ROBERT T.

BABIDA
BSED- UNIT EARNER

CLASSIFICATION OF TESTS

1. ACCORDING TO MANNER OF RESPONSE

a.) Oral Test
- is a practice in many schools which an examiner poses questions to the student in
spoken form. The student has to answer the question in such a way as to demonstrate
sufficient knowledge of the subject to pass the exam.
- It is a direct means of assessing students learning outcomes by questioning them. Oral
test does not usually have a structured list of questions; assessors ask questions and
request responses depending on the circumstances.

There are three typical types of oral assessments:

Oral assessment after a direct observation assessment

An oral assessment is often used as part of a de-briefing session after a practical has been
observed. The time duration is usually 3-5 minutes. There is usually no formal structure,
assessors usually ask questions as they foresee, however, assessors may plan some
general questions in which all students will encounter during the practical.

Oral in the form of a viva voce

A viva voce is the Latin name for oral examination. It is usually used to describe the oral
examination at a postgraduate level, conducted after the submission of the thesis for a
research degree to ensure that the candidate knows enough about the subject to make it at
least plausible that the dissertation is his own work. Vivas are traditionally conducted by
an external and an internal examiner. There is no set time limit for a viva voce, but a full
day examination is often normal.

Oral/Aural in a language setting

Oral in a language setting is a direct speaking test geared at assessing a student's level of
speaking proficiency. Aural in a language setting is a listening test (often by devices such
as tapes) geared at assessing a student's level of hearing proficiency. Oral assessments
gauge students’ knowledge and skills based on the spoken word, typically guided by
questions or small tasks.
 Oral test can take on different formats, including:

 Presentation on a prepared topic (individual or group, live or recorded)

 Interviews or discussions to assess a student’s knowledge or skills
 Simulations or demonstrations of skills individually or with others

Oral test is ideal for assessing:

 Application of theory to practice

 Depth of knowledge
 Students’ ability to think on their feet
 Interpersonal competence and professionalism

b.) Written Test

- A written test/exam or piece of work is one which involves writing rather than doing
something practical or giving spoken answers.
- Written examinations are typically characterized by supervision and time- restriction
for completion

Written tests are mostly for evaluating knowledge-based learning outcomes. However, this
may also test skills or attitudes. They are part of the overall evaluation plan for students.

Types of written test:

 multiple choice
 true-false
 matching
 completion
 essay