This document provides guidelines for writing effective essay questions to assess student learning. It defines essay questions and outlines the main types: restricted response and extended response. Guidelines are given for constructing clear questions that assess higher-order thinking and provide criteria for grading. Both advantages and disadvantages of essay questions are discussed. Overall, the document advocates that essay questions can effectively evaluate students' reasoning and analytical abilities when guidelines are followed to create valid, reliable and fair assessment.

1. Essay Questions
*ESSAY QUESTIONS
Presenter Name
Presentation Date
Group no. 5
Sonam Dorji
Choney Dorji
Deepak Sharma
Khandu Wangmo
Karma Letho
Group No. 8
Phuntsho Choden
Tshering Dema
Sherab Jatsho
Namgyel Wangchuk
Jigme Wangchuk

3. OUTLINE
*Definitions
*Types of essay questions
*Guidelines
*Advantages
*Disadvantages
*Conclusion
*References

4. *"A test item which requires a response
composed by the examinee,. . .
. . .usually in the form of one or more
sentences, of a nature that no single
response or pattern of responses can be
listed as correct, . . .
… and the accuracy and quality of which
can be judged subjectively only by one
skilled or informed in the subject."

5. Essay
Definition:-
An examination or test questions that requires an
explanation and analytical answer in a sentence,
paragraph, or short composition .

6. There are two major purposes for using essay
questions;
First purpose is to assess students' understanding of
and ability to think with subject matter content.
Secondly it is to assess students' writing abilities.
However in general essay questions are most suitable
for the purposes such as
To assess students’ understanding of subject-matter
content
 To assess students’ abilities to reason with their
knowledge of a subject.
Asses high order thinking ability.

7. Types of Essay items.
Norman E. Gronlund (1985)
classified into :
1.Restricted Response Questions.
2.Extended Response Questions

8. Restricted Response Questions
*The RRQ places strict limits on the
answer to be given. The boundaries of
the subject matter to be considered
are usually narrowly defined by the
problem, and the specific form of the
answer is also commonly indicated (by
word such as “list”, “define” and “give
reasons”)

9. *Contd. . .
Examples :
1.LIST two reasons why the director had
planned to install a fake elephant?
Explain how he executed his plan.
(BHSEC)
2. Outline the Concept of Giant Chromosome
with respect to chromosome discovered by
Ruckert.

10. Extended Response Questions
*The ERQ gives students almost unlimited
freedom to determine the form and scope of
their responses.
*Although in some instances rather rigid
practical limits may be imposed, such as
time limits or page limits, restrictions on the
material to be included in the answer and on
the form of responses are held to a
minimum.
*Provides for the creative integration of
ideas, the overall evaluation of materials,
and a broad approach to problem solving.

11. Examples :
1.After reading the essay, how did the essay
affect you? Write down your feelings.
(BHSEC/01II/2013 )
2.Euthenics and Eugenics are known to be
science which helps in proper human race
propagation. Enumerate the statement with
essay describing the necessity of this science
in ideal human race

13. 1. Never use essay questions simply to
measure knowledge of facts.
Example:
Poor
item:
What do you think would happen if mitochondria
had a structure like lysosomes?
Better
item:
For a cell and its organelles, structure and
functions are intimately related, If one is changed
,the other is affected. What do you think would
happen if mitochondria had a structure like
lysosomes? Give details in your discussion.

14. 2. Clearly define the intended learning outcome
to assessed by the item.
Sometimes questions are so broad and unfocused that it is
difficult for students to know how to respond.
Poor: Discuss the migration habits of birds.
Better: State two hypotheses about why birds migrate south in the fall.
Summarize the evidence supporting each hypothesis and defend one
you believe is most accurate.

15. 3.Questions that ask students to draw a judgment
should be evaluated based on Strength of their
arguments not on whether they agree with their
position.
Example:
World is today in badly need of GNH principle. Do you
agree or disagree. Support your answer with relevant and
validated reasons.

16. 4. Specify the word limits and the approximate
time limit in clear directions.
helps students allocate their time in answering several
essay questions because the directions clarify the
relative merit of each essay question.
Without such guidelines students may feel at a loss as to
how much time to spend on a question.
When deciding how much time should be spent on a
question, keep the slower students and students with
certain disabilities in mind.

17. 5. Preview and Review
a. Predict student responses.
b. Write a model answer.
c. Ask a knowledgeable colleague to critically review the
essay question, the model answer, and the intended
learning outcome for alignment.
d. Review student responses to the essay question.

18. 6. The task can be written as a statement or
question.
In essay questions, the task can be presented either in the
form of a direct question or an imperative statement.
If written as a question, then it must be readily translatable
into the form of an imperative statement.
Question How does the use of chemical fertilizer affects the yield and
quantity of crop?
Imperative
statement
The use of chemical fertilizer increases the yield and quality of
crop. Justify.

19. 7. State the criteria for grading
Students should know what criteria will be
applied to grade their responses.
The content of all of your responses to essay
questions will be graded in terms of the
accuracy, completeness, and relevance of the
ideas expressed.
The form of your answer will be evaluated in
terms of clarity, organization, correct mechanics
(spelling,
punctuation, grammar, capitalization), and
legibility.

20. 8. Develop a list of the main points that should
be included and develop a scoring system.
To be fair and accurate it is essential to prepare a scoring
key that specifies
• The major points to be included,
• The amount of credit to assigned for each major point.

21. 9. Minimize the influence of extraneous factor
Random checking or reshuffle
Evaluate same question at a time of all the student.
Use ID number instead of name or teacher should prevent
knowing who’s answer sheet it is.

22. 10. Avoid the use of optional questions
The use of optional questions should be avoided for the
following reasons:
1. Students may waste time deciding on an option.
2. Some questions are likely to be harder to answer than
others. This could make the comparative assessment
of students' abilities unfair.
3. The use of optional questions makes it difficult to
evaluate if all students are equally knowledgeable
about topics covered in the test.
Note :-
This tip is not always true if you want to test high thinking
ability of student.

23. Assess higher-order or critical thinking
skills.
Evaluate student thinking and reasoning.
Provides a more realistic task for
the student.
Relatively easy to construct
Reduces guessing.
*Advantages

24. Time consuming.
 Students may complain about subjectivity in scoring.
 Difficult to measure a large amount of content.
 Generally has low test and scorer reliability.
 Can encourage bluffing.
*Disadvantages

25. Essay questions are one of the most commonly used
methods for assessing student learning.
Essay items challenge students to create a response
rather than to simply select a response.
Essays have the potential to reveal students' abilities
to reason, create, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate.
*Conclusion

26. Cont….
 Essay exams are good to use when trying to
determine what students know about a few broad
topics. Essay exams typically consist of a small
number of questions to which the student is expected
to demonstrate his/her ability to:
recall knowledge
organize knowledge
present the knowledge in a logical, integrated answer
Students should be given the criteria used to grade
the exams in advance to help them prepare for them.
MCQ can be best compliment for essay but cannot be
adequate substitution for essay question.

27. Blaine R. Worthen, K. R. (1999). Measurement andassessment in schools. Boston: Addison
Wesley Longman.
Borich, T. K. (2007). Educational testing and measurement. Danvers: Jay O'Callaghan.
Brown, G.T.L. (2008).Conceptions of assessment: Understanding what assessment means
to
teachers and students. New York: Nova Science.
Essay items; Hope you can write (2005). Retrieved from http://www.sagepub.com/up
data/6429_Chapter_7__Salkind_(Tests)_I_Proof_3.pdf.
Gredler, M. E. (1999). Classroom Assessment and learning.South Carolina: Addison
Wesley
Longman.
Lin,R.L &Rronlund, N.E.(2003). Measurement and Assessments in Teaching.
Singapore.Pearson
*References
Education,Inc.
Reiner, C.M, Bothell, T.W, & Sudweek, R.R. (2002). Preparing Effective Essay Questions;
A
Selfdirected Workbook for Educators. Retrieved from https://testing.byu.edu/info/
handbooks/WritingEf ectiveEssayQuestions.pdf

28. THANK YOU