Tcp Chapter 3 [compatibility Mode]

ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Lecture Notes

Prepared by: Harold John D. Culala Far Eastern University

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Topic: Advantages and Limitations of the following tests: A. Completion and Short-Answer Items B. Essay Items C. Multiple-Choice Items D. True-False and Other Alternative-Choice Items

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I. Learning Targets At the end of this lesson the students should be able to: a. list the advantages of these formal tests: completion and short- answer items, essay items, multiple-choice items, true-false and other alternative-choice items; b. discuss the limitations of theses formal tests: completion and short- answer items, essay items, multiple-choice items, true-false and other alternative-choice items; and c. appreciate formal tests.

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A.

Advantages of the Formal Tests 1.

Completion and short-answer item (also known as fill-inthe blanks)  Construction of a completion question is relatively easy  Guessing is eliminated because the question requires recall.  It takes less time to complete than the multiple-choice items thus a greater proportion of content can be covered.

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2. Essay Items 

It is most effective in assessing complex learning outcomes.

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With regard its construction, it is relatively easy to construct.

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It emphasizes communication skills in complex academic disciplines.

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Its nature eliminates guessing.

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3.

Multiple-choice Item

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Possesses much versatility in measuring objectives from the knowledge to the evaluation level.

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A substantial amount of subject matter can be sampled in a relatively short time.

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Since it requires only a count of the number of correct responses, scoring is highly objective.

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It can be written so that students must discriminate among options that vary in degree of correctness and this allows the student to select the best alternative.

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The effects of guessing are reduced because of the multiple options.

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4. True-False and Other Alternative-Choice Item  Since the question tends to be short, more subject matter can be covered than with any other item format.  It takes less time to construct, but one should avoid taking statements directly from the textbook.  Scoring is easier with T-F questions.

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B.

Limitations of the Formal Tests 1.

Completion and short-answer item 

Usually encourages a relatively low level of response.



Scoring can be difficult since the stem must be general enough so as not to communicate the correct answer. This can unintentionally lead to more than one defensible answer.

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The restriction of an answer to a few words tends to measure the recall of specific facts as opposed to mastery of more complex concepts.

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2.

Essay Items

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It is difficult to score.

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Scores are unreliable because it is difficult to maintain a common set of criteria for all students.

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Only a limited sample of the total instructional content can be assessed.

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Bluffing by students.

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3. Multiple-choice Item

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Can be time consuming to write.

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Can sometimes have more than one defensible correct answer.

4. True-False and Other Alternative-Choice Item 

Tends to emphasize rote memorization of knowledge.

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Presumes that the answer to the question or issue is unequivocally true or false.

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Allows for and sometimes encourages a high degree of guessing.

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Topic: Factors to be Considered in Test Construction

 Number of Items  Use of Items of Appropriate Difficulty  Physical Arrangement of Items  Logical Steps to be Followed in Test Construction and  Guidelines in Constructing Formal Tests.

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I. Learning Targets: At the end of the lesson the students should be able to: a.

identify the factors that can be considered in test construction;

b.

explain how each factor is essential in constructing quality test items;

c.

discuss guidelines in constructing formal tests, and

d.

appreciate the factors and guidelines to be considered in test construction.

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Factors to Consider in Test Construction

A. Number of Items or Length of Test  The longer the test is, the higher its reliability will be.  A longer test provides a more adequate sample of the behavior being measured.  Scores will be less distorted by chance factors like guessing.

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B. Use of Items of Appropriate Difficulty

 Norm-referenced tests that are too easy or too difficult for the group members taking it tend to produce scores of low reliability.  Both easy and difficult tests result in restricted spread of scores.  The scores are close together at the top end of the scale for the easy test.

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B. Use of Items of Appropriate Difficulty

• The scores are grouped together at the bottom end of the scale for the difficult test. • A norm referenced test of ideal difficulty will permit the scores to spread out over the full range of the scale. • The failure to match the difficulty specified by the learning outcome lowers the validity.

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C. Physical Arrangement of Items

 Tests items are usually arranged in order of difficulty with the easiest items first.  Difficult items placed early in the test may cause pupils to spend too much time on these and prevent them from reaching items they could easily answer.  Improper arrangement may also influence validity by having a negative effect on the motivation of students, especially the young ones.

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D. Logical Steps to be Followed in Test Construction  Likelihood of preparing valid, reliable, and useful classroom tests is enhanced to a large extent if the following series of steps is followed:  determining the purpose of testing  developing the test specifications  selecting appropriate item types  preparing relevant test items  assembling the test  administering the test  appraising the test  using the results

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E.

Guidelines in Constructing Formal Tests

1. Completion and Short-Answer Items  If at all possible items should require a single-word answer or a brief and definite answer. a. Poor item: World War II ended in ______. b. Better item: World War II ended in the year ______.   

Be sure the question or statement poses a problem to the examinee. A direct question is preferred since it provides more structure. Be sure the answer that the student is required to give is factually correct.

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

Omit only key words; do not eliminate many elements that the sense of the content is impaired. a. Poor item:

b. Bette item:

The _____ type of test item is usually more _____ than the _____ type. The supply type of test item is usually graded less objectively than the _____ type.

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Word the statement so that the blank is near the end of the sentence rather than near the beginning.

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If the problem requires a numerical answer, indicate the units in which it is to be expressed.

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2. Essay Items 

Have clearly in mind what mental processes you want the student to use before starting to write the question. Poor item: Describe the escape routes considered by Mark and Alisha in the story “Hawaiian Mystery”. Better item: Consider the story about Mark and Alisha. Remember the part where they had to escape over the volcanic ridge? Compare the advantages of Mark’s plan of escape with that of Alisha’s. Which provided the least risk to their safety and which plan of escape would get them home the quickest? Which would you have chosen and why?

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 Write the question to clearly and unambiguously define the task to the student.  Tasks should be explained a. orally b. in the overall instructions c. in the test items themselves  Start essay questions with such words or phrases as compare, contrast, give reasons for, give original examples of, predict what would happen if, etc.  Do not begin an essay question with words such as what, who, when and list.

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 Establish reasonable time and/or page limits for each essay question to help the student complete his answer.  Avoid using optional items.  Require all students to complete the same items.  Be sure each question relates to an instructional objective.

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3. Multiple-Choice Items 

The stem of the item should clearly formulate a problem, i.e., include as much of the item as possible, seeing to it that the response options are as short as possible.

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Be sure there is one and only one correct or clearly best answer.

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Be sure wrong answer choices (distractors) are plausible.

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Eliminate unintentional grammatical clues.

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

Keep the length and form of all the answer choices equal.

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Use the option “none of the above” sparingly and only when the keyed answer can be classified unequivocally as right or wrong.

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Avoid using “all of the above.” It is usually the correct answer and makes the item too easy for students with partial information.

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4. True-False or other Alternative-Choice Item 

The desired method of marking true or false should be clearly explained before students take the test.

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Construct statements that are definitely true or definitely false, without additional qualifications.

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If opinion is used, attribute it to a specific source.

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Use relatively short statements and eliminate extraneous material.

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Keep true and false statements at approximately the same length.

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Have an equal number of true and false statements.

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