ULO d, e & f: Different Formats of Classroom

Assessment Tools

Metalanguage
Classroom assessment comes in different forms and each of this form has
their strengths and weaknesses. In this lesson we will discuss the different form
of traditional assessment and the rules of when it will be used and how to create
it.

Essential Knowledge
1. Multiple Choice
A multiple choice is the most commonly used format in assessment
especially in standardized test because of its larger span of coverage with
regards to topic and cognitive process. It is composed of three parts: the
stem (the question), the keyed item and the distracters.

Guidelines for Construction of Multiple-choice

1. Make a test that is practical
2. Use diagram or drawing when asking question about application,
analysis or evaluation.
3. When ask to interpret or evaluate about quotations, present actual
quotations from secondary sources.
4. Use tables, figures or charts when asking to interpret and pictures when
students are required to apply concepts and principles.
5. List the choices/options vertically NOT horizontally
6. Avoid trivial questions
7. Use only one correct answer or best answer format
8. Use three to five options to discourage guessing.
9. Be sure that distracters are plausible and effective.
10. Increase similarity of the options.
11. Do not use “none of the above” when asking for the best answer
12. Avoid using “all of the above” options

Guidelines for Construction of Stem

1. The stem should be written in question form or completion form.
2. Do not leave blank at the beginning or middle of the stem (for completion
form)
3. The stem should pose the problem completely
4. The stem should be clear and concise.
5. Avoid excessive and meaningless use of words.
6. State the stem in positive form. Avoid using negative phrase like “not”
and “except”.
 7. Avoid grammatical clues.

Guidelines for Construction of Options

1. There should be one correct answer or best answer in each item.
2. List options in vertical order not horizontal order beneath the stem.
3. Arrange the options in logical order and use capital letters.
4. No overlapping options; keep it independent.
5. All options must be homogeneous in content.
6. As much as possible the length of the options must be the same or
equal.
7. Avoid using the phrase “all of the above”, “none of the above” and “
I don’t know ”.

Guidelines for Construction of Distracters

1. The distracters should be plausible and equally popular to all examinees.
2. Avoid using ineffective distracters.
3. Each distracter should be chosen by at least 5% of the examinees but
not more than the key answer.
4. Revise distracters that are over-attractive.

Advantages of Multiple-Choice Test

• Measures learning outcomes from remembering to creating.
• Scoring is highly objective, easy and reliable.
• Scores are more reliable than subjective type of test.
• Measures broad sample of content within a short span of time.
• Item analysis can reveal the difficulty of an item and can discriminate
the good and poor performing students.

Disadvantages of Multiple-Choice Test

• Time consuming to construct a good item
• Difficult to find effective and plausible distracters.
• Scores can be influenced by the reading ability of the examinees.
• In some cases, there is more than one justifiable correct answer.
• Ineffective in assessing the problem solving skills of the students.
• Not applicable when assessing the student’s ability to organize and
express ideas.

2. Matching Type
Matching Type questions is composed of two columns. Column A (left
side) contains the description while Column B (right side) has the options
or answers.

Guidelines for Construction of Matching Type

1. The options and descriptions must be short and homogeneous.
 2. The descriptions must be written at the left side and marked with
Column A and the options must be written at the right side and marked
with Column B.
3. There should be more options than descriptions or indicate in the
directions that each option may be used more than once.
4. Matching directions should specify the basis for matching
5. Avoid too many correct answers
6. When using name, always include the complete name.
7. Use numbers for the descriptions and capital letters for the options
8. Arrange the options in a chronological or alphabetical order.
9. The descriptions and options must be written in one page
10. A minimum of three and a maximum of seven items for elementary
and a maximum of seventeen items for secondary and tertiary levels.

Advantages of Matching Type

• It is simpler to construct than multiple-choice type of test.
• It reduces the effect of guessing compared to multiple-choice or true-or-
false type of tests.
• It is appropriate to assess the association between facts
• Provides easy, accurate, efficient, objective and reliable scores
• More content can be covered in the given set of test.

Disadvantages of Matching Type

• It measures only simple recall or memorization of information
• It is difficult to construct due to problems in selecting descriptions and
options
• It assesses only low level of cognitive domain such as knowledge and
comprehension

3. True or False
True or False format of assessment is an objective format. It lets the student
to choose only one of the two options which is whether the statement is true
of false.

Guidelines for Construction of True-or-False Test

1. Avoid writing very long statement
2. Avoid trivial questions
3. It should contain only one idea in each item except for statement
showing cause and effect.
4. Avoid opinion-based statement
5. Avoid using negative or double negative.
6. Avoid specific determiner such as never, always, all and none for they
tend to appear in the statements that are false.
 7. Avoid specific determiner such as some, sometimes and may for they
tend to appear in the statements that are true.
8. Avoid grammatical clues.
9. Avoid statement directly taken from the book.
10. Avoid arranging the statements in patterned order (TTTTTT,
FFFFFF, TFTFTF)
11. Directions should indicate where and how the students should
mark their answers.

Advantages of True-or-False Test

• It covers a lot of content in a short span of time
• It is easier to prepare compared to multiple-choice and matching type of
test
• It is easier to score because it can be scored objectively compared to test
that depends on the judgment of the rater/s.
• It is useful when there are two alternatives only
• The score is more reliable than essay test.

Disadvantages of True-or-False Test

• Limited to only to level of thinking skills such as knowledge and
comprehension or recognition or recall information
• High probability of guessing the correct answer.

4. Completion/Short Answer
A format in assessment that requires the student to supply the answer to
the question.

Guidelines for Construction of Completion/Short Answer Test

1. The item should require a single answer or brief and definite statement.
2. Be sure that language used in the statement is precise and accurate in
relation to the subject matter being tested.
3. Be sure to omit only key words.
4. Do not leave blank at the beginning or within the statement.
5. Use direct question rather than incomplete statement.
6. Be sure to indicate units in which to be expressed when the statement
requires numerical answer.
7. Be sure that the answer the student is required to produce is factually
correct.
8. Avoid grammatical clues
9. Do not select textbook sentences.

Advantages of Completion/Short Answer Test

• It covers a broad range of topics in a short span of time
 • It is easier to prepare and less time consuming compared to multiple
choice and matching type of test.
• It can assess effectively the lower level of Bloom’s taxonomy
• It reduces the possibility of guessing the correct answer

Disadvantages of Completion/Short Answer Test

• It is only appropriate for questions that can be answered with short
responses
• There is difficulty in scoring when questions are not prepared properly
and clearly.
• It can assess only knowledge, comprehension and application in Bloom’s
taxonomy of cognitive domain
• It is not adaptable in measuring complex learning outcomes
• Scoring is tedious and time consuming.

2. Essay
It consists of few number of questions wherein the examinee is expected to
demonstrate ability to recall factual knowledge, organize knowledge and present
knowledge in logical and integrated answer.

Advantages of Extended Response Essay:

• Demonstrate learning outcomes at synthesis and evaluation levels
• Provides more freedom to give responses to the question and provide
creative integration of ideas

Disadvantages of Extended Response Essay:

• More difficult to construct
• Scoring is time consuming

Advantages of Restricted Response Essay:

• It is easier to prepare questions
• It is easier to score
• It is more directly related to specific learning outcomes

Disadvantages of Restricted Response Essay:

• It provides little opportunity for students to organize ideas, to integrate
materials and to develop new patterns
• It measures learning outcomes at comprehension, application and
analysis levels

Guidelines for Construction of Essay Test

1. Construct essay question to measure complex learning outcomes and
relate to the outcomes to be measured.
 2. Formulate essay questions that present a clear task to be performed.
3. An item should be stated precisely and it must clearly focus on the
desired answer.
4. All students should be required to answer the same question
5. Number of points and time spent in answering the question must be
indicated in each item
6. Specify the number of words, paragraphs or the number of sentences for
the answer.
7. The scoring system must be discussed or presented to the students.

Advantages of Essay Test

• It is easier to prepare and less time consuming.
• It measures HOTS
• It allows students’ freedom to express individuality in answering the
question
• The students have a chance to express their own ideas.
• It reduces guessing answer
• It presents more realistic task
• It emphasizes on integration and application of ideas

Disadvantages of Essay Test

• It cannot provide an objective measure of the achievement of the
students
• It needs so much time to grade and prepare scoring criteria
• The scores are usually not reliable
• It measures limited amount of objectives and contents
• Low variation in scores
• It encourages bluffing

Suggestions for Grading Essay Test

• Decide on the policy for dealing with incorrect, irrelevant or illegal
responses.
• Keep the scores of previously read items out of sight
• The student’s identity should remain anonymous while his/her paper is
being graded
• Read and evaluate each student’s answer to the same question before
grading the next question.
• Provide students with general grading criteria
• Use analytic or holistic scoring
• Answer the test question yourself by writing the ideal answer.
• Write your comments on their papers.