This document discusses measurement, assessment, evaluation, and testing in education. It provides definitions and concepts for these terms. Measurement involves determining attributes or dimensions of objects, while evaluation assigns value to measures. Assessment gathers evidence of student performance over time. Tests are standardized questions used to measure skills. The document focuses on tables of specifications for organizing test content, item selection, and item construction guidelines. These include writing clear, concise questions and avoiding trick questions.

1. Measurement and evaluation
Abune Gorgorios schools
2015 E.C

2. Objectives
1. To help teachers share their measurment
and evaluation experience.
2. To get common understanding on how to
conduct measurement and evaluation in
our school system
3. To inspire teachers to explore the area
further for the sake of professional
development.

3. Basic concepts
• Measurement
• Assessment
• Test
• Evaluation

4. Measurement
• It often connotes a broader
concept
• It is the process by which
the attributes or
dimensions of some
physical objects are
determined.
• It often involves :
1. Identification and
definition of quantity,
attribute or variable that
is to be measured
2. Determining the set of
operations

5. Evaluation
• It is the act or process
that assigns ‘VALUE’
to a measure
• It is a continuous
process and is
concerned with more
than just the formal
academic
achievement of
students against the
set social cultural …

6. Assessment
• A process of gathering
evidence of students’
performance over a
period of time to
determine learning
and mastery of kills
• Goal: to improve
student learning

7. TEST
 Test is usually considered the narrowest terms
 it is standard set of questions to be
answered
most commonly used method of making
measurements in education.
It is also an instrument or systematic
procedures for measuring sample of behavior
by posing a set of questions in a uniform
manner.
It designed to measure any ability, skill or
knowledge.

8. Test Development Process
• 1. Statement of Goals
• 2. Content Outline
• 3. Table of Specifications
• 4. Item Selection
• 5. Item Construction
• 6. Composition of Instructions
• 7. Development of Answer Sheets
• 8. Construction of Answer Keys
• 9. Test Administration
• 10. Test Revision

9. Today’s Focus
• 3. Table of Specifications
• 4. Item Selection
• 5. Item Construction

10. Two Important Characteristics of Tests
• Reliability
– consistency
• free from extraneous sources of error
• Validity
– how well a test measures what it is supposed
to measure

11. Formative vs. Summative Tests
• Formative
– monitor progress toward goals within a
course of study
• Summative
– assess overall achievement of course
goals

12. A.Table of Specifications
• Blue print for test
• Purpose
–ensure proper emphasis given to all
elements of a course coverage.
–content validity
• Guide for writing items

13. Table of Specifications (2)
• Start with Instructional Objectives
– Biology 30: Circulation Unit Test
1. Identifies parts of circulation system.
2. Explains function of parts in relation to
whole system.
3. Distinguishes between circulation system and
other bodily systems.

14. A FORMULA FOR THE NUMBER
OF ITEMS
let N.I =
𝑃𝑆 𝑋 𝑇.𝑄
𝑃𝑇
N.I - Number of items from each unit or
sub-unit
Ps- time spent to teach the specific topics or
sub-topics
T.Q - Total number of questions to be
prepared as a whole
PT- The total number of periods assigned to
teach the course

15. Application of the formula
Unit Main topics Period
allotted
Number of
items
calculation
1 Gen human
biology
27 ? 27 𝑥 60
52
= 31
2 Human and
diseases
22 ? 22 𝑥 60
52
= 25
3 Flowering
plant
3 ? 3 𝑥 60
52
= 4

16. Biology 30: Circulation
Levels Of Understanding
Content Knowledge Comprehension Application
Parts 10 5 0 15
Functio
n
5 5 5 15
Relation
to other
systems
0 5 10 15
15 15 15 45

17. B.Item Selection
• Types of Items
– Objectively Scored (Selection)
• true/false
• completion
• matching
• multiple choice
– Subjectively Scored (Supply)
• interpretive exercises
• essay

18. C. Item Construction
• Selected Response Test Items
– Item construction skills for valid and reliable
measures of student achievement.
• Guidelines which apply to all types
• Specific Suggestions for writing each type
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Each

19. Guidelines for Writing Objective Items
1. Construct at appropriate level of
difficulty for examinees
2. Include Items at appropriate level of
difficulty for purpose of test.
3. Test significant elements of a
course.
4. Write independent items.

20. 5. Construct questions free from
extraneous reasons for problems.
6. Communicate the question in clear,
concise language.
7. In the correct alternatives,
paraphrase statements from the text.
8. Exclude clues to correct answer.
II. Guidelines for Writing Objective Items

21. III. Guidelines for Writing Objective Items
9. Provide one correct answer.
10. Edit the Items.

22. Alternate Response Items
• Involves the selection of one of two alternatives
– true / false
– yes / no
– right / wrong
– fact / opinion
• Mainly for Knowledge & Comprehension
– Can be written at higher levels

23. True / False
• Word statements clearly. Vague or ambiguous wording will
confuse students.
• Avoid overgeneralizing.
– Poor: Heavy smoking causes lung cancer.T F
– Better: Heavy smoking often causes lung cancer. T F
• Avoid Trick questions.
– i.e., General Wolseley led Canadian troops to Manitoba in
1870.
– 3 tricks: Colonel, British, Not yet a province
• Do not use trivial statements to “pad out” the number of
questions and marks to arrive at a predetermined level.

24. True / False
• Statements should be entirely true, or entirely
false:
– Unacceptable:
• In King Lear, Regan ordered Gloucester’s eyes to be
plucked out and Gloucester died when he jumped off the
cliff of Dover.
– Acceptable:
• In King Lear, Regan ordered Gloucester’s eyes to be
plucked out. (T)
• In King Lear, Gloucester died when he jumped off the cliff
at Dover. (F)

25. True / False
• Avoid using universal descriptors such as “never”,
“none”, “always”, and “all”.
– Testwise students will recognize that there are few
absolutes.
• Avoid negative words, as they are often overlooked
by students.
– Poor: It was not unheard of for Henry VIII to close
monasteries in England. T F
– Better: Henry VIII closed some monasteries in England.
(T)

26. True / False
• Do not include two ideas in one statement unless you are
evaluating student’s understanding of cause and effect
relationships.
– Poor: Porpoises are able to communicate because
they are mammals. T F
– Better: Porpoises are mammals. T F
Porpoises are able to communicate.T F
• Provide a “T” and “F” beside each statement and ask students
to circle correct answer.
– Avoids problem of students writing illegible letters.

27. True / False & Variations
• Include more false than true statments in any given test and
vary the number of false statements from test to test.
– tendency to mark more statements true than false.
– discrimination between those who know the content and
those who do not is greater for false expressions.
• Avoid using negative statements.
– Under the demands of the testing situation, students may
fail to see the negative qualifier.

28. Matching Items
• Consist of
– a column of premises
– a column of responses
– directions for matching the two.
• Similar to multiple choice, but easier and more
efficient to construct
• Can be written to assess Knowledge,
Comprehension, Application, Analysis level
behaviors

29. Guidelines for Writing Matching Items
• Provide clear instructions on how to indicate the correct
answers.
• Indicate whether the same response can be used more
than once.
• Maintain grammatical consistency within and between
columns.
– within a column: either sentence or point form
– between columns: one or the other
• Ensure that any matching question appears entirely on
one page.

30. 2. Guidelines for Writing Matching Items
• Provide an unequal number of premises and responses
– reduces guessing and elimination
– increases measure of comprehension
• Avoid designing questions which require students to
draw lines between premise and response.
– confusing for student and marker
– provide space for letter or number answers

31. 3. Guidelines for Writing Matching Items
• Make sure lists are homogeneous.
– i.e., do not include items testing names, dates, and events.
– Instead, make every response plausible
• Make the wording of the premises longer than the
wording of the responses.
• Identify the items in one list with numbers and those in
the second list with letters.

32. Example:
Directions: 1. On the line to the right of each phrase in
Column I, write the letter for the word in
Column II that best matches the phrase.
2. Each word in Column II may be used once,
more than once, or not at all.
Column I Column II
1. Name of the answer in addition
problems.
2. Name of the answer in
subtraction problems.
3. Name of the answer in
multiplication problems.
4. Name of the answer in division
problems.
A. Difference
B. Dividend
C. Multiplicand
D. Product
E. Quotient
F. Subtrahend
G. Sum

33. Short Answer Test Items
• Typically, the student is asked to reply with a word,
phrase, name, or sentence, rather than a more extended
response.
– Direct Questions / Short Answer
• Who is the current Prime Minister of Canada?
– Incomplete Sentences / Fill In the Blanks
• The current Prime Minister of Canada is _____?
• Items are fairly easy to construct and mark
• Assess mainly knowledge, comprehension, and some
application.

34. Guidelines for Writing Short Answer
Items
• Questions must be carefully worded so that all
students understand the specific nature of the
question asked and the answer required.
– Poor: Wellington defeated Napoleon in _____ ?
– Better: In what battle fought in 1815 did Wellington
defeat Napoleon?
OR
In what year did Wellington defeat Napoleon
at Waterloo?

35. II. Guidelines for Writing Short Answer Items
• Word completion or fillin questions so that missing
information is at, or near the end of, the sentence. Makes
reading and responding easier.
– Poor: In the year ______ , Canada turned 100 years old.
– Better: Canada turned 100 years old in the year _____ .
• 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.

36. III. Guidelines for Writing Short Answer Items
• When an answer is to be expressed in numerical units, the unit
should be stated.
– Poor: If a room measures 7 metres by 4 metres, the
perimeter is _____ .
– Better: If a room measures 7 metres by 4 metres, the
perimeter is _____ metres (or m).
• Do not use too many blanks in completion items. The emphasis
should be on knowledge and comprehension, not mind reading!
– Consider:
In the year _____ , Prime Minister _________ signed the
__________ , which led to a ___________ which was
__________ .

37. Multiple Choice Items
Interpretive Exercise
Guidelines for Writing
Advantages & Disadvantages

38. CHARACTERISTICS
• The most flexible of the o bjective item
types
• used to appraise the achievement of any
of educational objecticves that can be
measured by paper and pencil test except
those relating to skill in written expression

39. 1. The capital city of Canada is
a. Vancouver
b. Montreal
c. Toronto
*d. Ottawa
Terminology: Multiple Choice
1. Stem: presents the problem
2. Keyed Response: correct or best answer
3. Distracters: appear to be reasonable answers to the
examinee who does not know the content
4. Options: include the distracters and the keyed response.
4
1
2
3

40. Types of Multiple Choice Items
• Correct Answer*
– Only one correct response
• Best Answer
– requires examinee to select alternative
closest to being correct
– fine distinctions
• Multiple Answer
– More than one correct or best answer

41. Guidelines for Writing:
Multiple Choice Items
• State stem in the form of a question.
– Weak
– Canada is
• a) a country
• b) where you live
• c) between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans
• d) all of the above
– Better
– Between which two oceans is Canada located?
• a) Atlantic and Indian
• b) Atlantic and Pacific
• c) Pacific and Indian

42. Guidelines for Writing: Stems
• Place most of the subject matter in the Stem
– ensures full statement of problem
• Eliminate extraneous material from the Stem
– goal is to measure student achievement, not to present new
material
– maximize use of time for demonstrating understanding, not
reading ability
• Avoid Negatively phrased Stems
– students may miss the qualifier
– use only when learning outcome requires this type of
differentiation

43. I. Guidelines for Writing: MC
• Ensure similarity among alternatives with
regard to:
– grammatical structure
– length
– mode of expression
• Grammatical errors provide unintentional
clues to the answer
• When in doubt, students will select the
longest alternative as the correct answer

44. Example: Length of Alternatives
Neurotics are more likely than psychotics to
a. be dangerous to society
b. have delusional symptoms
c. be dangerous to themselves
*d. have insight into their own inappropriate
behavior but nevertheless feel rather
helpless in terms of dealing with their
difficulties

45. II. Guidelines for Writing: MC
• Make one of the alternatives the most clearly
correct or best answer
– exception: multiple answer form
– reduces intrinsic ambiguity
– reduces frustration during test
• Make distracters plausible
– desire to attract students who really do NOT know the answer
to the question
– create distracters from elements of the correct response
– improves reliability of item

46. Example: Undemanding Distracters
Mickey Mouse’s two nephews are
a) Huey, Dewey and Louie
b) Clarabelle Cow
*c) Morty and Ferdy
d) Abbott and Costello

47. III. Guidelines for Writing: MC
• Avoid parallel language between the Stem and
the Correct Response
– gives clues to keyed response
– emphasizes testwiseness, not knowledge
• Randomly distribute answers across the
alternative positions
– inexperienced test writers emphasize “b” and “c” alternatives
(hide the answer!!)
– do NOT use an interpretable order of keyed responses

48. IV. Guidelines for Writing: MC
• Use qualifiers such as “all of the
above” and “none of the above”
sparingly
– testwise students will use process of
elimination to select answer
– do NOT use to “pad out” the distracters
because you cannot think of another one.

49. Advantages of Multiple Choice Items
• allow more adequate sampling of content.
• tend to more effectively structure the problem
to be addressed
• items can be more efficiently and reliably
scored than supply items
• different response alternatives can provide
diagnostic feedback (item analysis)
• items can be constructed to address various
levels of cognitive complexity

50. Disadvantages of Mult.Choice Items
• difficult & time consuming to construct good
items
– leads to emphasis on other selected response item types
• can lead the instructor to favour simple recall
of facts
• high degree of dependence on student’s
reading and instructor’s writing ability
– can be difficult to achieve clarity of expression
• measuring synthesis and evaluation can be
difficult
• inappropriate for measuring outcomes that
require skilled performance

51. Subjective Tests
Essay questions
.The essay question is defined as the test
item which requires a response composed
by the examinee.
• Essay test is characterized by the freedom
of response permitted to the learner. The
learner/test taker is free to select his/her
own ideas and organize them in his/her
own manner.

52. Characteristics of Essay tests
• The student is free to organize his/her
responses
• The student answers small number of
questions
• The examinee uses his/her own words and
usually his own handwriting.
• Depending on the freedom it provides, essay
questions can be of two types;
a. Restricted response questions
b. Extended response questions

53. Advantages of essay tests
1) Ease of construction
2) Measure complex learning outcome
3) Desirable influence on students’ study habit
Disadvantages:
i. Simple learning outcomes can not be
reliably measured
ii. Scoring may be highly subjective
iii. Very small aspects of the course are
measured
iv. Takes long time to score.

54. Suggestions to improve essay tests
• Restrict the use of essay tests to those
learning outcomes that can not be
satisfactorily measured by objective tests.
• Paraphrase each question so that
student’s task is clearly indicated.
• Avoid the use of optional questions
• Indicate an approximate time limit for each
question

55. scoring essay questgions
Prepare an outline of the expected answers
Use scoring method that is most appropriate
Decide how to handle factors that are
irrelevant to the learning outcomes.
Evaluate all the answers to one question
before going to the next one.
Evaluate the answers without looking at the
name of the student
Obtain two or more independent ratings if
important decisions are to be based on the
results.

56. Interpretive Exercise
• Usually begins with verbal, tabular or graphic information
which is the basis for 1 or more multiple choice questions.
– map, passage from a story, a poem, a cartoon
• Can challenge students at various levels of understanding
– application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation
• Exercise contains all information needed to answer questions
• Readily adaptive to the more important outcomes of
disciplines.

57. Interpretive Exercises (con’t)
• Examples
• If student answers incorrectly it is because
they have not mastered the thinking or
reasoning required by the question, NOT
because they failed to memorize background
information.
• Math questions: give students the formulas,
test ability to apply concepts, rather than ability
to memorize formulas.

58. THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING