While TIMSS 2023 is a transition cycle towards meeting the long-term goals of the group adaptive
design, as shown by the 2023 target difficulty levels in Exhibit 4.3, the objective for 2023 is to have the
group adaptive design impact fewer countries during this transition cycle. To that end, most countries
participating in TIMSS 2023 will assign equal proportions of the more and less difficult booklets, while
countries with achievement above 565 will assign more of the more difficult booklets, and countries
with achievement below 435 will assign more of the less difficult booklets.
Although the TIMSS 2023 group adaptive design was developed to provide a better match between
assessment difficulty and student ability at the country level, it is possible to apply the group adaptive
approach for subgroups within a country, provided the country has clearly defined subpopulations that
differ substantially in student achievement. In addition, the implementation of the TIMSS 2023 group
adaptive design can vary by grade, but not by subject.

TIMSS 2023 Paper Assessments

The TIMSS 2023 group adaptive design is devised specifically for countries that have transitioned or
are transitioning to computer-based administration in 2023. Although the vast majority of TIMSS
2023 countries will implement the digital assessments, a few countries will not be ready for digital
administration in 2023. The TIMSS 2023 paper assessments provide a limited paper-based administration
for those countries, with eight assessment booklets at each grade consisting solely of trend items from
the TIMSS 2019 paper-based assessments. For countries that are transitioning to digital administration
in 2023, the administration of these paper booklets paired with the administration of the digital TIMSS
2023 group adaptive assessments will allow them to examine mode differences between the two modes
of administration based on trend items. Finally, TIMSS 2023 also provides an alternate set of eight paper
booklets at the fourth grade based on the secured trend item blocks from the TIMSS 2019 fourth grade
less difficult mathematics assessment for lower performing countries not yet transitioning to a digital
administration.
The TIMSS 2023 paper assessments utilize the eight secured regular trend item blocks from each
subject from the TIMSS 2019 paper-based assessments to form eight booklets at each grade. Exhibit
4.9 illustrates the TIMSS 2023 paper booklet design, showing the trend item block labels from TIMSS
2019. The booklet design is identical at both grades. Six of the eight booklets—booklets 2 through 7—are
identical to booklets that were administered in TIMSS 2019. Booklets 1 and 8 are made up to complete
the rotation of trend blocks. As usual, each item block appears in two booklets in different positions and
each booklet contains two mathematics and two science item blocks.

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TIMSS 2023 ASSESSMENT DESIGN 82
Exhibit 4.9: TIMSS 2023 Paper Booklets with Trend Item Blocks – Fourth and Eighth Grades

TIMSS 2023
Part 1 Part 2
Paper Booklets
Booklet 1 MP04 MP08 SP04 SP08
Booklet 2 SP08 SP09 MP08 MP09
Booklet 3 MP09 MP10 SP09 SP10
Booklet 4 SP10 SP11 MP10 MP11
Booklet 5 MP11 MP12 SP11 SP12
Booklet 6 SP12 SP13 MP12 MP13
Booklet 7 MP13 MP14 SP13 SP14
Booklet 8 SP14 SP04 MP14 MP04

An alternate set of paper booklets is available for lower performing countries administering
the TIMSS 2023 paper assessment at the fourth grade. It is based on the TIMSS 2019 less difficult
mathematics assessment and also consists of trend item blocks. Exhibit 4.10 presents the eight paper
booklets and item blocks from the TIMSS 2019 fourth grade less difficult mathematics assessment. Six
of the eight mathematics trend item blocks are unique to the TIMSS 2019 less difficult assessment and
identifiable by the letters “MN” in the item block labels. The other two mathematics item blocks—MP08
and MP13, as well as all science item blocks are identical with the regular TIMSS 2023 paper assessment
shown in Exhibit 4.9.

Exhibit 4.10: TIMSS 2023 Paper Booklets with Item Blocks from Fourth Grade Less Difficult Mathematics

TIMSS 2023
Part 1 Part 2
Paper Booklets
Booklet 1 MN04 MP08 SP04 SP08
Booklet 2 SP08 SP09 MP08 MN09
Booklet 3 MN09 MP13 SP09 SP10
Booklet 4 SP10 SP11 MP13 MN11
Booklet 5 MN11 MN12 SP11 SP12
Booklet 6 SP12 SP13 MN12 MN13
Booklet 7 MN13 MN14 SP13 SP14
Booklet 8 SP14 SP04 MN14 MN04

The design of TIMSS 2023 paper booklets at both grades, including the less difficult mathematics
version, follow the same administration procedures as in the past. The trend item blocks being from
2019 means they are all of roughly the same difficulty level at each subject and grade. Consequently, the
group adaptive design is not present in their implementation. The less difficult paper assessment allows
some measure of adaptability for lower performing countries with respect to fourth grade mathematics.

TIMSS & PIRLS

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Lynch School of Education
TIMSS 2023 ASSESSMENT DESIGN 83
 The TIMSS 2023 paper assessments will provide countries with overall scores in mathematics and
science linked to the TIMSS reporting metrics. However, because the TIMSS 2019 trend item blocks
represent about 60% of the entire TIMSS assessment frameworks in terms of items, achievement scores
for the content or cognitive domains will not be available. This is true for countries administering the
paper assessments instead of the computer-based assessments, as well as digital countries administering
the paper booklets for performing mode comparison studies.

Student Testing Time

As summarized in Exhibit 4.11, each student completes one student achievement booklet consisting
of two parts, followed by a student questionnaire. The individual student response time for the TIMSS
2023 assessment, including non-digital paper assessment, is the same as it has been since TIMSS 2007.
That is, the TIMSS administration consists of two 36-minute sessions, one for each part, separated by a
short break, and then followed by a 30-minute session for the student questionnaire at fourth grade. At
the eighth grade, the administration consists of two 45-minute sessions, followed by a 30-minute session
for the student questionnaire.

Exhibit 4.11: TIMSS 2023 Student Testing Time – Fourth and Eighth Grades

Activity Fourth Grade Eighth Grade

Student Achievement Booklet – Part 1 36 minutes 45 minutes

Break

Student Achievement Booklet – Part 2 36 minutes 45minutes

Break

Student Questionnaire 30 minutes 30 minutes

TIMSS & PIRLS

International Study Center
Lynch School of Education
TIMSS 2023 ASSESSMENT DESIGN 84
References
1 Martin, M. O., Mullis, I.V.S., & Foy, P. (2013). TIMSS 2015 sssessment design. In Mullis, I.V.S. & Martin, M.O.
(Eds.), TIMSS 2015 Assessment Frameworks. Retrieved from Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS International Study
Center website: https://timssandpirls.bc.edu/timss2015/downloads/T15_FW_Chap4.pdf

2 Martin, M. O., Mullis, I.V.S., & Foy, P. (2017). TIMSS 2019 sssessment design. In Mullis, I.V.S., & Martin, M. O.
(Eds.), TIMSS 2019 Assessment Frameworks. Retrieved from Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS International Study
Center website: https://timss2019.org/wp-content/uploads/frameworks/T19-Assessment-Frameworks-Chapter-4.
pdf

3 Martin, M. O., von Davier, M., Foy, P., & Mullis, I.V.S. (2019). PIRLS 2021 sssessment design. In I.V.S. Mullis,
& M. O. Martin (Eds.), PIRLS 2021 Assessment Frameworks. Retrieved from Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS
International Study Center website: http://pirls2021.org/frameworks/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/04/P21_
FW_Ch3_AssessDesign.pdf

4 Martin, M. O., von Davier, M., Foy, P., & Mullis, I.V.S. (2019). PIRLS 2021 sssessment design. In I.V.S. Mullis,
& M. O. Martin (Eds.), PIRLS 2021 Assessment Frameworks. Retrieved from Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS
International Study Center website: http://pirls2021.org/frameworks/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/04/P21_
FW_Ch3_AssessDesign.pdf

5 UNESCO. (2012). International standard classification of education ISCED 2011. Retrieved from http://uis.unesco.
org/sites/default/files/documents/international-standard-classification-of-education-isced-2011-en.pdf

6 Foy, P., Fishbein, B., von Davier, M., & Yin, L. (2020). Implementing the TIMSS 2019 scaling methodology.
In M. O. Martin, M. von Davier, & I.V.S. Mullis (Eds.), Methods and Procedures: TIMSS 2019 Technical Report
(pp. 12.1–12.146). Retrieved from Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center website: https://
timssandpirls.bc.edu/timss2019/methods/chapter-12.html

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TIMSS 2023 ASSESSMENT DESIGN 85
Acknowledgments
TIMSS is a major undertaking of IEA, and together with PIRLS, comprises the core of IEA’s regular
cycle of studies. Responsibility for the overall direction and management of these two projects resides
at the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study at Boston College. Headed by Matthias von Davier, Ina
V.S. Mullis, and Michael O. Martin, the study center is located in the Lynch School of Education and
Human Development at Boston College. In carrying out these two ambitious international studies, the
TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center works closely with IEA Amsterdam which manages country
participation in a number of IEA international studies, IEA Hamburg which is a data processing and
research center, RTI International in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and Educational Testing
Service in Princeton, New Jersey. Especially important is close coordination with the National Research
Coordinators designated by the participating countries to be responsible for the complex tasks involved
in implementing the studies in their countries. In summary, it takes extreme dedication on the part of
many individuals around the world to make TIMSS a success and the work of these individuals across
all of the various activities involved is greatly appreciated.
With each new assessment cycle of a study, one of the most important tasks is to update the assessment
frameworks. Updating the TIMSS assessment frameworks for 2023 began in September of 2020, and has
involved extensive input and reviews by individuals at the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center,
IEA, the TIMSS 2023 National Research Coordinators, and the two TIMSS expert committees—the
TIMSS 2023 Science and Mathematics Item Review Committee and the TIMSS 2023 Questionnaire Item
Review Committee. Of all the individuals around the world that it takes to make TIMSS a success, the
intention here is to specifically acknowledge some of the many persons who had particular responsibility
and involvement in developing and producing the TIMSS 2023 Assessment Frameworks.

TIMSS 2023 Framework Development at the TIMSS & PIRLS

International Study Center at Boston College
Matthias von Davier, Executive Director
Ina V.S. Mullis, Executive Director
Michael O. Martin, Executive Director
Pierre Foy, Director of Sampling, Psychometrics, and Data Analysis
Dana Kelly, Director, Development and Reporting
Charlotte Aldrich, Research Specialist, TIMSS Mathematics and Special Projects
Victoria A.S. Centurino, Assistant Research Director, TIMSS Science and Special Projects
Bethany Fishbein, Assistant Research Director, Psychometrics and Data Analysis
Katherine Reynolds, Assistant Research Director, Questionnaire Development and Policy Research
Liqun Yin, Research Psychometrician

TIMSS & PIRLS

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Lynch School of Education
TIMSS 2023 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 86
TIMSS 2023 Science and Mathematics Item Review
Committee
The Science and Mathematics Item Review Committee (SMIRC), comprised of internationally
recognized mathematics and science experts, reviewed and recommended updates for the TIMSS 2023
Mathematics and Science Frameworks. The SMIRC also reviews the TIMSS 2023 items at key points in
the development process.

Mathematics Science
Ray Philpot Yun-Ping Ge
Australian Council for Educational Research National Taipei University of Education
Australia Chinese Taipei

Kiril Bankov Svatava Janoušková

Faculty of Mathematics & Informatics Department of Teaching & Didactics of
University of Sofia Chemistry
Bulgaria Charles University, Prague
Czech Republic
Franck Salles
Direction d l’Évaluation, de la Prospective et de Christian Christrup Kjeldsen
la Performance (DEPP) Aarhus University
Ministère de l’Éducation Nationale, de Denmark
l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche
Ute Harms
France
Department of Biology Education
Khattab Mohammad Ahmad Abulibdeh IPN Leibniz Institute for Science and
National Center for Human Resources Mathematics Education
Development Germany
Jordan
Berenice Michels
Hege Kaarstein Faculty of Science
Department of Teacher Education & School Utrecht University
Research The Netherlands
ILS, University of Oslo
Galina Kovaleva
Norway
Federal Institute for the Strategy of Education
Cheow Kian Soh Development
Curriculum Planning & Development Division, Russian Academy of Education
Mathematics Branch Russian Federation
Ministry of Education
Alicia Alonzo
Singapore
Department of Teacher Education
Mary Lindquist Michigan State University
United States United States

TIMSS & PIRLS

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TIMSS 2023 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 87
TIMSS 2023 Questionnaire Item Review Committee
The TIMSS 2023 Questionnaire Item Review Committee (QIRC) is comprised of educational policy
analysis experts and TIMSS 2023 National Research Coordinators who have a special responsibility
for participating in the development of the TIMSS 2023 Context Questionnaire Framework and context
questionnaires for TIMSS 2023.
Sue Thomson Laura Palmerio
Australian Council for Educational Research Istituto Nazionale per la Valutazione del Sistema
Australia Educativo di Istruzione e di Formazione
(INVALSI)
Josef Basl
Italy
Czech School Inspectorate
Czech Republic Trude Nilsen
Department of Teacher Education & School
Heike Wendt Research
Institute for School Development Research ILS, University of Oslo
(IFS)
Norway
TU Dortmund University
Germany Anabela Serrão
Instituto de Inovação Educacional
Kit-Tai Hau
Portugal
Faculty of Education
The Chinese University of Hong Kong Barbara Japelj Pavešić
Hong Kong SAR Educational Research Institute
Slovenia
Kyongah Sang
Center for Global Education
Korea Institute for Curriculum & Evaluation
Republic of Korea

TIMSS 2023 National Research Coordinators

The TIMSS 2023 National Research Coordinators (NRCs) are responsible for implementing the study
in their countries, and participated in a series of reviews of the updated frameworks
Albania Australia
Aurora Balliu Nicole Wernert
Educational Services Center Australian Council for Educational Research
Armenia Austria
Arsen Baghdasaryan Lisa Wiesinger
Assessment & Testing Center Federal Institute for Quality Assurance of the
Austrian School System (IQS)

TIMSS & PIRLS

International Study Center
Lynch School of Education
TIMSS 2023 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 88
Azerbaijan Chinese Taipei
Aygun Gurbanli Che-Di John Lee
The Institute of Education National Taiwan Normal University
Ministry of Education of the Republic of
Cote D’Ivoire
Azerbaijan
Joseph François Déesiré Kauphy
Bahrain Direction de la Veille et Suivi des Programmes/
Samah Al Ajjawi METFP
Ministry of Education Ministere de l’Education Nationale et de
l’Alphabetisation
Belgium (Flemish)
Lies Appels Cyprus
University of Antwerp Yiasemina Karagiorgi
Center of Educational Research & Evaluation
Belgium (French)
Pedagogical Institute
Doriane Jaegers
Virginie Dupont Czech Republic
Université de Liège Libor Klement
Czech School Inspectorate
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Žaneta Džumhur Denmark
Agency for Pre-primary, Primary & Secondary Christian Christrup Kjeldsen
Education Aarhus University
Brazil Egypt
Pedro Ramos Khaled Mohamed Sayed Ahmed
National Institute for Educational Studies & Test Development Department
Research (INEP) National Center of Examinations & Educational
Ministry of Education Evaluation
Bulgaria England
Marina Vasileva Mavrodieva Grace Grima
Center for Assessment in Pre-School & School Pearson UK
Education (CAPSE)
Finland
Canada Jouni Vettenranta
Kathryn O’Grady Finnish Institute for Educational Research
Tanya Scerbina University of Jyväskylä
Council of Ministers of Education, Canada
France
(CMEC)
Marc Colmant
Chile Franck Salles
Carolina Leyton Faundez Direction de l’évaluation de la prospective et de
Departamento de Estudios Internacionales la performance (DEPP)
Agencia de Calidad de la Educación Ministère de l’éducation nationale

TIMSS & PIRLS

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Lynch School of Education
TIMSS 2023 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 89
Georgia Jordan
Giorgi Ratiani Khattab Mohammad Ahmad Abulibdeh
National Assessment & Examinations Center National Center for Human Resources
Development
Germany
Knut Schwippert Kazakhstan
University of Hamburg Aiymgul Myrzabekova
JSC Information-Analytic Center
Hong Kong SAR
Kit-Tai Hau Korea, Republic of
Faculty of Education Minhee Seo
The Chinese University of Hong Kong Korea Institute of Curriculum & Evaluation
(KICE)
Hungary
Ildikó Szepesi Kosovo
Educational Authority Mirlinda Dehari-Zeka
Department of Assessment & Evaluation Vjollca Ymerhalili
Ministry of Education, Science, & Technology
Iraq
of Kosovo
Huda Salah Kareem
Ministry of Education Kuwait
Asia Hashem Hajiya
Ireland
National Centre for Education Development
Sylvia Denner
Fionnuala Shortt Latvia
Educational Research Centre Linda Mihno
Dublin City University, St. Patrick’s Campus Faculty of Education, Psychology, & Art
Education Research Institute
Israel
University of Latvia
Georgette Hilu
National Authority for Measurement & Lithuania
Evaluation in Education (RAMA) Asta Buineviciute
National Agency for Education
Italy
Elisa Caponera Macao SAR
Laura Palmerio Kin Mou Wong
Istituto Nazionale per la Valutazione del Sistema Education & Youth Development Bureau
Educativo di Istruzione e di Formazione (DESDJ)
(INVALSI)
Malaysia
Japan Rusliza Abdullah
Fumi Ginshima Wan Raisuha Wan Ali
Department for Curriculum Research Educational Planning & Research Division
National Institute for Educational Policy (EPRD)
Research (NIER) Ministry of Education

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TIMSS 2023 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 90
Malta Palestinian National Authority
Louis Scerri Mohammed O. Matar Mustafa
Educational Assessment Unit Center for Educational Research &
Ministry of Education & Employment Development (CERD)
Ministry of Education
Montenegro
Marina Radović Poland
Examination Center of Montenegro Michał Sitek
Wioleta Dobosz-Leszczyńska
Morocco
Educational Research Institute
Mohammed Sassi
Centre National de l’Evaluation et des Examens Portugal
et de l’Orientation Anabela Serrão
Ministere de l’Éducation Nationale et de la Instituto de Inovação Educacional
Formation Professionnelle
Qatar
The Netherlands Asmaa Yousef Al-Harqan
Martina Meelissen Evaluation Institute
Department of Research Methodology, Supreme Education Council
Measurement & Data Analysis
Romania
University of Twente
Dragos Iliescu
New Zealand Vlad Burtaverde
Jessica Forkert University of Bucharest
Steve May
Russian Federation
Educational Measurement & Assessment Team
Ministry of Education Galina Kovaleva
Sergey Stanchenko
North Macedonia Federal Institute for the Strategy of Education
Beti Lameva Development
National Examination Center Russian Academy of Education Center for
Evaluating the Quality of Education
Northern Ireland
Michael Woods Saudi Arabia
National Foundation for Educational Research Abdullah Aljouiee
(NFER) Education & Training Evaluation Commission
National Center of Assessment
Norway
Hege Kaarstein Serbia
Department of Teacher Education & School Danijela Djukic
Research Branislav Randjelovic
ILS, University of Oslo Institute for Education Quality & Evaluation
Oman
Zuwaina Saleh Al-Maskari
Ministry of Education

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TIMSS 2023 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 91
Singapore United States
Hui Leng Ng Lydia Malley
Research & Management Information Division National Center for Education Statistics
Ministry of Education U.S. Department of Education
Huiyuan Lin
Uzbekistan
Planning Division, Research & Evaluation
Section Abduvali Ismailov
Ministry of Education National Center for Conducting International
Studies on the Assessment of the Quality of
Slovak Republic Education
Andrea Galadova
National Institute for Certified Educational Benchmarking Participants
Measurements
Ontario, Canada
Slovenia Jeannette Amio
Barbara Japelj Pavešić Council of Ministers of Education, Canada
Educational Research Institute (CMEC)
Jennifer Hove
South Africa Education Quality & Accountability Office
Mark Chetty
Lolita Winnaar Quebec, Canada
Department of Basic Education Caroline Hamelin
Ministère de l’Éducation, et de l’Enseignement
Spain Supérieur
Francisco Javier Garcia Crespo
National Institute of Educational Evaluation Moscow City, Russian Federation
Elena Zozulya
Sweden Moscow Center for Quality of Education
Maria Axelsson
Stella Rössborn Abu Dhabi, UAE
Swedish National Agency for Education Nada Abu Baker Husain Ruban
(SKLOVERKET) Ministry of Education (UAE)

Turkey Dubai, UAE

Emine Özedemir Mariam Al-Ali
Ministry of National Education Knowledge & Human Development Authority

United Arab Emirates

Hessa Al Wahhabi
Shaikha Ali Al Zaabi
Ministry of Education UAE

TIMSS & PIRLS

International Study Center
Lynch School of Education
TIMSS 2023 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 92
 timss.bc.edu

© IEA, 2021
International Association
for the Evaluation of
Educational Achievement

ISBN-978-1-889938-57-8