Construction of A Written test

1. CONSTRUCTION OF
A WRITTEN TEST
Prepared by:
Group IV
BSE 2 Mathematics

2. DESIRED SIGNIFICANT LEARNING OUTCOMES
In this lesson, you are expected to:
• Identify the appropriate test format to measure learning outcomes, and
• apply the general guidelines in constructing test items for different test
formats.
SIGNIFICANT CULMINATING PERFORMANCE TASK and SUCCESS INDICATORS
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to demonstrate your
knowledge and skills in constructing traditional types of tests that are most
applicable to a particular learning outcome.

3. You are considered successful in this culminating performance task if you have satisfied at
least the following indicators of success:
Performance Tasks Success Indicators
Classifying tests
Identify the test format that is must
appropriate for a particular learning
outcome.
Designing a test
Create an assessment plan aligned with
the desired learning outcomes (DLOs) and
the teaching and learning activities
(TLAs).
Constructing test items
Develop test items following the general
guidelines for test construction of
different test formats.

4. PREREQUISITE OF THIS LESSON
The construction of good tests requires specific skills and experience. To be
able to successfully perform the culminating performance tasks, you should be
able to distinguish the different test types and formats, and understand the
processes and requirements in setting learning objectives and outcomes and in
preparing the table of specifications. To fuly grasp this particular lesson, it is
suggested that you review Lesson 3 and 4.

5. PREPARE
Classroom assessments are an integral part of learner's learning. They do than just
measure learning. They also inform the learners what needs to be learned and to what extent
and how to learn them. They also provide the parents some feedback about their child's
achievement of the desired learning outcomes. The schools also get to benefit from classroom
assessments because learners' test results can provide them evidence-based data that are
useful for instructional planning and decision-making.
There are many ways by which learners can demonstrate their knowledge and skills
and show evidence of their proficiencies at the end of a lesson, unit, or subject. While
authentic/performance-based assessments have been advocated as the better and more
appropriate methods in assessing learning outcomes, particularly as they assess higher-level
thinking skills, traditional written assessment methods, such as multiple choice tests, are also
considered as appropriate and efficient classroom assessment tools for some types of learning
targets. This is especially true for large classes and when test results are needed immediately
for some educational decisions.

6. GENERAL GUIDELINES IN CHOOSING THE APPROPRIATE TEST FORMAT
Not every test is universally valid for every type of learning outcome. To guide you on
choosing the appropriate test format and designing fair and appropriate yet challenging tests,
you should ask the following important questions:
1. What are the objectives or desired learning outcomes of the subject/unit/ lesson being
assessed?
• Deciding on what test format to use generally depends on your learning objectives or the
desired learning outcomes of the subject/unit/lesson. Desired learning outcomes (DLOs)
are statements of what learners are expected to do or demonstrate as a result of engaging
in the learning process.

7. 2. What level of thinking is to be assessed (i.e., remembering , understanding, applying,
analyzing, evaluating, and creating)? Does the cognitive level of the test question match
your instructional objectives or DLOs?
• The level of thinking to be assessed is also an important factor to consider when designing your
test, as this will guide you in choosing the appropriate test format.
• For example, if you intend to assess how much your learners are able to identify important
concepts discussed in class (i,e,. remembering or identifying level), a selected-response format
such as multiple-choice test would be appropriate. However, if you intend to assess hoe your
students will be able to explain and apply in another setting a concept or framework learned in
class (i.e., applying and/or analyzing level), you may consider giving constructed-response test
formats such as essays.
• It is important that when constructing classroom assessment tools, all levels of cognitive
behaviors are represented--from Remembering (R), Understanding (U), Applying (Ap), Analyzing
(An), Evaluating (E), and Creating (C)--and taking into consideration the Knowledge Dimensions,
i.e., Factual (F), Conceptual (C), Procedural (P), and Metacognition (M).

8. 3. Is the test matched or aligned with the course's DLOs and the course contents or
learning activities?
• The assessment tasks should be aligned with the instructional activities and the DLOs.
Thus, it is important that you are clear about what DLOs are to be addressed by your
test and what course activities or tasks are to be implemented to achieve the DLOs.
4. Are the test items realistic to the students?
• Test items should be meaningful and realistic to the learners. They should be relevant
or related to their everyday experiences. The use of concepts, terms, or situations
that have not been discussed in the class or that they have never encountered, read,
or heard about should be minimized or avoided. This is to prevent learners from
making wild guesses, which will undermine your measurement of what they have
really learned from the class.

9. MAJOR CATEGORIES AND FORMATS OF TRADITIONAL TESTS
Two major categories:
1. Selected-Response Tests - requires learners to choose the correct answer or best
alternative from several choices. While they can cover a wide range of learning
materials very efficiently and measure a variety of learning outcomes, they are limited
when assessing learning outcomes that involve more complex and higher-level thinking
skills. Selected response test include:
• Multiple Choice Test. It is the most commonly used format in formal testing and typically
consists of a stem (problem), one correct or best alternative (correct answer), and three
or more incorrect or inferior alternatives (distractors).
• True-False or Alternative Response Test. It generally consists of a statement and
deciding if the statement is true (accurate/correct) or false (inaccurate/incorrect).
• Matching-Type Test. It consists of two sets of items to be matched with each other based
on a specified attribute.

10. 2. Constructed-Response Tests- require learners to supply answers to a given question or
problem. These includes:
• Short Answer Test. It consists of open-ended questions or incomplete sentences that require
learners to create an answer for each item, which is typically a single word or short phrase.
This includes the following tests:
Completion. It consists of incomplete statements that require the learners to fill in the
blanks with the correct word or phrase.
Identification. It consists of statements that require the learners to identify or recall the
terms/concepts, people, places, or events that are being described.
Enumeration. It requires the learners to list down all possible answers to the question.
• Essay Test. It consists of problems/questions that require learners to compose or construct
written responses, usually long ones with several paragraphs.
• Problem-Solving Test. It consists of problems/questions that require learners to solve
problems in quantitative or non-quantitative settings using knowledge and skills in
mathematical concepts and procedures, and/or other higher-order cognitive skills (e.g.,
reasoning, analysis, critical thinking, and skills).

11. GENERAL GUIDELINES IN WRITING MULTIPLE-CHOICE TEST ITEMS
Content:
1. Write items that reflect only one specific content and cognitive processing skills.
Faulty: Which of the following is a type of statistical procedure used to test a hypothesis regarding
significant relationship between variables, particularly in terms of the extent and direction of
association?
A. ANCOVA C. Correlation
B. ANOVA D. t-test
Good: Which of the following is an inferential statistical procedure used to test a hypothesis regarding
significant differences between two qualitative variables?
A. ANCOVA C. Chi-Square
B. ANOVA D. Mann-Whitney Test
2. Do not lift and use statements from the textbook or other learning materials as test
questions.
3. Keep the vocabulary simple and understandable based on the level of learners/examinees.

12. 4. Edit and proofread the items for grammatical and spelling before administering them to the
learners.
Stem:
1. Write the directions in the stem in a clear and understandable manner.
Faulty: Read each question and indicate your answer by shading the circle
corresponding to your answer.
Good: This test consist of two parts. Part A is a reading comprehension test, and Part B is a
grammar/language test. Each question is a multiple-choice test item with five (5)
options. You are to answer each question but will not be penalized for a wrong
answer or for guessing. You can go back and review your answers during the time
allotted.
2. Write stems that are consistent in a form and structure, that is, present all items
either in question form or in descriptive or declarative form.
Faulty: (1) Who was the Philippine president during the Martial Law?
(2) The first president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines was _________.

13. Good: (1) Who was the Philippine president during Martial Law?
(2) Who was the first president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines?
3. Word the stem positively and avoid double negatives, such as NOT and EXCEPT in a stem. If a
negative word is necessary, underline or capitalize the words for emphasis.
Faulty: Which of the following is not a measure of variability?
Good: Which of the following is NOT a measure of variability?
4. Refrain from making the stem too wordy or containing too much information unless the
problem/question requires the facts presented to solve the problem.
Faulty: What does DNA stand for, and what is the organic chemical of complex molecular
structure found in all cells and viruses and codes genetic information for the transmission of
inherited traits?
Good: As a chemical compound, what does DNA stand for?

14. Options:
1. Provide three (3) to five (5) options for item, with only one being the correct or best
answer/alternative.
2. Write options that are parallel or similar in form and length to avoid giving clues about the
correct answer.
Faulty: What is an ecosystem?
A. It is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components
of their environment that interact as a system. These biotic and abiotic components
are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows.
B. It is a place on Earth's surface where life dwells.
C. It is an area that one or more individual organisms defend against competition
from other organisms.
D. It is the biotic and abiotic surroundings of an organism or population.
E. It is the largest division of the Earth's surface filled with living organisms. .

15. Good: What is an ecosystem?
A. It is a place on the Earth's surface where life dwells.
B. It is the biotic and aboitic surroundings of an organism or population.
C. It is the larger division of the Earth's surrface filled with living organisms.
D. It is a large community of living and non- living organisms in a particular area.
E. It is an area that one or more individual organisms defend against competition from other
organisms.
3. Place options in a logical order ( e.g., alphabetical, from shortest to longest).
Faulty: Which experimental gas law describes how the pressure of agas tends to increase as the volume
of the container decreases? ( i.e., “The absolute bpressure exerted by a given mass of an ideal gas is
inversely proprotional to the volume it occupies.”)
A. Boyle's Law
B. Charles Law
C. Beer Lambert Law
D. Avogadro's Law

16. Good: Which experimental gas law that describes how the pressure of gas tends to increase as the
volume of the container decreases? (i.e., “ The absolute pressure exerted by a given mass of an ideal
gas is inversely proportional to the volume it occupies.”)
A. Avogadro's Law
B. Beer Lambert Law
C. Boyle's Law
D. Charles Law
E. Faraday's Law
4. Place correct response randomly to avoid a discernable pattern of coorect answers.
5. Use None-of-the-above carefully and only when there is one absolutely correct answer, such as in
spelling of math items.
Faulty: Which of the following is a nonparametric statistic?
A. ANCOVA D. t-test
B. ANOVA E. None of the above
C. Correlation

17. Good: Which of the following is a nonparametric statistic?
A. ANCOVA
B. ANOVA
C. Correlation
D. Mann-Whitney U
E. t-test

18. 6. Avoid all of the above as an option, especially if it is intended to be the correct answer .
Faulty: Who among the following has become the President of the Philippine Senate?
A. Ferdinand Marcos D. Quintin Paredes
B. Manuel Quezon E. All of the Above
C. Manuel Roxas
Good: Who was the first ever President of the Philippine Senate?
A. Eulogio Rodriguez D. Manuel Roxas
B. Ferdinand Marcos E. Quintin Paredes
C. Manuel Quezon
7. Make all options realistic and reasonable.

19. General Guidelines in Writing Matching-Type Items
The matching test item format requires learners to match a word, sentence, or
phrase in one column (i.e., premise) to a corresponding word, sentence, or phrase in a
second column (i.e., response).
1. Clearly state in the directions the basis for matching the stimuli with the responses.
Faulty: Directions: Match the following.
Good: Directions: Column I is a list of countries while Column II presents the continent
where these countries are located. write the letter of the continent
corresponding to the country on the line provided in Column I.

20. 2. Ensure that the stimuli are longer and the responses are shorter.
Faulty: Match the description of the flag to its country.
A B
___Bangladesh A. Green background with red circle in the center.
___Indonesia B. One red strip on top and white strip at the bottom.
___Japan C. Red background with white five-petal flower in the center.
___Singapore D. Red background with large yellow circle in the center.
___Thailand E. Red background with large yellow-pointed star in the center.
Good: On the line to the left of each country in Column I, write the letter of the country's
capital presented in Column II.
Column I Column II
___ 1. Indonesia A. Bandar Seri Begawan
___ 2. Malaysia B. Bangkok
___ 3. Philippines C. Jakarta
___ 4. Thailand D. Kuala Lumpur
E. Manila

21. 3. For each item, include only topics that are related with one another and share the same
foundation of information.
Faulty: Match the following:
A B
___ 1. Indonesia A. Asia
___ 2. Malaysia B. Bangkok
___ 3. Philippines C. 1967
___ 4. Year ASEAN was established D. Kuala Lumpur
E. Manila
Good: Match the chemical elements with their symbols.
A B
___ Gold A. Au E. K
___ Hydrogen B. Fe F. Na
___ Iron C. H
___ Potassium D. Hg

22. 4. Make the response options short, homogeneous, and arranged in logical order.
Faulty: Mathch the chemical elements with their characteristics:
A B
___ Gold A. Au
___ Hydrogen B. Magnetic metal used in steel
___ Iron C. Hg
___ Potassium D. K
E. With lowest density
Good: Match the description of the flag to its country.
A B
___Green background with a red circle in the center. A. Bangladesh
___One red strip on top and white strip at the bottom. B. Hong Kong
___Red background with white five-petal flower in the center. C. Indonesia
___Red background with large yellow-pointed star in the D. Japan
center. E. Singapore

23. 5. Include response options that are reasonable and realistic and similar in length and grammatical
form.
Faulty: Match the subjects with their course description.
A B
___ History A. Studies the production and distribution of goods/services
___ Political science B. Study of politics and power
___ Psychology C. Study of society
___ Sociology D. Understands role of mental functions in social behavior
E. Uses narratives to examine and analyze past events.
Good: Match the subjects with their course description.
A B
___ 1. Study of living things. A. Biology F. Zoology
___ 2. study of mind B. History
___ 3. Study of politics and power C. Political Science
___ 4. Study of recorded events in the past D. Psychology
___ 5. Study of society E. Sociology

24. 6. Prove more response option than the number of stimuli
Faulty: Match the following fractions with their corresponding decimal equivalents
A B
___1/4 A. 0.25
___ 5/4 B. 0.28
___7/25 C. 0.90
___9/10 D. 1.25
Good: Match the following fractions with their corresponding decimal equivalents:
A B
___ 1/4 A. 0.09
___ 5/4 B. 0.25
___ 7/25 C. 0.28
___ 9/10 D. 1.25

25. General Guidelines in Writing true or false items
True or false items are used to measure learner's ability to identify whether a statement
or proposition is correct/true or incorrect/false. They are best used when learners ability to
judge or evaluate is one of the desired learning outcomes of the course.
There are different variations of the true or false item. These includes the following:
1. T-F correction or modified True-or-False Question. In this format, the statement is presented
with a key word or phrase that is underlined, and the learner has to supply the correct word or
phrase.
e,g, Multiple choice Test is authentic.
2. Yes-No Variation. In this format, the learner has to choose yes or no, rather than true or
false.

26. e.g., The following are kinds of test. Circle YES if it is an authentic test and NO if not.
Multiple Choice Test Yes No
Debates Yes No
End-of the Term Project Yes No
True or False Test Yes No
3. A-B Variation. In this format, the learner has to choose A or B, rather than true or false.
e.g., Indicate which of the following are traditional or authentic tests by circling A if it is a
traditional test and B if it is authentic.
Traditional Authentic
Multiple Choice Test A B
Debates A B
End-of therm Project A B
True or False Test A B

27. The following are the general guidelines in writing true or false items:
1. Include statements that are completely true or completely false.
Faulty: The presidential system of government, where the president is only the head of
state or government, is adopted by the United State, Chile, Pamana, and South Korea.
Good: The presidential system, where the president is only the head of state or
government, is adopted by Chile.
2. Use single and easy-to-understand statements.
Faulty: Education is continuous process of higher adjustment for human beings who have
involved physically and mentally, which is free and conscious of God, as manifested in
nature around the intellectual, emotional, and humanity of man.
Good: Education is the process of facilitating learning or the acquisition of knowledge, skills,
values, beliefs, and habits.

28. 3. Refrain from using negatives-specially double negatives.
Faulty: There is nothing illegal about buying goods through the internet.
Good: It is legal to buy things or goods through the internet.
4. Avoid using absolutes such as “always” and “never”.
Faulty: The news and information posted on the CNN website is always accurate.
Good: The news and information posted on the CNN website is usually accurate.
5. Express a single idea in each test item.
Faulty: If an object is accelerating, a net force must be acting on it, and the acceleration of
an object is directly proportional to the net force applied to the object.
Good: If an object is accelerating, a net force must be acting on it.

29. 6. Avoid the use of unfamiliar words or vocabulary.
Faulty: Espirit de corps among soldiers is important in the face of hardships and
opposition in fighting the terrorists.
Good: Military morale is important in the face of hardships and opposition in
fighting the terrorists.
7. Avoid lifting statements from the textbook and other learning materials.

30. General Guidelines in writing short-answer test items
A short-answer test item requires the learner to answer a question or to finish an
incomplete statement by filling in the blank with the correct word or phrase.
1. Omit only significant words from the statement.
Faulty: Every atom has central ______ called a nucleus.
Good: Every atom has central core called a(n)______.
2. Do not omit too many words from the statement such that the intended meaning is lost.
Faulty: ____ is to Spain as the ___ is to United States and as ___is to Germany.
Good: Madrid is to Spain as the _____ is to France.
3. Avoid obvious clues to the correct response.
Faulty: Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in 1972. Who was the president
during that period?
Good: The president during the martial law years was ______.

31. 4. Be sure that there is only one correct response.
Faulty: The government should start using renewable energy sources for generating
electricity, such as ______.
Good: the government should start using renewable sources of energy using
turbines called ______.
5. Avoid grammatical clues to the correct response.
Faulty: A subatomic particle with a negative electric charge is called an ______.
Good: A subatomic particle with a negative electric charge is called a(n) ______.
6. If possible, put the blank at the end of a statement rather than at the beginning.
Faulty: _____ is the basic building block of matter.
Good: The basic building block of matter is _________.

32. General Guidelines in Writing Essay Test
Essay test are the preferred form of assessment when teacher want to measure
learners' higher-order thinking skills, particularly their ability to reason, analyze, synthesize,
and evaluate. They are most appropriate for assessing learners':
(1) understanding of subject-matter content
(2) ability to reason with their knowledge of the subject, and
(3) problem-solving and decision skills because items or situations presented in
the test are authentic or close to real-life experiences.
Two types of essay test:
(1) Extended-response essay
(2) Restricted-response essay

33. Extended-Response
Requires much longer and
complex responses
How are the leopard and tiger
differ? Support your answer
with details and information
from the article.
Restricted-Response
Is much more focused and restrained
Tina is preparing for a demonstration to display at her
school's science fair. She need to show the effects of
salt on the buoyancy of egg.
Part A: Identify at least two other actions that would
make Tina's demonstration better.
Part B: Explain why each action would improve the
demonstration.

34. The following are the general guidelines in constructing good essay questions:
1. Clearly define the intended learning outcome to be assessed by the essay test.
• If the intended learning outcomes to be assessed lack clarity and specificity, the questions or
prompts may assess something other than what they intend to assess.
• Appropriate direct verbs that most closely match the ability that learners should
demonstrate must be used in the prompts. These include verbs such as compose, analyze,
interpret, explain, and justify, among others.
2. Refrain from using essay test for intended learning outcomes that are better assessed by
other kinds of assessment.
• Some intended learning outcomes can be efficiently and reliably assessed by selected-type
test rather than by essay test.
• In the same manner, there are intended learning outcomes that are better assessed using
other authentic assessments, such as performance test, rather than by essay test.
• Thus, it is important to take consideration the limitations of essay tests when planning amd
deciding what assessment method to employ for an intended learning outcome.

35. 3. Clearly define and situate the task within a problem situation as well as type of thinking
required to answer the test.
• It is important to carefully choose the directive verb, to write clearly the object or focus of
the directive verb, and to delimit the scope of the task.
• Having clear and well-defined tasks will guide learners on what to focus on when
answering the prompts, thus avoiding responses that contain ideas that are unrelated or
irrelevant, too long, or focusing only on some part of the task.
• Emphasizing the type of thinking required to answer the question will also guide students
on the extent to which they should be creative, deep, complex, and analytical in addressing
and responding to the questions.
4. Present tasks that are fair, reasonable and realistic to the students.
• Essay questions should contain tasks or questions that students will be able to do or
address.
• These include those that are within the level of instruction/training, expertise, and
experience of the students.

36. 5. Be specific in the prompts about the time allotment and criteria for grading the response.
• Essay prompts and directions should indicate the approximate time given to the students to
answer the essay questions to guide them on how much time they should allocate for each
item, especially if several essay questions are presented.
• How the responses are to be graded or rated should also be clarified to guide the students
on what to include in their responses.
General guidelines in Problem-Solving Test Items
There are different variations of the quantitative problem-solving items. The includes
the following:
1. One answer choice- This type of question contains four or five options, and students are
required to choose the best answer.
Example: What is the mean of the following score distribution: 32,44, 56, 69, 75, 77, 96, 96?
A. 68 D. 74
B. 69 E. 76
C. 72
The correct answer is A (68).

37. 2. All possible answer choices- This type of question has four or five options, and students are
required to choose all of the options that are correct.
Example: Consider the following score distribution: 12, 14, 14, 14, 17, 24, 27, 28, 30. Which of
the following is /are the correct measure/s of central tendency? Indicate all possible answers.
A. Mean = 20 D. Median = 17
B. Mean =22 E. Mode = 14
C. Median = 16
Options A,D, and E are all correct answers.
3. Type-In answer- This type of question does not provide options to choose from. Instead,
the learners are asked to supply the correct answer. The teacher should inform the learners at
the start how their answers will be rated.
Example: Compute the mean of the following score distribution : 32, 44, 56, 69, 75, 77, 95, 96.
Indicate your answer in the blank provided.
In this case, the learners will only need to give the correct answer without having to show
the procedures for computation.

38. The following are some general guidelines in constructing good problem-
solving test items:
1. Identify and explain the problem clearly.
Faulty: Tricia was 135.6 lbs. when she started with her Zumba/aerobics exercises. After
three months of attending the sessions three times a week, her weight was
down to 122.8 lbs. About how many lbs. did she lose after three months? Write
your final answer in the space provided and show your computations.
Good: Tricia was 135.6 lbs. when started with her Zumba/aerobics exercises. After
three months of attending the sessions three times a week, her weight was
down to 122.8 lbs. How many lbs. did she lose after three months? Write your
final answer in the space provided and show your computations. Write the exact
weight; do not round off.

39. 2. Be specific and clear of the type of response required from the students.
Faulty: ASEANA Bottlers, Inc. has been producing and selling Tutti Fruity juice in
Philippines, aside from their Singapore market. The sales for the juice in
the Singapore market were $5million more than those of their Philippine
market in 2016, $3million more in 2017, and $4.5million in 2018. If the
sales in Philippine market in 2018 was PHP35million, what were the sales
in Singapore market during that year?
Good: ASEANA Bottlers, Inc. has been producing and selling Tutti Fruity juice in
Philippines, aside from their Singapore market. The sales for the juice in
the Singapore market were $5million more than those of their Philippine
market in 2016, $3million more in 2017, and $4.5million in 2018. If the
sales in Mexican market in 2018 was PHP35 million, what were the sales in
U.S. market during that year? Provide answer in Singapore dollars (15$ -
PHP36.50).

40. 3. Specify in the directions the bases for grading students’ answers/procedures.
Faulty: VCV Consultancy Firm was commissioned to conduct a survey on the voter’s preferences in
Visayas and Mindanao for the upcoming presidential election. In Visayas, 65% are for Liberal Party
(LP) candidate, while 35% are for the Nationalist Party (NP) candidate. In Mindanao, 70% of the
voters are Nationalists, while 30% are LP supporters. A survey was conducted among 200 voters for
each region. What is the probability that the survey will show a greater percentage of Liberal Party
supporters in Mindanao than in the Visayas region?
Good: VCV Consultancy Firm was commissioned to conduct a survey on voter’s preferences in
Visayas and Mindanao for the upcoming presidential election. In Visayas, 65% are for Liberal
Party (LP) candidate, while 35% are for the National Party (NP) candidate. In Mindanao, 70% of the
voter are Nationalists while 30% are LP supporters. A survey was conducted among 200 voters for
each region.
What is the probability that the survey will show a greater percentage of Liberal Party
supporters in Mindanao than in the Visayas region? Please show your solutions to support your
answer. Your answer will be graded as follows:
0 point = for wrong answer and wrong solution
1 point = for correct answer only (i.e., without or wrong answer)
3 points = for correct answer with partial solutions
5 points = for correct answer with complete solutions

41. Thank You!!! 