Steps in Developing a Classroom Assessment
Test
1. Examine the instructional objectives of the
topics previously discussed.
2. Make a table of specifications (TOS)
3. Construct the test items.
4. Assemble the test items
5. Check the assembled test items
6. Write directions
7. Make the answer key.
8. Analyze and improve the test items.
Table of Specifications
It is chart or table that details the content and level of
cognitive domain assessed on a test as well as the
types and emphases of test items. (Gareis and Grant,
2008)
Construction of TOS
1. Selecting the learning outcomes to be
measured.
2. Make an outline of the subject matter to be
covered in the test.
3. Decide on the number of items per subtopic.
4. Make the TOS.
5. Construct the test items.
Guidelines for Construction of Test Items
1. Begin writing items far enough in advance so
that you will have time to revise them.
2. Match items to the intended outcomes at
appropriate level of difficulty
3. Be sure each item deals with important aspect
of the content area.
4. Be sure the problem posed is clear and
unambiguous.
5. Be sure that the item is independent with all
other items.
6. Be sure the item has one or best answer on
which experts would agree.
7. Prevent unintended clues to an answer in the
statement or question.
8. Avoid replication of the textbook in writing test
items
9. Avoid trick or catch questions in an
achievement test
10. Try to write items that require higher-order
thinking skills.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.

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