Teacher Made Tests

Teacher Made Tests

1. planning classroom test

   • purpose of test
   • what is to be tested
   • table of specifications
   • when to test
   • kinds of questions to use
   • how many questions
   • level of difficulty
   • test format

2. selecting and preparing test questions

   • essay questions
     • restricted response
       • establish limits for form and scope
       • measure comprehensions, application and analysis
     • extended response
       • no limits on form and scope
       • recall, evaluate, organize and present factual knowledge
       • skills in synthesis and evaluation are tested
     • advantages
       • comparatively easier to prepare
       • students supply answer
       • measure higher order thinking
       • stimulate creativity and freedom of expression
     • disadvantages
       • sample content is limited
       • vulnerable to unreliable scoring
       • student may not understand question
         • unsure how to respond
       • great deal of time to read and score
     • writing essay quesions
       • 1. reserve adequate time to prepare
       • 2. precisely define direction and scope
       • 3. indicate point value of each question
       • 4. use to measure objectives that cannot be measured as well in other formats
       • 5. use many questions requiring brief answers
       • 6. consider time needed for response and time available for test
       • 7. adapt length/complexity of response to maturity of students
       • 8. do not provide optional questions
       • 9. decide in advance how will be scored
       • 10. prepare scoring key
     • evaluating essay questions
       • analytical method
       • rating method
       • guideline
         • 1. check scoring key against responses
           • read a few randomly selected papers to determine appropriateness of scoring key
           • make adjustments as needed
         • 2. score spelling, penmanship, grammar, writing style independently of subject matter
         • 3. score responses anonymously
           • conceal student's name when evaluating responses
         • 4. evaluate one question for all students at a time
         • 5. shuffle papers before grading each question
         • 6. score all responses to one questions without interruption
         • 7. conduct 2 readings of the test and use average as final score
         • 8. provide comments and correct answers
         • 9. set realistic standards
   • objective questions
     • multiple choice
       • stem
         • problem
       • responses
         • suggested answers
       • distracters
         • incorrect responses
       • direct question format
       • incomplete statement format
       • advantages
         • test in several levels of cognitive domain
         • scored quickly and accurately
         • relatively efficient
           • number of questions asked in given amount of time
         • can test wide range of topics in short amount of time
         • not significantly affected by guessing
       • disadvantages
         • difficult to construct
         • plausible sounding distracters are hard to find
         • tendency to write only factual recall questions
         • test wise student perform better than non test wise students
       • guidelines
         • 1. use direct question or incomplete statement
           • direct question often preferable
         • 2. write in clear and simple language
         • 3. make response choices brief
         • 4. one correct or best answer to each
         • 5. incomplete statement, place choices at end
         • 6. 4 to 5 response choices
         • 7. only plausible response choices
         • 8. list response in vertical, easy to read format
         • 9. use letters for response choices
         • 10. avoid patters of answers
     • matching
       • set of directions
       • list of stems or numbered items
       • list of choices
       • well suited to test knowledge in terms
         • definitions
         • dates
         • names
         • events
         • other simple relationships
       • advantages
         • many questions asked in limited amount of time
         • easy to score
         • test material can be broad
         • guessing is limited
       • disadvantages
         • serial memorization rather than association
         • difficult to get clusters of questions sufficiently alike that common set of responses can be used
         • difficult to avoid giving clues
         • too many items can be confusing
         • not well adapted to measure understanding of concepts
       • guidelines
         • 1. list homogeneous premises on left/ options to be matched on right
         • 2. list in logical or sytsematic order
         • 3. keep relatively short
           • 5 to 8 items is optimumal
         • 4. provide extra responses
         • 5. stems longer more involved statements/ responses are short and simple
         • 6. number each stem and use capital letters for responses
     • true/false
       • advantages
         • good for poor readers
         • cover large amount of content
         • high reliability
         • scored quickly and reliabily
         • adaptable to most subject areas
         • measure higher mental processes of understanding, application and interpretation
       • disadvantages
         • influenced by guessing
         • susceptible to ambiguity and misinterpretation
           • causing low reliability
         • lend to cheating more than other types
         • some statements are not entirely true or false
           • determiners often added
       • guidelines
         • 1. be certain item is absolutely true or false
         • 2. avoid loosely worded/ambiguous statements
         • 3. highlight central point by placing in prominent position
         • 4. avoid negative statements
         • 5. avoid true statements longer than false statements
         • 6. avoid disproportionate # of true or false
     • short answer
       • advantages
         • students less likely to guess correct answer
         • easy to construct
       • disadvantages
         • difficult to score
         • emphasis on vocab and recall
       • guidelines
         • 1. direct question better than completion statement
         • 2. use to measure recall only
         • 3. lead to one or two specific words or phrases
         • 4. completion- place blanks near end of sentence
         • 5. completion- no more than 1 or 2 completions on one test item
         • 6. leave enough clues so students know answer selected is correct

3. assembling the test

   • grouping and arranging test items
     • all questions in one format should be grouped together
       • fewest sets of directions
       • easiest for students
     • sequence when using 2 or more formats
       • 1. true/false
       • 2. matching
       • 3. short answer
       • 4. multiple choice
       • 5. interpretive exercises
       • 6. essay
     • within each format, questions related to same objective should be grouped
     • within each format, arranged in order of ascending difficulty
   • writing test directions
     • guidelines
       • 1. specific set of written directions for each format
       • 2. indicate basis
       • 3. indicate how to record answers
       • 4. indicate point value of each question
       • 5. indicate purpose, time available, should students guess
   • formatting and reproducing
     • guidelines
       • 1. space items to be easily read, answered and scored
       • 2. # consecutively throughout
       • 3. generous borders
       • 4. stems and options on one page
       • 5. matching- list premises and choices on same page
       • 6. t/f, matching and multiple choice most convenient
       • 7. avoid definite response pattern
       • 8. one side of page should be used for responses to all objective questions
       • 9. use computer to make most legible quality print

4. administering the test

   • guidelines
     • 1. comfortable testing conditions
     • 2. no warning about importance of test
     • 3. avoid testing before or after long vaction
     • 4. reminders for time remaining
     • 5. discourage cheating through careful proctoring
     • 6. do not talk unnecessarily before test
     • 7. minimum interrumptions
     • 8. avoid hints about test items
     • 9. indicate what students are to do upon test completion before the start of the test

5. scoring the test

   • answer key should be prepared and checked in advance