Objective test items 1. The mistakes that evaluators make when phrasing true-false items are: • • • • • • • •
Using absolutes like all, always, never or only in a statement. Using double barreled statements that take time to read and comprehend. Using tricky questions that will confuse students. Using double negative without using uppercase letters, italics, highlighting and underlining to emphasize the negative. Using opinionated statements which are neither obviously true nor obviously false without stating the referent. Using indefinites like, regularly, long time, large etc in a statement. Using ambiguous statements that are broad and general. Using verbal clues by taking statements directly from the text.
2. The mistakes that evaluators make when phrasing matching items are: • • • • • • • •
Using equal number of options and descriptions which increases the chances of students guessing correctly by eliminating answers. Using long and heterogeneous lists options and descriptions. Using too many correct responses. They do not number the descriptions and options are not identified by a letter. They do not write the descriptions on the right-hand side and options on the left- hand side. They do not give clear directions in specifying the basis for matching and whether options can be used more than once. They use ambiguous lists which may confuse students. They do not sort list of options in a chronological or alphabetical order.
3. The mistakes that evaluators make when phrasing multiple-choice items are: • • • • • • •
Making use of grammatical clues to the question which will enable students to answer items correctly. Using multiple-defensive answers which are irrelevant to the instructional objective. Making use of identical words in both the stem and the option. Making use of opinionated items without stating the referent or the source. They do not arrange list of options in alphabetical or chronological order. They do not present a problem or situation in a stem. They do not highlight the negative with uppercase letters, italics or underlining.
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They make use of redundancies in the options. They make use of ‘all of the above’ and ‘none of the above’ options.
4. The mistakes that evaluators make when phrasing completion items are: • • • •
They They They They end.
make use of more than one blank per item. use general statements. make use of multiple-defensible answers. use the blank near the beginning of the sentence and not at the
5. Approaches that can be followed when phrasing higher level multiple-choice items are: • • • •
Write at least some objectives that measure comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis or evaluation. Use pictures, drawings, graphs, tables etc for students to think at the application level of the taxonomy of educational objectives. Use analogies that demonstrate relationships among terms. Applying previously learned principles or procedures to novel situations.