CONSTRUCTION OF TESTS

AND OTHER MEASUREMENT / EVALUATION / ASSESSMENT TOOLS

Test is a device used to obtain information needed for evaluation purposes. They provide teachers with information that can aid
them in improving instruction. They also provide students with information that can aid them in improving themselves.

Measurement is the process by which information about the attributes or characteristics of things are determined or differentiated.
It is limited to quantitative description of an attribute.

Assessment - the reasons for assessment:

 diagnose student’s strength and weaknesses,
 monitor student’s progress,
 assign grades,
 determine one’s own instructional effectiveness,
 influence public perceptions of educational effectiveness,
 help to evaluate teachers and clarify teacher’s instructional attentions

Evaluation is the process of summing up the results of measurements or tests, giving them meaning based on value judgments
(Hopkins / Stanley, 1981). It is a systematic process of determining the extent to which instructional objectives are achieved by pupils
(Gronlund, 1981). It includes quantitative description (measurement) or qualitative description and value judgment concerning the
result of measurement. Evaluation cannot be undertaken apart from the teaching because it

 validates the objective, and

 points out the effectivity and propriety of the learning experiences.

What are the Scope of Evaluation?

1. Assessment of curricular offerings, school programs and industrial materials and facilities.
2. Assessment of the mentors.
3. Assessment of the pupils / students.

Why Evaluate?

1. As students’ requirements to exit the course

2. To prepare students for other tests and examination
3. To answer professional accountability / index of teacher performance
4. To maintain universal academic standards (benchmark for the department)

What to Evaluate?

1. Students academic performance based on the specific objectives explicitly stated in the syllabi.
2. Learning outcomes achieved by the students that are the products of teaching.
3. Learning outcomes achieved by the students that can be categorized as cognitive, affective, and psychomotor.

How to Evaluate?

A. By Giving Tests

1. Pencil and Paper Tests for Cognitive Learning Outcomes

Classification of Test
a. Educational Test
Primary function is the measurement of results or effect of instruction.
e.g. Periodic Examination, Achievement Test

Types of Educational Test

edithysillorequez 1
[Type text]
 1. Criterion – Referenced – test are designed to determine whether or not an individual has reached a target
performance level on a specific scale called for by the test exercises. The main concern is not to compare the
performance of a student relative to a present target.

Example A teacher may aim for the students to learn “addition of dissimilar fractions with 80% accuracy.
He teaches the concept and gives a 20 item test on adding of dissimilar fractions.
Anne got 75%. She is 5% short than the criterion.
Mario got 90%. He exceeded the target performance by 10%.

2. Norm – Referenced Tests is constructed for the purpose of determining the performance of a student with reference
to a target group.
Example
1) Marie got P80 in NCEE. She is much better than 80% of the students who took the tests.

2) Psychological Tests – measures the intangible aspects of behavior such as attitudes, interests, emotional
adjustments, intelligence and ability.

B. By Using Other Evaluation Tools for Non – Cognitive Learning Outcomes

a. Authentic Evaluation Tools

b. Portfolios and Reflections
c. Celebrations and Other Culminating Activities

What are the Uses of Test?

1. Instructional Uses
Test results focus teacher’s attention on specific objectives need to be emphasized more, the teaching methods that have
to be utilized more or those that need to be improved.

2. Administrative Uses
Tests are useful for making selection decisions. They provide information that would be accepted in particular programs.
They are necessary in determining whether a particular innovative program or teaching strategy or medium of instruction is
more effective in attaining educational goals.

3. Guidance Uses
Test results are useful in predicting an individual’s success in a field of study and thus aid him in choosing an appropriate
course of study.

What are the Steps in Test Construction?

1. Determine the purpose of the tests – Unit Test, Chapter test, Mid–Term Exam
2. Prepare a table of specifications or test blueprint
3. Select the appropriate test items
4. Construct relevant test
5. Assemble the test
6. Administer the test
7. Appraise the test results
8. Use the test results for the purposes it was intended
9. Review the test items for improvement and future use

What are the Steps in Preparing a Table of Specification?

Table of Specification is a matrix where the rows consist of the specific topics or skills and the columns are the objectives
cast in terms of Blooms Taxonomy of educational objectives. It is consist of the item number and the number of items prepared for
each cell.

A. Review the syllabus

How much content was covered?
How much of the objectives were accomplished?

B. Determine the number of items in a Table of Specification

edithysillorequez 2
 Determine the number of days spent in each topic.

C. Divide the total number of items by the total number of days.

D. Multiply the quotient to the number of days spent for each topic to determine the number of items per topic.

What are the Characteristics that Objectives Must Possess?

1. Objectives should be written in terms of observable student behavior.

Example:
Poor: To understand the addition of dissimilar fractions
Better: To solve at least 8 out of 10 exercises in addition of dissimilar fractions.

2. Objectives should contain only terms that have precise meanings.

The word “understand” means different to different people.

3. Objectives should be unitary.

Example: To read the poems written by Edgar Allan Poe.
To appreciate poems written by Edgar Allan Poe.

4. Objectives should be realistic. Objectives should consider the

 time available for teaching,
 time limit for testing and
 characteristics of the learners.

What are the Hierarchy of Educational Objectives?

Bloom’s Hierarchy of Educational Objectives (Cognitive Domain)

1. Knowledge – pertains to objective related to simple recall rate memory learning and knowledge of facts. This is: To say the
first letters of the alphabet
e.g. To point all e’s in a word
To define mammal.

2. Comprehension refers to knowledge of facts with understanding

e.g. To translate word sentences to number sentence.
To summarize the main idea of a paragraph.
To predict the ending of a story.

3. Application is the ability to use given abstractions (idea, rule, procedure) appropriate to a new
situation and apply it correctly.
e.g. To follow safety rules when the fire drill bell rings.
To make a cookies using a recipe.
To write 10 sentences using past tense of the verb.

4. Analysis is the ability to break down a concept into its constituent elements in order to illustrate
the hierarchy, show the basis of organization and indicate how it conveys its effect.
e.g. To underline the main idea in a letter.
To distinguish the similar terms.
To identify parts of the sentence.

5. Synthesis refers to the ability of the learner to put together certain bits of information into a
whole information.
e.g. To derive a formula.
To make a recipe.
To construct a collage.

6. Evaluation is making of judgments about the value, purpose of ideas, work solutions, methods
and materials. The criteria for evaluations may be determine by the student or the teacher and the judgments may
be quantitative or qualitative.
e.g. To draw a conclusion based on the data.
To write a critique of a short story.

*& * & *&*& * & *& * & *&*& * & *&*& * & *&*& * & *&*& * & *&*& * & *&*& * & *&*& * & *&*& * & *&*& * & *&*& * & *

edithysillorequez 3
Topic: Addition of Dissimilar Fractions
Objectives:
At the end of the topic, the students should be able to:
1. identify similar fractions from dissimilar fractions (knowledge)
2. define dissimilar fractions in their own words (comprehension)
3. add dissimilar fractions (application)
4. state the rule in adding dissimilar fractions (synthesis)

Table of Specification

Objectives Objective Level Total No. No. of

Content Knowledge Comprehension Application Synthesis of Items Hours
1. Similar and
Dissimilar 1 1 1
Fractions
2. Least
Common 1 1 2 1
Multiple
3. Changing
Dissimilar
Fractions to 1 1 1 3 2
Similar
Fractions
4. Adding
Dissimilar 1 11 1 4 2
Fractions
Total 2 3 4 1 10 6

Instrumentation of the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: Cognitive Domain

TAXONOMY Key Words EXAMPLES OF DIRECT OBJECTS
CLASSIFICATION EXAMPLES OF INFINITIVES
1.00 KNOWLEDGE

1.10 Knowledge of specifics

1.11 Knowledge of terminology To define, to distinguish, to Vocabulary, terms, terminology, meaning(s),

acquire, to identify, to recall, to definitions, referents, elements
recognize

1.12 Knowledge of specific facts To recall, to recognize, to Facts, factual information, (sources),
acquire, to identify (names), (dates), (events), (persons),
(places), (time periods), properties,
examples, phenomena

1.20 Knowledge of ways and means

of
dealing with specifics

1.21 Knowledge of conventions To recall, to identify, to Form(s), conventions, uses, usage, rules,
recognize, to acquire ways, devices, symbols, representations,
style(s), format(s)

1.22 Knowledge of trends, To recall, to recognize, to Action(s), processes, movement(s),

sequences acquire, to identify continuity, development(s), trend(s),
edithysillorequez 4
 sequence(s), causes, relationship(s), forces,
influences

1.23 Knowledge of classifications To recall, to recognize, to Area(s), type(s), feature(s), class(es), set(s),
and categories acquire, to identify arrangement(s), classification(s), category /
categories

1.24 Knowledge of criteria To recall, to recognize, to Criteria, basics, elements

acquire, to identify

1.25 Knowledge of methodology To recall, to recognize, to Methods, techniques, approaches, uses,

acquire, to identify procedures, treatments

1.30 Knowledge of universals and

abstractions in a field

1.31 Knowledge of principles, To recall, to recognize, to Principle(s), generalization(s), proposition(s),

generalizations acquire, to identify fundamentals, laws, principal elements,
implication(s)

1.32 Knowledge of theories and To recall, to recognize, to Theories, bases, interrelations, structure(s),
structures acquire, to identify formulation(s)

2.00 COMPREHENSION

2.10 Translation To translate, to transform, to Meaning(s), sample(s), definitions,

give in own words, to illustrate, abstractions, representations, words,
to prepare, to read, to represent, phrases
to change, to rephrase, to
restate

2.20 Interpretation To interpret, to reorder, to Relevancies, relationships, essentials,

rearrange, to differentiate, to aspects, new view(s), qualification,
distinguish, to make, to draw, to conclusions, methods, theories, abstraction
explain, to demonstrate

2.30 Extrapolation To estimate, to infer, to Consequences, implications, conclusions,

conclude, to predict, to factors, ramifications, meanings, corollaries,
differentiate, to determine, to effects, probabilities
interpolate, to extrapolate, to fill
in, to draw

3.00 APPLICATION To apply, to generalize, to relate, Principles, laws, conclusions, effects,

to choose, to develop, to methods, theories, abstractions, situations,
organize, to use, to employ, to generalizations, processes, phenomena,
transfer, to restructure, to procedures
classify

4.00 ANALYSIS To distinguish, to detect, to Elements, hypothesis / hypotheses,

identify, to classify, to conclusions, assumptions, statements (of
discriminate, to recognize, to act), statements (of intent), arguments,
categorize, to deduce particulars

4.10 Analysis of relationships To analyze, to contrast, to Relationships, interrelations, relevance /

compare, to distinguish, to relevancies, themes, evidence, fallacies,
deduce arguments, cause – effect(s) consistency /
consistencies, parts, ideas, assumptions

4.20 Analysis of organizational To analyze, to distinguish, to Form(s), pattern(s), purpose(s), point(s) of

principles detect, to deduce view(s), technique(s), bias(es), structure(s),
theme(s), arrangement(s), organization(s)

5.00 Synthesis

edithysillorequez 5
 5.10 Production of a unique work To write, to tell, to relate, to Structure(s), pattern(s), product(s),
produce, to constitute, to performance(s), design(s), work(s),
transmit, to originate, to modify, communications, effort(s), specifics
to document composition(s)

5.20 Production of a plan, or To propose, to plan, to produce, Plan(s), objectives, specification(s),

proposed set of operations to design, to modify, to specify schemantic(s), operations, way(s), solutions,
means

5.30 Derivation of a set of abstract To produce, to derive, to Phenomena, taxonomies, concept(s),

of develop, to combine, to scheme(s), theories, relationships,
operations organize, to synthesize, to abstraction, generalizations, hypothesis /
classify, to deduce, to develop, hypotheses, perceptions, ways, discoveries
to formulate, to modify

6.00 Evaluation

6.10 Judgments in terms of internal To judge, to argue, to validate, to Accuracy / accuracies, consistency /
evidence assess, to decide consistencies, fallacies, reliability, flaws,
errors, precision, exactness

6.20 Judgments in terms of external To judge, to argue, to consider, Ends, means, efficiency, economy /
criteria to compare, to contrast, to economies, utility, alternatives, courses of
standardize, to appraise action, standards, theories, generalizations

General Principles in Constructing the Different Types of Test.

1. The test items should be selected carefully. Only important facts should be considered.
2. The test should have extensive sampling items
3. The test items should be carefully expressed in simple clear, definite, and meaningful sentences.
4. There should be only one possible correct response for each test item.
5. Each item should be independent of the other items as much as possible.
6. Lifting sentences from books should not be done to encourage thinking and understanding.
7. The first person I and We should not be used.
8. Various types of tests should be used to avoid monotony.
9. Majority of the test items should be of moderate difficulty. Few difficult and few easy items should be included. The
test items should be arranged in ascending order of difficulty. Easy items should be at the beginning and the most
difficult items at the end. This will encourage the examinee to pursue the test. Up to the end.
10. Clear, concise, and complete direction should precede all types of test. Sample test items may be provided for expected
responses.
11. Items that can be answered by previous experience alone without knowledge of the subject matter should
not be included.
12. Catchy words should not be used in the test items.
13. Test items must be based upon the objectives of the course and upon the course content.
14. The test should measure the degree of achievements or determine the difficulties of the learners.
15. The test should emphasize the ability to apply and use facts as well as knowledge of facts.
16. The teacher should answer /perform the test her/himself (to come up with an answer key) to determine its
approximate time allotment (in the case of the midterm / final exams, when the time allotted is 1 ½ hours) The teacher
must do the test in an hour or less depending upon the subject / course, type of tests included, and target objectives
/performance the teacher purports /intends her/his students must achieve.
17. The test should be of such length that within the time allotted it could be completed by all or nearly all of the students.
18. Rules governing good language expression, grammar, spelling, punctuation and capitalization should be observed in all
items.
19. Information on how the scoring should be done should be provided.
20. Scoring keys in correcting and scoring the test should be provided.

Pointers to be Observed in Constructing and Scoring the Different Types of Test.

A. RECALL TYPES

1. Simple Recall Type

edithysillorequez 6
  This type consists of questions calling for a single word or expression as an answer.
 Items in question form usually begin with who, where, when, and what.
 Scoring: One point for each correct answer.
2. Completion Type
 Only important words should be omitted.
 Blanks should be of equal lengths. The blank as much as possible is placed near or at the end.
 Articles a /an / the should not be provided before the omitted word or phrase to avoid clues for answers.
 Scoring: One point for each correct answer.

3. Identification Type
 The items should make the examinee think of a word / number / formula, or group words/ expression /
numbers that would complete the statement or answer the question / problem.
 Scoring: One point for each correct answer.
4. Enumeration Type
 The exact number of expected answers should be stated.
 Blanks should be of equal lengths
 Scoring: One point for each correct answer.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Examples:

1) Faulty: Ernest Hemingway wrote _____________________________

Improved: The Old Man by the Sea was written by ______________________________

Or

Who wrote The Old Man by the Sea?

2) Faulty: ________________ pointed out in _____ that freedom of thought in America

was seriously hampered by _________, _________, _____________, and ____.

Improved: That freedom of thought in America was seriously hampered by social pressures toward
conformity was pointed out in 1930 by __________________ .
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

B. RECOGNITION TYPE

1. True-False or Alternative Response Type

 Declarative sentence should be used.
 The number of “true” and “false” items should be more or less equal.
 The truth or falsity of the statement should not be too obvious /evident.
 Avoid negative statements.
 The “modified true-false” is more preferable than the “plain true-false”
 In arranging the items avoid the regular recurrence of “true” and “false” statements.
 Avoid using specific determiners like
all always never none nothing
often some most
 Avoid weak statements such as
many sometimes as a rule in general
 Minimize the use of qualitative terms like
Few great many more
 Avoid leading clues to answers in all items.
 Scoring: “modified true-false” : number of correct answers
“plain true-false” : number of correct answers minus number of wrong answers

Examples:

edithysillorequez 7
 1) Faulty: No picture-no sound in a television set may indicate a bad SU4G.

Improved: A bad SU4G tube in a television set will result in “no picture-no sound”.

2) Faulty: It is not frequently observed that copper turns green as a result of

oxidation.

Improved: Copper will turn green upon oxidation

2. Yes-No Type
 The items should be in interrogative sentences.
 The same rules as in “true-false” are applied.

3. Multiple-Choice Type
 There should be 3 to 5 choices. The number of choices used in the first item should be the same number of
choices in all the items od this type of test.
 The choices should be numbered or lettered so that only the number or letter can be written on the blank
provided.
 If the choices are figures, they should be arranged in ascending order.
 Avoid the use of “a” or “an” as the last word prior to the listing of the choices.
 Random occurrence of the responses should be employed.
 The choices, as much as possible, should be at the end of the statements.
 The choices should be related in some way or should belong to the same class / set.
 Avoid the use of “none of these” as one of the choices.
 Avoid the use of ”all of the above”. It is usually the correct answer and makes the item too easy for students
with partial information.
 Scoring: One point for each correct answer.

4. Best Answer Type

 There should be three to five choices all of which are right but vary in their degree of merit, importance or
desirability.
 The other rules of multiple-choice type are applied.
 Scoring: One point for each correct answer.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Examples:
 Faulty:
Milk can be pasteurized at home by
A, heating it to a temperature of 130 0. B. heating it to a temperature of 1450.
C. heating it to a temperature of 1600. D. heating it to a temperature of 1750.

Improved:
The minimum temperature that can pasteurize Milk at home is
A. 1300 B. 1450 C. 1600 D. 1750

 Faulty:
None of the following cities is a state capital except
A. Bangor B. Los Angeles C. Denver D. New Haven

Improved:

Which of the following cities is a state capital?

A. Bangor B. Los Angeles C. Denver D. New Haven

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

5. Matching Type
edithysillorequez 8
  There should be two columns. Under “Column A” are the stimuli which should be longer and more descriptive
than the responses under “Column B”. The responses may be a word, a phrase, a number, or a formula.
 The stimuli under “Column A” should be numbered and the responses under “Column B” should be lettered.
 The answers will be indicated by letters only on lines provided in “Column A”.
 The number of pairs should be between ten to twenty. Less than ten introduces chance elements. More than
twenty is decidedly a waste of time.
 The number of responses in “Column B” should be more than the number of items in “Column A” to avoid
guessing.
 Only one correct matching for each item should be possible.
 Matching sets should neither be too long nor too short.
 All items should be on the same page to avoid turning of pages in the process of matching the pairs.
 Scoring: One point for each correct answer.

Examples:

 Faulty;

Directions: Match Column A with Column B. You will be given one point for each correct match.

A B.
a. cotton gin a. Eli Whitney
b. reaper b. Alexander Graham Bell
c. wheel c. David Brinkley
d. TU54J tube d. Louisa May Alcott
e. steamboat e. None of these

The shortcomings of this matching exercise may be summarized as follows:

 The directions fail to specify the basis for matching or the mechanics for responding.
 The two lists are enumerated identically (in letters).
 The responses are not listed alphabetically.
 Both lists lack homogeneity.
 There are equal number of elements in both lists.
 The use of “None of these” is questionable here, serving as a giveaway to list A elements “c” and “d”.
 Furthermore, if a student uses it for element “e” in list A, it is not clear that (s)he knows who did invent
the steamboat, in fact.

Improved:

Directions: Famous inventions are listed in the left-hand column (Column A), and inventors in the right-
hand column (Column B) below. Place the letter corresponding to the inventor in the space
next to the invention for which he is famous. Each correct match is worth one point, and “None
of these” may be a correct answer. Inventors may be hosen more than once.

A B

Inventions Inventors

_____ 1. Cotton gin a. Alexander Graham Bell

_____ 2. Reaper b. Cyrus McCormick

_____ 3. Sewing machine c. Eli Whitney

_____ 4. Steamboat d. Elias Howe

e. Robert Fulton

edithysillorequez 9
 f. None of these

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

C. ESSAY TYPE

Complex Learning Outcomes That Can Be Measured Effectively With Essay Type Tests/Examinations

1. Explain cause-effect relationship.

2. Describe application of principles
3. Present relevant arguments
4. Formulate tenable hypothesis
5. Formulate valid conclusions
6. State necessary conclusions
7. Describe the limitations of data.
8. Explain methods and procedures
9. Produce, organize, and separate ideas
10. Integrate learnings in different areas
11. Create original forms( e.g. designing an experiment)
12. Evaluate the worth of ideas.

How to Construct Essay Examinations

 Determine the objectives or essentials for each question to be evaluated
 Phrase question in simple, clear and concise language
 Suit the length of the questions to the time available for answering the essay.
 Avoid the use of optional question.

SCORING OF ESSAY ITEMS:

1. Prepare a Scoring Rubrics.

2. Avoid looking at the student’s name on the paper.
3. For each item, brush up he answers before scoring, that is, quickly read through the answers of the
students, evaluate the papers on the basis of your opinion of worthiness and sort them into five groups –
very superior papers, superior papers, average papers, inferior papers, and very inferior papers.
4. Re-read the answers to an item in each group and shift any that you feel have been misplaced.
5. Using the “Scoring Rubrics” score the response to an item.
6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 for each item.
7. Total the scores to get final score in the essay test.

edithysillorequez 10