This document discusses essay test items and how to write them effectively. It defines essay items as questions requiring a written analysis or explanation of a specified length. Essay tests measure higher-level thinking like analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. There are two main forms of essay questions: restricted response questions that limit the topic scope and length of answers, and extended response questions that allow students more freedom in determining their answers. The document provides tips for writing good essay questions, scoring responses, and using open-book exams.

1. WRITING ESSAY TEST
ITEMS
Reporter: Jennelyn M. Gaabon

2. Why should presidents be limited
or not be limited to two
consecutive terms in office? (100
points)
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5. Definition
Essay item
is a question on a
test or examination on
a given topic requiring
a written analysis or
explanation, usually of
a specified length.

6. Essay test measure Higher Level
Thinking
Questions that test
higher level
processes such as
 Analysis
 Synthesis
 Evaluation
 Creativity

7. Form of Essay Test
•Restricted Response/ Controlled Response.
•Extended Response/Uncontrolled Response.
Restricted Response Extended Response

8. Restricted Response Essay Questions
Restricted response usually limits both
the content and the response by
restricting the scope of the topic to be
discussed.
Useful for measuring learning outcomes
requiring interpretation and application
of data in a specific area.

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10. Extended Response Essay
Questions
Extended response
An essay item that allows the student to
determine the length and complexity of
response

11. Extended Response Essay
Questions
select information that they think is
pertinent
to organize the answer in accordance
with their best judgment
 to integrate and evaluate ideas as they
think suitable.
no limits

12. Identify as many as different ways to generate electricity as
you can. Give advantages and disadvantages of each and
how each might be used to provide the electrical power
requirements of a medium sized city. Your response will be
graded on its accuracy and your evaluation of how practical
each source of electricity would be, if implemented. Your
response should be 12-15 pages in length and will be
evaluated based on the scoring criteria distributed in class.
For maximum credit be sure that your response addresses
each of the scoring criteria components.

13. PROS AND CONS
OF ESSAY ITEMS

14. Emphasize Essential Communication
Skills in Complex Academic Disciplines
Relatively Easy to Construct
Most Effective in Assessing Complex
Learning Outcomes
Guessing is Eliminated

15. Limited sample of Total Instructional
Contents
Scores are unreliable
Difficult to Score
Bluffing

16. SUGGESTIONS FOR
WRITING ESSAY

17. Have clearly in mind what mental process you
want the student to use before starting to write
the question

18. Establish reasonable time/page limits
Avoid using optional items

19. SCORING ESSAY
QUESTIONS

20.  Write good essay questions
 Use several restricted response
questions.
 Prepare a rubric
 Cover the names on the papers
before scoring
 Score each student’s answer

21. Scoring External Responses
and Higher level Questions

22. Content
Organization

23. Accuracy &
Reasonableness
Completeness &
Internal Consistency
Originality &
Creativity

24. OPEN-BOOK QUESTIONS AND EXAMS

25. From text From Student
 Quotation
 Summary
 Paraphrase
Reaction
Prediction
Summarization-
on