13 Designing Effective Tests

Designing Effective Tests & Tips to Students for Test Taking

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Tips on Tests Tests

perceived by students as unfair (too long, too “tricky,” too much on untaught material) may be the leading cause of poor student evaluations of teaching. Test on what you teach. ◦ Argument - “we need to teach students to think for themselves.” ? Wednesday, February 4, 2009

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Consider

handing out a study guide a week before each test. Make it thorough. ◦ “Here’s the 574-page text—you’re responsible for all of it ?

No

surprises on tests! The students should never see a type of question or problem that they had no reason to expect. Wednesday, February 4, 2009

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Review

your learning objectives before and after writing each test. Minimize speed as a factor in performance on tests. Design 10–15% of the test to discriminate between A-level and B-level performance. Always work out a test from scratch when you have the final Wednesday, February 4, 2009

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If

possible, have a colleague read (or work through) the test for clarity. Revise again if necessary. Return graded tests promptly to maximize learning. Consider a time limit for requesting re- grading (e.g., one week). Have students make all requests in writing explaining their case. Wednesday, February 4, 2009

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Tips for Quantitative ProblemSolving Tests

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You should be able to work out the test in 1/3 the time students will have to do it. If you can’t, cut it down: — Eliminate questions — Present some formulas instead of requiring derivations — Ask for solution outlines rather than complete calculations.

 Closed-book

exams test primarily memory; open-book exams test primarily understanding. Give the type of exam that tests what you want the students to emphasize. Wednesday, February 4, 2009

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Tips for Multiple-Choice Tests Allow

time to prepare. (hard to construct well, easy to grade) Write some items to assess higher levels of thinking. Consider using short paragraph, chart, or graph followed by several test items. Encourage students to explain answers to questions that seem tricky or confusing. Wednesday, February 4, 2009

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Options (brief & simply written) — Put most information in question, minimum in options — List options on separate lines — Distribute correct answers randomly among option positions — The correct answer should not always be the longest one — Avoid negatives, “all of the above,” “none of the above”

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

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Tips for Essay Tests 

Preparing your class

— Discuss types of questions and show sample answers — Announce how spelling, grammar, and handwriting will affect essay grades Set

up multiple-part problems so that the parts are independent. Wednesday, February 4, 2009

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Designing the questions

— Only try to test one or two objectives per item — Reserve essay questions for Bloom application level or higher — Have a colleague read each question for clarity — Indicate on test the point value and an appropriate response length or time — Allow students three times longer to answer a question than it takes you to answer it Wednesday, February 4, 2009

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When determining appropriate test length, allow about 2 minutes for a short-answer question requiring more than a sentence to answer, 10-15 minutes for a limited essay question, and a half-hour to an hour for a broader question requiring more than a page or two to answer.

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Wednesday, February 4, 2009

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TIPS ON TEST-TAKING I. Preparation  Study in small groups − Make sure your study group contains only students who are serious about studying, at least some of whom are at your level of ability or better. − Go over as many different problems as you can (like old homework problems, unassigned problems in the course text, old exams). Set up the solutions, but don’t crunch numbers. Don’t quit on a problem until you’re convinced you could do it yourself. − Brainstorm possible things you could be Wednesday, February asked and answers you4, 2009 might give.

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Make

up a one-page summary sheet of the key ideas, equations, procedures, etc., that you might need to know on the test.

Don’t

stay up all night studying. Try to get a reasonable amount of sleep the night before the exam. If that’s not possible, try to get a nap before the exam, or at least a short rest. Wednesday, February 4, 2009

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Set

up a backup system for your alarm clock. Set a second alarm, or arrange for a wakeup call from a friend. Eat breakfast. Arrange backup transportation to campus. Bring everything you need to the exam. Wednesday, February 4, 2009

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II. Taking the Test Read

over the whole question paper before beginning to write anything.

Choose

the problem or question that seems easiest to you and do it first. Continue to do the problems in order of increasing difficulty.

Read

the carefully, and

problem/question make sure you

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

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Show

your work. Give enough detail so that both you and the teacher can tell what you’re trying to do. Even if you can do the problem in your head, don’t. If you’re wrong, you get a zero; if you’re right, you could be suspected of cheating.

Watch

out for significant figures. Some instructors don’t appreciate answers like 23.694028, Wednesday, February 4, 2009

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 Keep

your work legible. If the teacher can’t read what you wrote, you aren’t likely to get full credit, and you may not get any.

 If

you don’t understand a question, ask the instructor/proctor for help. You might get some, and it never hurts to try.

 Don’t

panic. If you feel yourself sweating or hyperventilating, put down your pencil, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and consciously relax Wednesday, February 4, 2009

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If

you have time at the end, check your solutions. Did you answer each part of every question? Did you answer the question(s) asked? Do your answers seem reasonable? Do your calculations check out? (Save this one for last.)

Hand

in your paper when time is called. Nothing makes an instructor more homicidal than having to wrestle you to the floor to get your paper. Wednesday, February 4, 2009

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