Educational Assessment and Evaluation (Constructing Objective Test Items)
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This document discusses objective test items and their construction and evaluation. It defines objective tests as those that can be scored objectively without relying on subjective judgment. Objective items include multiple choice, true/false, matching, and short answer questions. When constructing objective items, clear learning objectives, thorough subject knowledge, and an understanding of students is important. Objective tests have advantages like objective scoring but are limited in their ability to measure complex skills. The document provides guidelines for constructing and evaluating high-quality objective test items.
Educational Assessment and Evaluation (Constructing Objective Test Items)
- 1. EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION BY HINA JALAL (PHD SCHOLAR GCUF) Constructing Objective Test Items Gilbert S. (1989) defines tests as “Any test having clear and unambiguous scoring criteria. Because multiple choice and true false tests can usually score objectively, they are sometimes referred to as objective tests”. R.L. Ebel and D.A. Frisbie (1986) define as “an objective test is one that can be provided with a simple predetermined test of correct answer so that objective opinion judgment in the scoring procedure is eliminated”. W. Wiersma and S.G. Jurs (1990) define that objective items as “items that can be objectively scored; items on which persons select a response from a list of options”. The construction of objective tests items requires that teachers have following skills” • Have clear learning objectives • Thorough grasp of the subject matter • Have clear learning outcomes • Psychological understanding of students • Have good judgment • Sound judgment, persistence, and creativity • Have a touch of creativity Characteristics • The objective type tests require the pupils to supply a word or to select a correct answer from a no. of alternatives. • The objective type tests are highly structured. • Scoring is objective, quick, easy, and accurate. • The objective type tests inappropriate to organize and integrate ideas. • The objective type tests are highly reliable. • The objective type tests are specific to the material and have adequate content sampling. • The objective type tests have objectivity. Different Types Types Characteristics Merits Demerits Multiple Choice Forms Ebel and Frisbie (1986) defines Multiple choice as “a multiple- choice item has two parts: the stem consisting of a direct question or an incomplete statement and two or more options, consisting of answer to the question or completion of the statement”. (1) one introductory statement called “the stem” (2) more than three options. • Can measure full range of Bloom's taxonomy • Easier to score and more objective (reduces opportunity for guessing • Does not require homogeneous material • Relatively free of response sets; •Limited to problems only •May not be appropriate for measuring problem-solving skills •Difficulty in finding several plausible distractors •Difficult to construct •Homogeneity •Support guessing •Examine limited knowledge •Cannot measures complex learning outcomes
- 2. EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION BY HINA JALAL (PHD SCHOLAR GCUF) (3) The options are either distractors or the correct choice. results are amenable to diagnosis • Easy to solve and mark Short Answer / Completion Items Norman E. Gronlund (1985) stated that “short answer item is a supply test item that can be answered by the examinee to respond to the item with a word, short phrase, number, or a symbol”. Can be used to measure all levels of Bloom's taxonomy • Is typically used to measure the recall of factual information. • It is supply type test. • It is in the form of question. • It stands between essay type and object type test items. • It measures simple learning outcomes. • It measures problem solving ability. • Reduces guessing • Easy to construct • Measures partial knowledge • It is good to assess lower level of learning. • Unsuitable for measuring complex learning outcomes • Difficulty of scoring dependent on student's level of writing (legibility, spelling, sentence construction) • Scoring is based on subjectivity True-False or Alternate Choice Items Stanley and Hopkins (1990) defined alternative responses as “The true-false tests are a form that is very popular with classroom teachers has been the object of more criticism than any other form of objectives test”. It is selection type test. It is consisting of declarative statement. Students require one of the two possible answers. It measures simple learning outcomes like knowledge and understandings. • It is easy to construct. • A wide sampling of course can be obtained. • Time saving. • Students can respond to two or three times as many alternative items than multiple choice items. • High degree of objectivity. • Allow high degree of guessing (50%) • Copying is possible. • Clues and regular pattern help examinee to respond correctly. • Emphasize on rote memorization. • Frequently ambiguous. • Not especially useful past the knowledge level • Cannot measures complex learning outcomes • Cannot be used as diagnostic
- 3. EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION BY HINA JALAL (PHD SCHOLAR GCUF) Matching Items W. Werisma and S.G. Jurs (1990) stated that “an item consisting of a two column format premises and responses that requires the students to take a correspondence between the sets”. • It is selection type of test. • It consists of two parallel columns. • The items in the column for which a match is sought are called “premises”. • The selection items in the column called responses. • It measures information based on relationship. • Easier to score and more objective (increases reliability); • Does not require homogeneous material • Relatively free of response sets; results are amenable to diagnosis • It is easy to construct. • A wide sampling of course can be obtained. • Time saving. • Limited to problems • May not be appropriate for measuring problem- solving skills • Difficulty in finding several plausible responses • Allow high degree of guessing (50%) • Copying is possible. • Clues and regular pattern help examinee to respond correctly. • Emphasize on rote memorization. Rules to construct for objective type test 1. Select relevant material to the objectives of the course 2. Select material that is appropriate to the students' curricular experience and reading level 3. Select material that is new to the students 4. Select material that is brief but meaningful 5. Revise material for clarity, conciseness and greater interpretive value 6. Construct test items that require analysis and interpretation of the introductory material 7. Make the length of test items roughly proportional to the length of the introductory material 8. In constructing test items for an interpretive exercise, observe all pertinent suggestions for constructing other objective test items Advantages of objective type test 1. Ability to measure interpretation of written materials 2. Ability to measure more complex learning outcomes 3. Greater depth and breadth can be obtained in the measurement 4. Minimizes the influence of irrelevant information 5. Forces students to use only the mental processes called for 6. Can measure separate aspects of the problem-solving process 7. Can be scored objectively and not affected by personal opinion 8. A large sampling of course content is possible, by including large numbers of items. 9. High reliability is possible when constructed well. 10. Due to lack of choices students cover whole syllabus. Limitations of objective type test 1. Difficulty in constructing items and finding appropriate introductory material 2. Introductory material may rely too heavily on reading ability 3. Measures separate aspects, not the whole problem-solving process 4. Limited to outcomes at the recognition level.
- 4. EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION BY HINA JALAL (PHD SCHOLAR GCUF) 5. The objective type tests inappropriate to organize and integrate ideas. 6. Subject to guessing 7. The preparation of items demand training. 8. The writing ability, high complex learning, and students’ analyzing ability cannot be assessed. Evaluating Objective Test Items When evaluating test items, check to see that: 1. There are no spelling or grammatical errors 2. The formatting makes the test easier to take 3. There are no unnecessary clues in the stem 4. The reading / writing levels are appropriate 5. The items / questions have student appeal 6. The items / questions are free of superfluous material 7. There are no tricky phrases or clauses