This document outlines guidelines for effective test construction presented by Arnel O. Rivera. It discusses the importance of evaluation and preparing valid, reliable and usable tests. The presentation covers preparing a table of specifications, writing multiple choice and situational judgement questions, and general test construction tips like avoiding negative stems. Overall, the key messages are that preparing good tests takes time and effort, but plays an important role in student and teacher evaluation.

1. TEST
CONSTRUCTION
Presented by:
Arnel O. Rivera
Faculty Member
BNHS-Villa Maria
CAS, LPU-Cavite
The Art of Effective Evaluation
Presented to the teachers of
DepEd Bacoor City
October 30, 2015
Coping with the K-12 Dilemma
http://www.slideshare.net/sirarnelPHhistory

2. OUTLINE:
 Introduction
 Importance of Effective Evaluation
 TOS
 Preparing a Multiple Choice Test
 Situational Judgment Tests (SJT)
 Workshop
 Wrap-up

3. For every problem
there is a solution. If
you are not part of the
solution then you are
part of the PROBLEM.
Chinkee Tan
Chink Positive

4. 13% of students who got low grades in
exams are caused by faulty test questions.
WORLDWATCH, The Philadelphia Trumpet (August 2005)

6. “The evaluation of pupils’
progress is a major aspect of
the teacher’s job.“
Evaluating Educational Outcomes
(Oriondo & Antonio)

8. Our students were trained
to memorize information.
After they have memorized
facts, then what?

9. Old belief about teaching .....
Education is a process where the
notes of the teachers or the
contents in the books are
transfered to the notebooks of
the students, without
understanding them.
(Wiggins, 2009)

10. 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

11. Encourage
improvement!

12. 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

13. Characteristics of Good Tests
Validity – the extent to which the
test measures what it intends to
measure
Reliability – the consistency with
which a test measures what it is
supposed to measure
Usability – the test can be
administered with ease, clarity
and uniformity

14. Scorability – easy to score
Interpretability – test results can
be properly interpreted and is a
major basis in making sound
educational decisions
Economical – the test can be
reused without compromising the
validity and reliability
Other Things to Consider

15. “To be able to prepare a
GOOD TEST, one has to have
a mastery of the subject
matter, knowledge of the
pupils to be tested, skill in
verbal expression and the
use of the different test
format”
Evaluating Educational Outcomes
(Oriondo & Antonio)

16. General Steps in Test Construction
DRAFT
ORDER
TEST ANALYZE
SUBMISSION
PRODUCE A
T.O.S.

17. Table of Specifications (TOS)
A two way chart that relates the
learning outcomes to the course
content
It enables the teacher to prepare a test
containing a representative sample of
student behavior in each of the areas
tested.

19. Sample TOS

20. KPU Paradox
Knowledge (Remembering) – answers
the question what, where and when?
(ano, saan at kailan)
Process (Application & Analysis) –
answers the question how? (paano)
Understanding (Analysis) – answers the
question why ?(bakit)

21. THE LEVELS OF COGNITIVE
The levels are the guiding posts in
constructing test items. Regardless of what
type of teacher-made tests the teacher will
prepare, the items must follow the pattern set
for evaluation.
The following items are features of levels
with regards to the objectives of the lessons.

22. 1. KNOWLEDGE – includes those objectives that deal with
recall, recognize facts, terminology, etc.
Example: Sino ang kauna-unahang bayani ng
Pilipinas na nakipaglaban sa mga Kastila?
2. COMPREHENSION – includes some level of
understanding. It requires the learners to change
the form of communication to see the connection
or relations among parts of a communication
(interpretation) or draw a conclusion (inference).
Example: Bakit sa tabing dagat naninirahan ang mga
sinaunang Pilipino?

23. 3. APPLICATION – it requires the pupils to use
previously acquired information in a setting other
than the one in which it was learned.
Example:Alin sa mga sumusunod ang uri ng
pamumuhay noong panahon ng Martial Law?
4. ANALYSIS – It requires the pupils to identyify the
logical errors (point out the prediction or
erroneous inference), differentiate among facts,
opinions, assumptions, hypothesis or
conclusions, dtraw relationships among ideas or
to compare and contrast.
Example: Alin sa mga sumusunod ang dapat
ginawa ng mga Pilipino upang makamit ang
inaasam na kalayaan laban sa mga Kastila?

24. 5. SYNTHESIS – objectives at this level require the pupils
to [produce somthing unique or original. Test questions
at this level require the pupils to solve unfamiliar
problems or combine parts to form a unique or novel
whole.
Example: Bilang mag-aaral, paano ka makakatulong sa
pagpapanatili ng kalinisan n gating kapaligiran?
6. EVALUATION – Under this objective, the learners are
required to form judgments about the value of
methods, ideas, people or products that have a specific
purpose.
Example: Alin sa mga sumusunod ang higit na
mabisang paraan ng pagsugpo sa ipinagbabawal na
gamot?

25. Tips in Preparing the Table
of Specifications (TOS)
Don’t make it overly detailed.
It's best to identify major ideas and skills
rather than specific details.
Use a cognitive taxonomy that is most
appropriate to your discipline.
Weigh the appropriateness of the distribution
of checks against the students' level, the
importance of the test, the amount of time
available.

26. General Rules in Writing Test
Questions
Number test questions continuously.
Keep your test question in each test group
uniform.
Make your layout presentable.
Do not put too many test questions in one
test group.
 T or F: 10 – 15 questions
 Multiple Choice: max. of 30 questions
 Matching type: 5 questions per test group
 Others: 5 – 10 questions

27. Some additional guidelines to consider
when writing items are described below:
1. Avoid humorous items. Classroom testing is
very important and humorous items may
cause students to either not take the exam
seriously, become confused or anxious.
2. Items should measure one’s knowledge of the
item context not their level of interest.
3. Write items to measure what students know,
not what they do not know. (Cohen & Wallack)

28. Multiple Choice Test

29. When checking the stems for correctness:
Ensure that the stem asks a clear
question.
Reading level is appropriate to the
students
The stem is grammatically correct.
Negatively stated stems are
discouraged.
What to Look for on
Multiple Choice Tests

30. Example:
What is the effect of releasing a ball in
positive gravity?
a) It will fall “down.” correct
b) It will retain its mass. true but unrelated
c) It will rise. false but related
d) Its shape will change. false and unrelated
Anatomy of a Perfect
Multiple Choice Tests

31. Multiple Choice Questions
1. Use negatively stated stems sparingly and
when using negatives such as NOT,
underline or bold the print.
2. Use none of the above and all of the above
sparingly, and when you do use them, don't
always make them the right answer.
3. Only one option should be correct or clearly
best.

32. Multiple Choice Questions:
4. All options should be homogenous and
nearly equal in length.
5. The stem (question) should contain only
one main idea.
6. Keep all options either singular or plural.
7. Have four or five responses per stem
(question).

33. Multiple Choice Questions:
7. When using incomplete statements place
the blank space at the end.
8. When possible organize the responses.
9. Reduce wordiness.
10. When writing distracters, think of incorrect
responses that students might make.

34. Situational
Judgment
Tests (SJT)

35. Situational Judgment Tests (SJT)
Is a type of test which presents realistic
scenarios similar to those that would be
encountered in real life. By using real life
scenarios, the idea is that students will
get a better understanding of how they
might operate in the given situation work
place.
(http://blog.careerbuilder.co.uk/2015/06/11/what-
you-need-to-know-about-situation-judgement-
tests/)

36. Situational judgment tests (SJT)
Situational judgment tests present
the test-taker with realistic, hypothetical
scenarios and ask the individual to
identify the most appropriate response or
to rank the responses in the order they
feel is most effective.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situational_judgeme
nt_test)

37. Why use SJTs?
Situational judgment test’s are
designed to clarify the difference
between average from superior response.
The most effective response will look at
the situation from various angles,
consider a wider range of action, and
take account the long-term consequences
of action. (Sharpley, 2010)

38. Formats in SJT questions
Ranking questions ask you to rank in
order your response to a situation.
Multiple choice questions ask you to
choose the most appropriate action or
decision to take in a given situation.
(http://www.foundationprogrammeguru.co.uk/the-
situational-judgement-test.html)

39. Things to remember in making SJT
Questions
Since SJT questions require learners to
identify the best or worst answer, the
stem should be presented in a manner in
which the test taker will choose the
correct answer by eliminating the
distractors.

40. Things to remember in making SJT
Questions
In making the choices, the correct
answer should always be the one that
actually solves the problem or answer the
question. Logically, the “correct” answers
need to be distinct from the other answer
options. Hence if two answer options
seem very similar, it would be very
difficult to identify the “distractor”.
(http://www.foundationprogrammeguru.co.uk/the-situational-
judgement-test.html)

41. Conceptual Framework
Concept Ideas
Situational
Judgemental
Test (SJT)
Answer

42. Example:
Kalabisan
(Surplus)
Ang kalabisan ay dahilan upang
magkaroon ng pagbaba ng
presyo upang makamit ang
presyong ekwilibriyo.
Answer: D
Sa presyong 1,000, ang demand para
sa cellphone A ay 10,000. Ngunit ang
naprodyus na cellphone A ay 14,000.
Ano ang dapat gawin upang
magkaroon ng ekwilibriyo?
A. Bawasan ang supply
B. Bawasan ang demand
C. Taasan ang presyo
D. Ibaba ang presyo

43. Knowledge:
Alin sa mga sumusunod ang
nagpapahiwatig na may kakapusan sa
bansa?
A. Kung mabilis ang paggawa ng produkto.
B. Kung sagana ang produkto sa pamilihan.
C. Kung may kaguluhan sa pulitika.
D. Kung limatado ang suplay ng kalakal sa
bansa.

44. Process:
• Sa papaanong paraan mo maitataguyod ang karapatan sa
tamang impormasyon?
A. Pag-aralan ang nakatatak sa etiketa ukol sa sangkap,
dami, at komposisyon ng produkto.
B. Palaging pumunta sa timbangang-bayan upang matiyak
na husto ang biniling produkto.
C. Pahalagahan ang kalidad at hindi ang tatak ng produkto
o serbisyong bibilhin.
D. Palagiang gumamit ng recycled na produkto upang
mapangalagaan ang kapaligiran.

45. Understanding:
• Maituturing na kagustuhan ang isang bagay kapag higit ito sa
batayang pangangailangan. Kailan maituturing na batayang
pangangailangan ang isang produkto o serbisyo?
A. Magagamit mo ito upang maging madali ang mahirap na
gawain.
B. Nagbibigay ito ng kasiyahan at kaginhawaan.
C. Hindi mabubuhay ang tao kapag wala ang mga ito.
D. Makabibili ka ng maraming bagay sa pamamagitan nito.

46. Understanding:
Nagsimula sa maliit na puhunan ang negosyo ni Mang
Cenon, hanggang ito ay lumaki at nagkaroon ng iba’t ibang
sangay sa Bulacan. Alin ang HINDI dahilan ng kanyang pag-
unlad?
A. Maayos ang kanyang pangangasiwa.
B. Marami siyang kabarkada at kaanak
C. Malawak ang kanyang kaalaman sa negosyo.
D. Mahusay siyang makitungo sa kanyang mga tauhan.

47. 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)

49. POINTS TO PONDER…
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

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