Standardized Testing

Ayu Fitrianingsih, M.Pd.

4.1 Standardization
According to Brown (2003: 67) a standardized test presupposes certain
standard objectives, or criteria that are held constant one form of the test
to another.
The characteristics of standardized test:
a. The criteria in large-scale standardized tests are designed to apply to a
broad band of competencies that are usually not exclusive to one
particular curriculum;
b. A good standardized test is the product of thorough process of empirical
research and development;
c. It dictates standard procedures for administration and scoring.
d. It is a typical of a norm-referenced test;
e. It is mostly in multiple-choice format;
f. It is preferred in largae-scale test
g. standards are equally involved in certain human-scored tests of oral
production and writing, such as the Test of Spoken English (TSE®) and
the Test of Written English (TWE®), both produced by ETS.
Examples of standardized test:
a. College entrance exams such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT®) are
part of the educational experience of many high senior school seeking
further education;
b. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE®) is a required standardized test for
entry to many graduate school programs;
c. Tests like the Graduate Management Admittion Test (GMAT) and the
Law School Aptitude Test (LSAT) specialize in particular discipline;
d. Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL®);
e. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Why are the above tests called as standardized tests?

 Because they specify a set of compentencies (standards) for a given
domain, and through a process construct of validation they program a
set of tasks that have been designed to measure those competencies.
Exercises:
1. In your opinion, what is standardized test?
2. What is the goal of standardized test?
3. What is the purpose of norm-referenced testing in standardized
test?
4. Mention some examples of standardized test!
5. Is it right that national final examination (UAN) a standardized
test? If yes, explain why?! If no, explain why?
Formative test
1. What is the format of standardized test?
a. essay format
b. multiple choice test format
c. gap-filling format
d. matching format
2. What is the characteristic of standardized test?
a. It is spacial competence test
b. It examines test-takers previous ability
c. It is designed to examine whole language competencies
d. It is exclusive to one curriculum
3. In what domain does Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT®) examine the test-takers?
a. physical ability
b. academic ability
c. affective ability
d. performance ability
4. The following is not the usefulness of a standardized test....
a. determination skills level
b. Promotion
c. Graduation
d. school evaluation
5. The interpretation of scores in standardized test is.............
a. scores can be compared to norm group
b. scores are based on class or school situation
c. few guidlines are available as aid interpretation
d. based on teacher’s perspective
4.2 Advantages and Disadvantages of Standardized Testing
Advantage:
According to Brown (2003: 68-69) advantages of standardized
testing include, foremost, a ready-made previously validated product
that frees the teacher from having to spend hours creating a test.
Disadvantages:
a. the inappropriate use of such tests, for example, using an overall
proficiency test as an achievement test simply because of the
convenience of the standardization.
b. the potential misunderstanding of the difference between direct
and indirect testing. Some standardized tests include tasks that do
not directly specify performance in the target objective.
Exercise:
1. What are the disadvantages of standardized test (according to
you)?
2. What are the disadvantages of standardized test (according to
you)?
3. What is meant by content validity in standardized test?
4. Explain direct and indirect test in TOEFL!
5. Is a standardized test appropriate to all test-takers? Explain!
Formative Test
1. The following is the advantage of standardized test........
a. It is not time more consuming
b. There is synchronization between face and content validity
c. There is difference between direct and indirect testing
d. It is affordable
2. The following is the disadvantage of standardized test..........
a. The test is affordable
b. The test is accomplished within reasonable time limits
c. The test is efficient
d. The validity and realiability of the test are unknown
3. Why is direct test of production not included in TOEFL comprehension test?
a. Because it is affordable
b. Because it does not specify performance in the target objective
c. Because it cannot be represented by other performance tests
d. Because it is appropriate with targeted use
4. “Performance of the test and the target objectives in standardized test does not
describe the acquisition of test-takers’ language acquisition”. What does the statement
mean?
a. The test cannot guarantee the students’ success in language mastery
b. The test is not representative of test-takers’ global language mastery
c. The test is quite representative
d. The test result sometimes does not describe the real test-takers’ language mastery
5. The standardized test is uniformly constructed by......
a. Teachers
b. Commercials
c. Test specialists
d. Trades