Writing a written test

1. ֎DEVELOP
Let us review what you have learned about constructing traditional tests.
1. What factors should be considered when choosing a particular test format?
2. What are the major categories and formats of traditional tests?
3. When are the following traditional tests appropriate to use?
- Multiple-choice test - Short-answer test
- Matching type test - Essay test
- True or false test - problem-solving test
4. How should the items for the above traditional tests be constructed?
To check whether you have learned the important information about constructing the
traditional types of tests, please complete the following graphical representation:
Traditional Test Types
What are the types? When to Use? Why choose it? How to construct?

2. ֎APPLY
Based on guidelines on writing items for traditional tests and examples of good and
faulty items presented, you are now ready to construct effective tests of different formats to
assess your learners’ learning outcomes. Let us apply what you have learned by creating an
assessment plan for the subjects that you are currently teaching. For each subject, list down
the desired learning outcomes and subject topic or lesson; and for each desired learning
outcome, identify the appropriate test format to assess learners’ achievement of the outcome.
It is important that you have an assessment plan for each subject.
Example of an assessment plan:
Subject: Economics
Desired Learning Outcomes Topic/Lesson Types of Test
e.g., Show understanding of
the concept of demand and
supply
Definition of demand and
supply, shortage, surplus, and
market equilibrium.
Effects of change of demand
and supply on the market
price.
Multiple-choice; true or false,
matching type, and
completion test

3. Apply the concepts of
demand and supply in actual
cases
Exchange Rate
Change in the Price of Goods
in the Market
Price Ceiling and Price Floor
Essay, problem sets, case
analysis, and exercises

4. ֎TRANSFER
Now that you are able to identify the types of assessment that you will employ for each
desired learning outcome for a subject, you are now ready to construct sample tests for the
subject. Construct a three-part test that includes test formats of your choice. In the
development of the test, you will need the following information:
1. Desired learning outcomes for subject area.
2. Level of cognitive/thinking skills appropriate to assess the desired learning outcomes.
3. Appropriate test format to use.
4. Number of items per learning outcome or area and the weight.
5. Number of points for each item and total number of points for the whole test.
In the development of the test, you should take into consideration the guidelines on
developing table of specifications (lesson 4) and on constructing the test items.

5. ֎EVALUATE
A. Evaluate the sample tests that you have developed by using the following checklists for the
three test formats that you used.
Checklist for Writing Multiple-Choice Test Items
Yes No
1. Does item reflect specific content and mental task?
2. Are statements from textbook avoided?
3. Is the item stated in simple and clear language?
4. Is the item free from grammatical and spelling errors?
5. Are the directions in the stem clear?
6. Are double negatives avoided?
7. Does the item contain irrelevant information, making it too wordy?
8. Does the item contain no more than five options?
9. Is the intended answer correct or clearly the best alternative?
10. Are the options parallel in structure and equal in length to avoid clues?
11. Are the options written in logical order?
12. Are the correct answers for all items in the test placed randomly?
13. Is the None Of The Above option used sparingly?
14. Is the All of the Above option as the right answer avoided?
15. Are the options plausible and homogenous?

6. Checklist for Writing Matching-Type Test
Checklist for True or False Test Items
Yes No
1. Is the item completely true or completely false?
2. Is the item written in simple, easy-to-follow statements?
3. Are negatives avoided?
4. Are the absolutes such as “always” and “never” used sparingly or not at all?
Yes Yes
1. Do the directions clearly state the basis for matching the stimuli with the
response?
2. Is the item free from grammatical or other clues to the correct response?
3. Are the stems longer and the responses shorter?
4. Do the items share the same foundation of information?
5. Are the answer choices short, homogenous, and arranged logically?
6. Are the options reasonable and realistic?
7. Are the options similar in length and grammatical form?
8. Are there more response options than stems?

7. Checklist for Fill-in-the-Blank Test Item
5. Do items express only a single ideas?
6. Is the use of unfamiliar vocabulary avoided?
7. Is the item or statement not lifted from the test, lecture, or other materials?
Yes No
1. Are the only significant words from the statement omitted?
2. Are the only few items omitted from the statement so that the intended
meaning is not lost?
3. Are obvious clues to the correct response avoided?
4. Is there is only one correct response to the items?
5. Are grammatical clues to the correct response avoided?
6. Is the blank placed at the end of a statement rather than at the beginning?

8. Checklist for Writing Essay Questions
Yes No
1. Is the item/topic can be assessed by an essay test?
2. Is the essay question aligned with the desired learning outcomes?
3. Does the essay question contain a clear and delimited task?
4. Is the task presented to students realistic and reasonable?
5. Is the time allotment enough for each essay question?
6. Do the students know how many points the essay is worth?

9. ֎Test your understanding about constructing test items for different test formats. Answer the
following items:
1. What are those statements that learners are expected to do or demonstrate as a result of
engaging in the learning process?
A. Desired learning outcomes C. Learning intents
B. Learning goals D. Learning objectives
2. Which of the following is NOT a factor to consider when choosing a particular test format?
A. Desired learning outcomes
B. Grade level of students
C. Learning activities
D. Level of thinking to be assessed
3. Mr. Tobias is planning to use a traditional/conventional type of classroom assessment for his
trigonometry quarterly quiz. Which of the following test formats he will likely NOT use?
A. Fill-in the blank test C. Multiple-choice
B. Matching type D. Oral presentation

10. 4. What is the type of test in which learners are asked to formulate their own answers?
A. Alternative response type C. Multiple Choice type
B. Constructive-response type D. Selected-response type
5. What is the type of true or false test item in which the statement is presented with a
keyword or brief phrase that is underlined, and the student has to supply the correct word or
phrase?
A. A-B variation C. T-F substitution variation
B. T-F correction question D. Yes-no Variation
6. What is the type of test item in which learners are required to answer a question by filling in
a blank with the correct word or phrase?
A. Essay test
B. Fill-in-the-blank or completion test item
C. Modified true or false
D. Short answer test

11. 7. What is the most appropriate test format to use if teachers want to measure learners’ higher
order thinking skills, particularly their abilities to reason, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate?
A. Essay C. Multiple-choice
B. Matching type D. True or false
8. What is the first step when planning to construct a final exam in Algebra?
A. Come up with a table of specifications
B. Decide on the length of the test
C. Define the desired learning outcomes
D. Select the type of test to construct
9. What is the type of learning outcome that Ms. Araneta is assessing if she wants to construct
a multiple-choice test for her Philippine history class?
A. Knowledge C. Problem solving test
B. Performance D. Product
10. In constructing a fill-in-the-blanks or completion test, what guidelines should be followed?
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