The Angoff method sets a cut score (the minimum score required to pass) using the judgment of subject-matter experts, rather than a fixed percentage. Use this article to understand the method, enable it on your tenant, set Angoff values on items, and use it on assessment forms.
What Angoff is
Angoff is a statistical method named after William H. Angoff (1970s). A panel of subject-matter experts estimates, for each item, the probability that a minimally qualified candidate would answer it correctly. Cirrus aggregates the panel's estimates into a per-item Angoff value, then sums those across the items in an assessment form to derive the cut score.
Angoff is common in:
- Professional licensing (bar exams, medical licensing).
- High-stakes educational assessments.
Strengths: the cut score reflects expert judgment, making it defensible. Limitations: expert estimates carry subjectivity and potential bias, so panel composition matters.
How Angoff works in four steps
- The test developer selects a panel of subject-matter experts representative of the candidate population.
- Each panel member reviews each item and assigns a probability (their judgment of the chance a minimally qualified candidate gets it right).
- The mean probability across panel members is the item's Angoff value.
- Sum the Angoff values across items to get the expected total of a minimally qualified candidate. That total is the cut score.
Simple example
An assessment with three 1-point items:
| Item | Angoff value | Pass mark points |
|---|---|---|
| Item 1 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Item 2 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Item 3 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Total | 1.5 |
Candidates need 1.5 or higher to pass.
Enable Angoff on the tenant
Open Admin > Global settings > General. Find Item difficulty scale and enable Angoff.
Set Angoff values per item
Once enabled, an Angoff column appears under Library > Collection > Statistics. Enter the panel's mean Angoff value to three decimal places.
Use Angoff on a form
In Step 4: Forms, pick Angoff as the Difficulty method for the form. Every item in the form needs an Angoff value, or the form warns you.
Once every item has a value, the cut score and pass mark are calculated automatically:
| Item | Max score | Angoff value | Pass mark points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 0.800 | 4.8 |
| 2 | 5 | 0.500 | 2.5 |
| 3 | 6 | 0.323 | 1.938 |
| Total | 17 | 9.238 |
Candidates need 9.238 or more to pass. The percentage pass mark is 9.238 / 17 × 100 = 54.34%.
Harder exams (lower Angoff values across items) produce lower cut scores and lower percentage pass marks. Easier exams the reverse.