Item Writing- Evaluation

1. Lorena Reyes
Testing and Evaluation
09 Mar 15

2.  Tasks to produce language as an evidence of
ability.
 Learners do not get support with tests.
 Test items have to be clear, simple and unambiguous.
 They are expected to be valid and reliable.

3.  The method effect.
Cloze tests
• There might be a form of “short-
text” reading.
Multiple-choice tests
• Students can make incorrect
interpretations.
• May not be good at testing some
abilities.
Use more than one test method for testing any ability.

4. What an item is actually testing?

5.  Every “correct” answer must be checked with
coleagues.
Which is the odd one out?
A rabbit
B hare
C bunny
D deer
D is the odd one out
But: C, because it is in “baby-langauge”
“Why hasn’t your mother come?”
“Well, she said she________leave the baby
A can’t
B won’t
C couldn’t
D mayn’t
There may be more
than one acceptable
answer according to
what is taught in a
textbook

6.  Multiple-choice items should be presented in context
Select the option closest in meaning to the word underlined
Come back soon
A shortly
B later
C roday
D tomorrow
Fill in the blank with the most suitable option:
Visitor: Thank you very much for such a wonderful visit.
Hostess: We were so glad you come. Come back ______
A soon
B later
C roday
D tomorrow

7.  The correct alternative should not look so different
from the distractors.
Select the option closest in meaning to the word underlined:
He began to choke while he was eating the fish.
A die
B cough and vomit
C be unable to breath because of something in
his windpipe
D grow very angry
 Items must test what they are intended to test.
(After a text about trees)
Who gets food from trees?
A only man
B only animals
C man and animals

8. True/False or Yes/No items
• Include a third category: not given or does not say.
Matching
• Give more alternatives than the matching task requires
Ordering tasks
• More than one answer might be acceptable
• Marking is difficult.
Editing
• Make sure there is only one mistake per line.

9. Gap-filling
• Provide more options than gaps in the text.
• The marking is difficult if more than one option is
acceptable.
Cloze
• Words are deleted mechanically. Every sixth word
might be removed.
• There may be many possible answers.
C-Test
• Every second word is deleted, and half of each
deleted word remains in the text to give a clue to the
learner.
…Ore another th_____ can he_____ scientists est_____ when…

10. Dictation
• Time consuming and boring to mark.
• Make learners fill in the gap as they listen.
Short-answer questions
• Answers from a word or phrase to one or two
sentences.
• Clear instructions must be given.
Complete the following sentence, using the correct form of the verb “to
be”:
I_________________________ here since yesterday.
Write two sentences containing “since”.

11. Compositions and essays
• Terminology
• Lenght
• Register
• Marking system
Travel broadens the mind. (J. Smith) Discuss.
Write a formal essay for your English teacher saying whether you
agree with the saying, “Travel broadens the mind”
You should write about 200 to 250 words.
Marks will be given for:
1. Structure of the essay, e.g. the use of paragraphs (20%)
2. 2. claruty of argument (20%)
3. ……….

12. Summaries
• Poor summaries: poor comprehension or poor writing skills?
• Marking can be difficult.
Oral interviews
• Topics may require limited vocabulary.
• Interviews need to be carefully structured.
Information-gap activities
• Difficult to construct.
• They should be pretested.

13. •Respond
•Reflect
•Compare