test construction

1. TEST
CONSTRUCTION
Presented by:
Arnel O. Rivera
http://www.slideshare.net/ArnelSSI

2. “A test is a sample of behavior, products, answers, or
performances from a particular domain” (Carrington, 1994)
“… it's a systematic method of eliciting performance which is intended
to be the basis for some sort of decision making" (Hughes, 1989).
“A test will predict performance levels, and the learner will somehow
reconstruct its parts in meaningful situations when necessary”
(McCann, 2000)
“ Testing is generally concerned with turning performance into
numbers.” (Baxter, 1997)
Guidelines for Test Construction
What is testing?

3. Inform learners and teachers of the strengths and
Motivate learners to review or consolidate specific material
Guide the planning/development of the ongoing teaching
Determine if the objectives
Encourage improvement
Create a sense of accomplishment
Guidelines for Test Construction
What are tests for?
weaknesses of the process
process
have been achieved

4. BARRIERS IN TEST CONSTRUCTION
Ms. Alanganin –
Mr. Highfalutin –
Ms. Madaldal –
Ms. Magulo –
Ms. Malabo –
Mr. Pulpol –
Ms. Foringer –
Ms. Colonial Mentality –
confusing statements
difficult vocabulary
excessive wordiness
complex sentence structure
unclear instructions
unclear illustrative materials
linguistically bound words
culturally bound words

5. Matching Type

6. Parts of the Matching Type Test
(Vertical Type)
Column A
(Premise)
Column B
(Response)

7. Parts of the Matching Type Test
(Horizontal Type)
(Premise)
(Response)

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. Examples:
Directions: Match the following.
1. Food A. Primary reinforcer
2. Psychoanalysis B. Sigmund Freud
3. B.F. Skinner C. Operant conditioning
4. Standard deviation D. Measure of variability
5. Schizophrenia E. Hallucinations

12. 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 Cattell
G. Sigmund Freud

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

14. Sentence Completion /
Fill-in the Blanks

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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
insect
Better:
1. Animals with six legs are called ___________.

18. 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 _________.

19. 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.

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

21. Essay / Short Answer Test

22. 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.

23. 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.

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. Proposed Criteria in Grading
Essay Test
Ideas (20%)
Weight of Evidence Presented (40%)
Correct Usage (20%)
Logical Conclusions drawn from the
evidence (20%)

28. 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 asthma
b. the clinical manifestations associated with
an asthma episode
c. the management of an asthma episode.
(10 points)

29. 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)

30. 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.

31. Other types of Test Questions

32. 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?

33. 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?

34. 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)

35. 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.

36. 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.

37. 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.

38. Proposed Arrangement of Test Items
• True or False
• Multiple Choice
• Matching Type
• Sentence Completion
• Others (RRT/Analogy/CST)
• Essay

39. Things to Remember:
Making a good test takes time
Teachers have the obligation to
provide their students with the
best evaluation
Tests play an essential role in the
life of the students, parents,
teachers and other educators
Break any of the rules when
you have a good reason for
doing so! (emphasis mine)
(Mehrens, 1973)

40. 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…

41. For questions , comments or if you want to
download this file, log-on to:
http://www.slideshare.net/ArnelSSI