I. Planning the Test
A. Determining the Objectives
B. Preparing the Table of Specifications
C. Selecting the Appropriate Item Format
D. Writing the Test Items
E. Editing the Test Items
II. Trying Out the Test
A. Administering the First Tryout – then Item Analysis
B. Administering the Second Try-out then Item Analysis
C. Preparing the Final Form of the Test
III. Establishing Test Validity
IV. Establishing the Test
Reliability
V. Interpreting the Test Score
MAJOR CONSIDERATIONS IN TEST CONSTRUCTION
The following are the major considerations in test construction:
Type of Test
Our usual idea of testing is an in-class test that is
administered by the teacher. However, there are many variations on this theme:
group tests, individual tests, written tests, oral tests, speed tests, power
tests, pretests and post tests. Each of these has different characteristics
that must be considered when the tests are planned.
If it is a take-home test rather than an in-class test, how do
you make sure that students work independently, have equal access to sources
and resources, or spend a sufficient but not enormous amount of time on the
task? If it is a pretest, should it
exactly match the past test so
that a gain score can be computed, or should the pretest contain items that are
diagnostic of prerequisite skills and knowledge?
If it is an achievement test,
should partial credit be awarded, should there be penalties for guessing, or
should points be deducted for grammar and spelling errors?
Obviously, the test plan must include a wide array of issues.
Anticipating these potential problems allows the test constructor to develop
positions or policies that are consistent with his or her testing philosophy.
These can then be communicated to students, administrators, parents and other
who may be affected by the testing program. Make a list of the objectives, the
subject matter taught, and activities undertaken. These are contained in the
daily lesson plans of the teacher and in the references or textbook used. Such
tests are usually very indirect methods that only approximate real-world
applications. The constraints in classroom testing are often due to time and
the development level of the students.
Test Length
A major decision in the test planning is how many items should
be included on the test. There should be enough to cover the content adequately
but the length of the class period or the attention span or fatigue limits of
the students usually restrict the test length. Decisions about test length are
usually based on practical constraints more than on theoretical considerations.
Most teachers want test scores to be determined by how much
the student understands rather than by how quickly he or she answers the
questions. Thus, teachers prefer power tests, where at least 90 percent of the
students have time to attempt 90 percent of the test items. Just how many items
will fit into a given test occasion is something that is learned through
experience with similar groups of students.
Item Formats
Determining what kind of items to include on the test is major
decision. Should they be objectively scored formats such as multiple choice or
matching type? Should they cause the students to organize their own thoughts
through short answer or essay formats?
These are important questions
that can be answered only by the teacher in terms of the local context, his or
her students, his or her classroom, and the specific purpose of the test. Once
the planning decision are made, the item writing begins. This tank is often the
most feared by the beginning test constructors. However, the procedure are more
common sense than formal rules.
POINTS TO BE CONSIDERED IN PREPARING A TEST
1.
Are the instructional objectives clearly
defined?
2.
What knowledge, skills and attitudes do you want
to measure?
3.
Did you prepare a table of specifications?
4.
Did you formulate well defined and clear test
items?
5.
Did you employ correct English in writing the
items?
6.
Did you avoid giving clues to the correct
answer?
7.
Did you test the important ideas rather than the
trivial?
8.
Did you adapt the test’s difficulty to your
students ability?
9.
Did you avoid using textbook jargons?
10. Did
you cast the items in positive form?
11. Did
you prepare a scoring key?
12. Does
each item have a single correct answer?
13. Did
you review your items?
GENERAL PRINCIPLES IN CONSTRUCTING DIFFERENT TYPES OF TESTS
• The test items should be selected very carefully. Only important facts should be included.
• The test should have extensive sampling of items.
• The test items should be carefully expressed in simple, clear, definite, and meaningful sentences.
• There should be only one possible correct response for each test item.
• Each item should be independent. Leading clues to other items should be avoided.
• Lifting sentences from books should not be done to encourage thinking and understanding.
• The first person personal pronouns I and we should not be used.
• Various types of test items should be made to avoid monotony.
• Majority of the test items should be of moderate difficulty. Few difficult and few easy items should be included.
• The test items should be arranged in an ascending order of difficulty. Easy items should be at the beginning to encourage the examinee to pursue the test and the most difficult items should be at the end.
• Clear, concise, and complete directions should precede all types of test. Sample test items may be provided for expected responses.
• Items which can be answered by previous experience alone without knowledge of the subject matter should not be included.
• Catchy words should not be used in the test items.
• Test items must be based upon the objectives of the course and upon the course content.
• The test should measure the degree of achievement or determine the difficulties of the learners.
• The test should emphasize ability to apply and use facts as well as knowledge of facts.
• The test should be of such length that it can be completed within the time allotted by all or nearly all of the pupils. The teacher should perform the test herself to determine its approximate time allotment.
• Rules governing good language expression, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization should be observed in all items.
• Information on how scoring will be done should be provided.
•
Scoring keys in correcting and scoring tests
should be provided.
POINTERS TO BE OBSERVED IN CONSTRUCTING AND SCORING THE DIFFERENT
TYPES OF TESTS
A. RECALL TYPES
1. Simple recall type
a.
This type consists of questions calling for a
single word or expression as an answer.
b.
Items usually begin with who, where, when and
what.
c.
Score is the number of correct answers.
2. Completion type
a.
Only important words or phrases should be
omitted to avoid confusion.
b.
Blanks should be of equal lengths.
c.
The blank, as much as possible, is placed near
or at the end of the sentence.
d.
Articles a,an, and the should not be provided
before the omitted word or phrase to avoid clues for answers.
3. Enumeration type
a.
The exact number of expected answers should be
stated
b.
Blanks should be of equal lengths
c.
Score is the number of correct answers.
4. Identification type
a.
The items should make an examinee think of a
word, number, or group of words that would complete the statement or answer the
problem.
b.
Score is the number of correct answers.
B. RECOGNITION TYPES
1. True-false or alternate-response type
a.
Declarative sentences should be used.
b.
The number of “true and“false items should be
more or less equal.
c.
The truth or falsity of the sentence should not
be too evident.
d.
Negative statements should be avoided.
e.
The “modified true-false” is more preferable
than the “plain true-false”
f.
In arranging the items, avoid the regular
recurrence of “true” and “false” statements.
g.
Avoid using specific determiners like; all,
always, never, None, nothing, most, often, some, etc. and avoid weak statements
as may, sometimes, as a rule in general etc.
h.
Minimize the use of qualitative terms like: few,
great, many, more, etc.
i.
Avoid leading clues to answers in all items.
j.
Score is the number of correct answers in
“modified true-false and right answers minus wrong answers in “Plain
true-false”.
2. Yes-No type
a.
The items should be in interrogative sentences
b.
The same rules as in “true-false” are applied.
3. Multiple-response type
a.
There should be three to five choices. The
number of choices used in first item should be the same number of choices in
all the items of this type of test.
b.
The choices should be numbered or lettered so
that only the number or letter can be written on the bank provided.
c.
If the choices are figures, they should be
arranged in ascending order.
d.
Avoid the use of “a” or “an” as the last word
prior to the listing of the responses.
e. Random occurrence of responses should be employed
f.
The choices should be related in some way or
should be at the end of the statements.
g. The choices should be related in some way or should belong to the same class.
h.
Avoid the use of “none of these” as one of the
choices.
i.
Score is the number of correct answers.
4. Best Answer type
a.
There should be three to five choices all of
which are right but vary in their degree of merit, importance or desirability
b.
The other rules for multiple response items are
applied here.
c.
Score is the number of correct answers.
5. Matching type
•
There should be two columns. Under “A” are the
stimuli which should be longer and more descriptive than the responses under
column “B”. The response may be a word, a phrase a number or a formula.
•
The stimuli under column “A” should be numbered
and the responses under column “B” should be lettered. Answers will be
indicated by letters only on lines provided in column “A”
•
The number of pairs usually should not exceed
twenty items. Less than ten introduces chance elements. Twenty pairs may be
used but more than twenty is decidedly wasteful of time.
•
The number of responses in column “B” should be
two or more than the number of items in Column “A” to avoid guessing.
•
Only one correct matching for each item should
be possible.
•
Matching sets should neither be too long nor too
short.
•
All items should be on the same page to avoid
turning of pages in the process of matching pairs.
•
Score is the number of correct answers.
C. ESSAY TYPE EXAMINATIONS
Common types of essay
questions. (The types are related to purposes of which the essay examination
are to be used.)
•
Comparison of two things
•
Explanation of the use or meaning of a statement
or passage
•
Analysis
•
Decision for or against
•
Discussion
How to construct essay examinations.
•
Determine the objectives or essentials for each
question to be evaluated
•
Phrase question in simple, clear and concise
language.
•
Suit the length of the question to the time
available for answering the essay examination. The teacher should try to answer
the test herself.
•
Scoring:
a.
Have model answer in advance
b.
Indicate the number of points for each question
c.
Score a point for each essential
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE OBJECTIVE TYPE OF TESTS
Advantages
•
The objective test is free from personal bias in
scoring
•
It is easy to score. With a scoring key, the
test can be corrected by different individuals without affecting the accuracy
of the grades given.
•
It has high validity because it is comprehensive
with wide sampling of essentials.
•
It is less time-consuming since many items can
be answered in a given time.
•
It is fair to students since the slow writers
can accomplish the test as fast as the fast writers.
Disadvantages
•
It is difficult to construct and requires more
time to prepare.
•
It does not afford the students the opportunity
in training for self- and thought organization
•
It cannot be used to test ability in theme
writing or journalistic writing.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE ESSAY TYPE OF TESTS
Advantages
•
The essay
examination can be used in practically all subjects of the school curriculum.
•
It trains students for thought organization and self-expression
•
It affords students opportunities to express
their originality and independence of thinking
•
Only the essay test can be used in some subjects
like composition writing which cannot be tested by the objective type test.
•
Essay examination measures higher mental abilities
like comparison, interpretation, criticism, defense of opinion and decision.
•
The essay test is easily prepared.
•
It is expensive
Disadvantages
•
The limited sampling of items makes the test
unreliable measure of achievements or abilities
•
Questions usually are not well prepared
•
Scoring is highly subjective due to the
influence of the correctors personal judgement
•
Grading of the essay test is inaccurate measure
of pupils achievements due to subjectivity of scoring