TEST CONSTRUCTION Part II

Presented by:Arnel O. Rivera

http://www.slideshare.net/ArnelSSI

“ Testing is generally concerned with turning performance into

numbers.” (Baxter, 1997)

Guidelines for Test ConstructionGuidelines for Test Construction

What is testing?What is testing?

InformInform learners and teachers of the strengths and

MotivateMotivate learners to review or consolidate specific material

Guide the planning/development of the ongoing teaching

Determine if the objectives

Encourage improvementimprovement

Create a sense of accomplishment

Guidelines for Test ConstructionGuidelines for Test Construction

What are tests for?What are tests for?

weaknessesweaknesses of the process

processprocess

have been achieved

BARRIERS IN TEST CONSTRUCTIONMs. Alanganin –Mr. Highfalutin –Ms. Madaldal –Ms. Magulo –Ms. Malabo –

Mr. Pulpol –Ms. Foringer –Ms. Colonial Mentality –

confusing statementsdifficult vocabularyexcessive wordinesscomplex sentence structureunclear instructionsunclear illustrative materialslinguistically bound words

culturally bound words

Matching Type

Parts of the Matching Type Test(Vertical Type)

Column A

(Premise)

Column B

(Response)

Parts of the Matching Type Test(Horizontal Type)

(Premise)

(Response)

The list of responses should be relatively short.Response options should be arranged alphabetically or numerically.Directions clearly indicate the basis for matching.

Can responses be used more than once? Where will you place your answer? Can students infer relationships or are

they based on real world logic?

What to Look for on Matching Type Tests

Position of matches should be varied. Avoid using patterns.

The choices of each matching set should be on one page

There are more responses than premises in a single set if responses cannot be used more than once.

What to Look for on Matching Type Tests

The premises are homogeneous as well as the responses and are grouped as one item. Example:

Set A: Provinces in Region I Set B: Provinces in CAR

If responses can be used more than once, it should be proportional to the number of premises (3:5 or 4:10)

What to Look for on Matching Type Tests

Examples:

Directions: Match the following.1. Food A. Primary reinforcer2. Psychoanalysis B. Sigmund Freud3. B.F. Skinner C. Operant

conditioning4. Standard deviation D. Measure of

variability5. Schizophrenia E. Hallucinations

Examples:Better: (Use homogenous material in matching items, and if responses are not to be used more than once, include more responses than stimuli.)Match the theories in Column A with their proponents in Column B. Write the letter of the correct answer.

Column A Column B___ 1. Psychodynamic Theory A. Albert Bandura___ 2. Trait Theory B. B.F. Skinner___ 3. Behaviorism C. Carl Rogers___ 4. Humanism D. Gordon Allport___ 5. Social Learning Theory E. Karn Horney

F. Raymond CattellG. Sigmund Freud

Activity:

• Prepare a 4 – 5 item Matching type questions based on the selection in your activity sheet.

Sentence Completion / Fill-in the Blanks

Only significant words are omitted.

When omitting words, enough clues are left so that the student who knows the correct answer can supply the correct response.

Ensure that grammatical clues are avoided.

What to Look for on Sentence Completion Tests

Blanks are at the end of the statement.

The length of the responses are limited to single words or short phrases.

Questions are not lifted as verbatim quotes from text.

What to Look for on Sentence Completion Tests

Examples:

1. An animal with six legs is called _________.

The item is so indefinite.It can be completed with answers such as bee, mosquito or any other insectBetter:

1. Animals with six legs are called ___________.

Examples:

1.The __________ is the answer in _____.

Too many key words are omitted. Lines are not in equal length.

Better:

1. The product is the answers in _________.

Examples:

1. If a mango weighs 250 grams, 10 mangoes would weigh ______.

There are two possible answers – 250 grams and .25 kilos.

Better:1. If a mango weighs 250 grams, 10 mangoes would weigh ____ grams.

Activity:

• Prepare three sentence completion questions based on the selection in your activity sheet.

Essay / Short Answer Test

Types of Essay Items:

Extended response type

The test may be answered by the examinee in whatever manner he wants Example: Do you think teachers

should be allowed to work abroad as domestic helpers? Explain your answer.

Two Types of Essay Items:Restricted response type

The test limits the examinees response may be answered by the examinee’s responses in terms of length, content, style or organization. Example: Give and explain three

reasons why the government should or should not allow teachers to work abroad as domestic helpers.

The task is clearly defined. The students are given an idea on the scope and direction you intended for the answer to take. The question starts with a description of the required behavior to put them in the correct mind frame.

E.g. “Compare” or “Analyze”

What to Look for on Essay Tests

The questions are written in the linguistic level appropriate to the students.

Questions require a student to demonstrate command of background information, not simply repeating information.

What to Look for on Essay Tests

Questions regarding a student’s opinion on a certain issue should focus not on the opinion but on the way it is presented and argued.

A larger number of shorter, more specific questions are better, than, one or two longer questions.

What to Look for on Essay Tests

Proposed Criteria in Grading Essay Test

Ideas (20%)

Weight of Evidence Presented (40%)

Correct Usage (20%)

Logical Conclusions drawn from the evidence (20%)

Example:What is wrong with this question?

Describe asthma?

Better: (Clearly explain what is expected of the student.)

Describe asthma. Include in your answer :a. the pathophysiologic features of asthmab. the clinical manifestations associated

with an asthma episodec. the management of an asthma episode.

(10 points)

Example:What is wrong with this question?Who is better, Rizal or Bonifacio?

Better: ( The students are given an idea on the scope and direction you intended for the answer to take.)Compare and contrast the method used by Rizal and Bonifacio in promoting nationalism. (5 points)

Activity:

• Prepare two essay questions based on the selection in your activity sheet. It should cover the extended response type and the restrictive response type.

Other types of Test Questions

Restricted Response Test (RRT)Test takers are not given choices as possible

answers. Items ask for a specific answer to each questions. Example:

Who discovered the Philippines?Enumerate the four elements of the

state?

Principles in constructing RRT

Do not ask for trivial facts or details. It is not only useless but also frustrates the students. How many balls are used in a 9-ball match?

Questions should elicit facts not opinions? What do you think Pres. GMA should do for the

country to recover from its’ economic deficit?

Minimize questions that call for sheer memory work unless if the answer has important analytical significance. When will the next president be sworn to office?

Test takers are asked to arrange items in a systematic or logical order. Arrange the presidents according to their

term of office._____ Fidel Ramos

_____ Joseph Estrada

_____ Corazon Aquino

_____ Gloria Macapagal - Arroyo

Chronological Sequencing Test (CST)

Principles in constructing CST

Items should be homogenous and are related to each other.There should not be more than 5 items in each set.Do not number the items. This confuses the students.All items to be arranged should be in the same page.Directions should be clearly stated and that each set should be labeled about their relevance.

What is wrong in this test question?

Arrange the following events in their chronological order.

1. Bataan Surrenders

2. The Japanese attacks the US fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

3. Hitler invades Poland

4. The US declares war with Japan.

5. Gen. MacArthur escapes to Australia.

Better:

21-25.) War in the Pacific

Arrange the following events in chronological order. Write the numbers 1-5 on the blanks provided.

___ USAFEE forces in Bataan surrender to the Japanese.

___ Japanese forces attacks the US fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

___ Japan breaks diplomatic ties with the US.

___ The US declares war with Japan.

___ Gen. MacArthur escapes to Australia from Corregidor.

Proposed Arrangement of Test Items

• True or False

• Multiple Choice

• Matching Type

• Sentence Completion

• Others (RRT/Analogy/CST)

• Essay

Things to Remember:Making a good test takes timeTeachers have the obligation to provide their students with the best evaluationTests play an essential role in the life of the students, parents, teachers and other educatorsBreak any of the rules when you have a good reason for doing so! (emphasis mine)

(Mehrens, 1973)

A good lesson makes a good question

A good question makes a good content

A good content makes a good test

A good test makes a good grade

A good grade makes a good student

A good student makes a good COMMUNITY

Jesus Ochave Ph.D.

VP Research Planning & Development

Philippine Normal University

POINTS TO PONDER…

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