the objective of testing

1. Language testing
Iin Widya Lestari, M.Pd.

2. 2
SUBJECTIVE - OBJECTIVE REFER TO THE SCORING OF
TESTS
Objective
 One correct answer (key)
 Can be scored mechanically
 Can be applied to a large
number of candidates
 Certain skills or areas of
language are tested
 Require more careful
preparation
 Simpler to answer
 Encourage guessing
Subjective
 More than one possible answer
 Cannot be scored mechanically
 Can only be applied to a limited
number of candidates
 Some skills and areas of language
are tested simultaneously
 Require simpler preparation
 More difficult to answer
 Discourage guessing

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SUBJECTIVE
YOU WENT TO LIVE IN JAKARTA IN 2011. IF SOMEONE ASKS YOU HOW LONG
YOU HAVE LIVED THERE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?
 Answer 1: I’ve been living in Jakarta since 2011.
 Answer 2: I didn’t leave Jakarta since 2011.
 Answer 3: I have lived in Jakarta for above two years.
 Answer 4: From 2011.
 Answer 5: I came to live in Jakarta in 2011 and I still live there.
 Answer 6: Since 2011 my home is in Jakarta.
 Answer 7: 2 years.
Objective
 ‘Is your home still in Jakarta?
 ‘Yes, I’ve been living there ……… 2011.’
 A. for B. on C. in D. at E. since

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MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS
Stay here until the teacher ……… you to leave. Stem
A. told
B. will tell Distractors Options/Alternatives
C. is telling
D. tells Correct Options/Key

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GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF MCT
1. Each item should have only one answer.
I stayed there until Taufik ……… .
A. had come B. come C. came D. has come
2. Only one feature at a time should be tested.
I never knew where the boys ……… .
A. had gone B. had come C. have gone D. have come
3. Each option should be grammatically correct when
placed in the stem
Someone who designs houses is an ……… .
A. designer B. builder C. architect D. plumber

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GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF MC
1. Each item should have only one answer.
I stayed there until Taufik ……… .
A. come B. will come C. came D. has come
2. Only one feature at a time should be tested.
I never knew where the boys ……… .
A. had gone B. will go C. have gone D. has go
3. Each option should be grammatically correct when placed in
the stem
Someone who designs houses is a/an ……… .
A. designer B. builder C. architect D. plumber

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GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF MC
4. All items should be at a level appropriate to the
level of the examinees
5. The items should be as brief and as clear as
possible
6. The items should be arranged in rough order of
increasing difficulty

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1. The stem may be an incomplete statement, a
complete statement, or a question
I stayed there until Taufik ….
A. comes B. come C. came D. has come
Fitri looked after her little sister because her mother went out.
A. played with B. took care of C. neglected D. helped
Which planet is the fifth from the earth?
A. Neptune B. Venus C. Pluto D. Mercury

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2. It should contain those words or phrases which would
otherwise have to be repeated in each option
The word ‘astronauts’ is used in the passage to refer to….
A. travelers in an ocean liner B. travelers in a space-ship
C. travelers in a submarine D. travelers in a balloon
The word ‘astronauts’ is used in the passage to refer to travelers in
….
A. an ocean liner B. a space-ship C. a submarineD. a balloon
3. It should allow for the number of choices which have been
decided upon
Fadli was … the other two boys.
A. taller than B. the tallest C. as tall as D. ?

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1. This should be clearly the correct or best option.
Who ……… you cycle here to see us?
A. ordered B. made C. asked D. let
2. The correct option should be approximately the same length
as the distractors.
He began to choke while he was eating the fish.
A. die
B. cough and vomit
C. be unable to breathe of something in the windpipe
D. grow very angry

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PRINCIPLES OF THE DISTRACTORS
1. Each distractor should be reasonably attractive
and plausible.
The present tax reforms have benefited ……… poor.
A. that B. the C. a D. an
2. Each distractor should be grammatically correct
when it stands by itself.
How did Picard first travel in space?
A. He travelled in a space-ship. B. He used a large balloon.
C. He went in a submarine. D. He jumped from a tall
building.

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PRINCIPLES OF THE DISTRACTORS
3. Distractors should not be much more difficult
than the correct option.
You need a ……… to enter that military airfield.
A. permutation B. perdition C. permit D. perspicuity
4. Capital letters are only used in options which
occur at the beginning of a sentence.
……… five principal colors.
A. There are B. They are C. Their D. They’re

13. OTHER PRINCIPLES OF CONSTRUCTING
MCT
1. Construct each item to assess a single written
objective
2. Base each item on a specific problem stated
clearly in the stem
3. Include as much of the item as possible in the
stem, but do not include irrelevant material.
4. State the stem in positive form (in general)
5. Word the alternatives clearly and concisely
6. Keep the alternatives mutually exclusive
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14. OTHER PRINCIPLES OF CONSTRUCTING
MCT
7. Keep the alternatives homogeneous in content
8. Keep the alternatives free from clues as to
which response is correct
9. Avoid the alternatives “all of the above” and
“none of the above” (in general)
10. Use as many functional distractors as are
feasible
11. Include one and only one correct or clearly best
answer in each item
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15. OTHER PRINCIPLES OF CONSTRUCTING
MCT
12. Present the answer in each of the alternative
positions approximately an equal number of
times, in a random order
13. Lay out the items in a clear and consistent
manner
14. Use proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling
15. Avoid using unnecessarily difficult vocabulary
16. Analyze the effectiveness of each item after
each administration of the test
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THE TEST DIRECTIONS
1. Write out the correct option in full in the blank.
2. Write the letter of the correct option in a box which
appears at the side of the question.
3. Cross the letter of the correct option.
4. Underline the best option.
5. Circle the letter of the correct option.
6. Choose one of the words or phrases that best complete
the sentence. Circle the corresponding letter on your
answer sheet.
7. Choose the correct option by crossing the corresponding
letter on your answer sheet.

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TEST RUBRIC
1 for correct answer 0 for incorrect 0 for no
2 for correct answer -1 for incorrect 0 for no