Scoring Paper and Pencil Tests by Dr.Shazia Zamir Week 13

1. Scoring Paper and Pencil
Tests
Week No.13
Lecture No.23 & 24

2. Paper-pencil Test
Paper-and-pencil assessment
refers to traditional student
assessment formats such as
written tests and also to
standardized tests that ask
students to use pencils to fill
in bubbles on a scan able
answer sheet.

3. What is Scoring?
Scoring is giving the numbers for person's achievement after
doing a specific task. Grading is the process of comparing the
measurement results with as score of "reference used" that the
results form of value.
The process of scoring a test involves measurement that is,
assigning a number to represent a student’s performance. In
the case of achievement tests, performance on the test items is
translated into a score that is used to make decisions about the
student.

4. Goals & Purposes of Scoring system
Scoring system is a method used by teachers to assess student’s educational
performance . Grades can be assigned as letters, as a range, as a percentage, or as a
number out of a possible total.
GOAL
One of the primary goals of a proficiency based scoring system is to produce grades
that more accurately reflect a student’s learning progress, and achievement.
PURPOSE:
The primary purpose of the scoring system is to clearly and fairly communicate
learning progress and achievement to students and their guardians.
Scoring system motivate students to work harder, overcome failures & excel
academically.
Scoring system defines cross-curricular and content-area standards & learning
objectives collaboratively developed by the administration, faculty and staff.

5. Holistic and Analytic Scoring
 Holistic Scoring:
Holistic scoring reflects a teacher’s overall impression of the essay as a whole
and results in a single score or grade.
 Analytic Scoring:
Analytic scoring, on the other hand, views the essay as being made up of many
components and so provides separate scores for each component.

6. Holistic Scoring and Analytic Scoring Example
Holistic scoring example:
• 78," "passing." "deserves credit," "worthy of A-level," "very
well qualified")
• 15 out of 20 for question 2
Analytic scoring example:
• 4 out of 5 on vocabulary, plus 3 out of 5 on grammar plus 4
out of 5 on content, etc.
• 3 out of 5 on definition, 2 out of 2 on examples, 7 out of 10
on explanation.

7. Types of Scoring System
PERCENTAGE SCORING
Using a percentage scale usually
based on percent on exams
Percent of points earned on
assignments e.g. 93%, 97%, 89%,
70% etc.
PASS OR FAIL
Using a scale with two levels (pass
or fail)
LETTER SCORING
Using a series of letters (often A, B,
C, D, F) or letters with plusses and
minuses as an ordered category
scale can be done in a standard –
based manner.
NARRATIVE SCORING
Writing comments about student’s
achievement e.g. Excellent, Good,
Satisfactory, Needs Improvement,
Unsatisfactory.

8. GENERAL PRINCIPLES OFTESTING
1. Measure all instructional objectives.
2. Cover all learning tasks.
3. Use appropriate test items.
4. Make test valid and reliable.
5. Use test to improve learning.
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9. ATTRIBUTES OF A GOOD TEST
● Validity – the degree to which a test measures what it seeks to measure.
● Reliability – the accuracy with which a test consistently measures that which
it does measure.
● Objectivity – the extent to which personal biases or subjective judgment of
the test scorer is eliminated in checking the student’ responses to the test
items, as there is only one correct answer for each question.
● Scorability – easy to score or check as answer key and answer sheet are
provided.
● Administerability – easy to administer as clear and simple instructions are
provided in students, proctors, and scorers.
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10. Scoring Short Answer Questions(SAQs)
● Short-answer questions (SAQs) are open-ended questions that require
students to create an answer, rather than choose from a selection of
responses.
● Its a practical alternative to the long essay question.
● They are commonly used in examinations to assess the basic knowledge and
understanding of a topic before more in-depth assessment questions are
asked.
● Design short answer items which are appropriate assessment of the learning
objective.
● Make sure the content of the SAQs measures knowledge appropriate to the
desired learning goal.
● Make the questions clear and easy to understand with wordings and language
appropriate to the student population.
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11. Conti….
● Set the questions explicitly and precisely with clear instructions to test the
desired knowledge and get the specific response.
● Prepare a structured marking sheet.
● Make the marking sheet easy to understand so that other teachers can use
it if necessary.
● Ensure there is only one clearly correct answer in each question.
● Clearly state if a point will be given for each correct response or if the
student must have all the correct responses to obtain one point.
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12. Scoring Completion Items
● In this type, incomplete statements are given. The students are asked to
complete them, such as fill in the blanks etc.
● Instructions and teacher’s expectations about filling in blanks should be made
clear.
● Indicate whether each blank of equal length represents one word or several
words, whether long blanks require sentences or phrases, and whether
synonymous terms are accepted.
● Consider whether the positioning of the item blank promote efficient scoring.
● Word completion or filling questions (so that missing information is at or near
the end of the sentence) makes reading and responding easier.
Example:
Poor: In the year ______ , Canada turned 100 years old.
Better: Canada turned 100 years old in the year _____ .
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13. Scoring Essay items
● Essay type test refers to any written test that require an examinee to
write several paragraphs, passages or comprehensive answer.
● An essay type test is the test consist of a question requiring a long
answer
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14. Suggestions for Scoring Essays
● Grade the papers anonymously.
● Question wise marking: score all the students' responses to Question 1
before looking at Question 2.
● Write comments on the students' answers. Teacher comments make essay
tests a good learning experience for students.
● Prepare a scoring key
● Scoring key consist of main points of Answer and their marks
● Adopt uniform policy about the irrelevant factors like spelling, grammar
etc
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15. Holistic Scoring versus Analytical Scoring
● Holistic scoring-provide a
single score based on an
overall impression of a
student’s performance on
a task.
● It used to score student
work as a whole yielding
one holistic scored
● Analytic scoring provide
specific feedback along
several dimensions and
descriptors of products
● Breaks the objective into
components parts
● Each portion is scored
independently using a
rating scale
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16. Holistic Analytical
● There is no correct
answer/response to ask a
task (e.g. creative work).
● The focus is on overall
quality, proficiency, or
understanding of a specific
content or skills.
● Final score is made up of
adding each components
parts
● Several faculty are
collectively assessing
student work.
● Outside audiences will be
examining rubric scores.
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17. Holistic Analytical
● The assessment is
summative (e.g. at the end
of the semester or major)
● Assessing significant
numbers (e.g. 150
students portfolio) When
to use Holistic scoring.
● Profiles of specific
strength/weaknesses are
desired. When to use
Analytic Scoring
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