PISA 2009 Technical Report

Abstract

This report contains a description of the theoretical underpinning of the complex techniques used to create the PISA 2009 Database, which includes information on 470 000 students in 65 countries.1 The database includes not only information on student performance in the three main areas of assessment – reading, mathematics and science – but also their responses to the Student Questionnaire that they completed as part of the assessment. Data from the principals of participating schools are also included. The PISA 2009 Database was used to generate information and to be the basis for analysis for the PISA 2009 initial report. The information in this report complements the PISA Data Analysis Manuals (OECD, 2009), which give detailed accounts of how to carry out the analyses of the information in the database.