CONSTRUCTION

AND TRYOUTS
 General Guidelines in Writing Test
Items

1. Avoid wording that is ambiguous and confusing.

2. Use appropriate vocabulary and sentence structure.
3. Keep questions short and to the point.
4. Write items that have one correct answer.
5. Do not provide clues to the answer.
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR WRITING
MULTIPLE CHOICE ITEM
 Use either a direct question or an incomplete statement as the
item stem.

Test Item: Which of the following is the antonym of uneasy?

a. Tensed
b. Relaxed
c. Difficult
d. Awkward

Is the above test item poor or good? Why?

Test Item: The antonym of uneasy is ?
a. tensed.
b. relaxed.
c. difficult.
d. awkward.

Is the above test item poor or good? Why?

 In general, include in the stem any words that must
otherwise be repeated in each response.
Test Item: Ayon sa paniniwala ng mga Griyego, hindi mahalaga ang
itinagal mo sa mundo. Ang mahalaga’y kung ano ang ?
A. napagtagumpayang gawin.
B. papel ang gianampanan mo sa mundo.
C. nagawa mo sa panahong nabubuhay ka.

Is the above test item poor or good? Why?

 Arrange the distracters from the shortest to the
longest, or from the longest to the shortest.

 Begin in the distracters in small letters and end each

with a period if the option are meant to complete a
statement.

 Avoid responses that overlap or include each other

Test Item: Non-living things are not
A. necessary to life
B. matter
C. capable of reproduction

Is the above test item poor or good? Why?

 Provide a response that critics can agree on as the
best.
 Use "none of the above" (or none of these) as a
response only in items to which an absolutely correct
answer can be given.
 Make all the responses appropriate to the item stem.
 Avoid blatantly incorrect alternatives.
Test Item: Which of the following is the best way to
reduce bad cholesterol?
A. exercise
B. diet
C. statin drugs
D. none of the above

Is the above test Item poor or good? Why?

Test Item: The shortest distance between two points is
a?
A. number line
B. alkaline
C. straight line
D. none of the above

Is the above test Item poor or good? Why?

 Avoid highly technical distracters

Test Item: Ang pagpapahalaga ay saklaw ng

A. lohika
B. metapisika
C. etika
D. sikolohiya

Is the above test Item poor or good? Why?

 Arrange the responses in a logical order if one exists.

Test Item: What is the selling price of a lady's blouse

that is sold for P90 at 20% discount?
A. P18
B. P72
C. P88
D. P108

Is the above test Item poor or good? Why?

 Avoid textbook wording or stereotyped phraseology

Test Item: Which of the following statements is true?

A. music is a form of creative philosophical
expression.
B. music is the language of the soul.
C. music is the mirror of one’s culture.
D. music is a dying art.

Is the above test item poor or good? Why?

 Guidelines for Writing Matching Items

 Describe the basis for matching and the number of

times a response can be used.
Example: Write the letter of the President in Column A
in line to his description in Column B. Each president will be
used only once.
 Keep the material in the list homogeneous.
Example: Column A- list of events
Column B- list of dates
Keep the lists relatively short.
Place the brief response on the right and in
logical order.
Include more responses than premises.
 Test Items: On the line to the left of each film category in Column
A, write the letter of the film from Old Time Favorites in Column B that
represents that type of film. Each film in Column B may be used no more
that once.
Column A: Film Categories Column B: Old Time Favorites
1. Action Adventure a. Mary Poppins
2. Comedy b. An Affair to Remember
3. Musical c. Gone with the wind
4. Romance d. Robin Hood
e. The Three Stooges

What can you say about the test item? Explain.

 Guidelines for Writing True-False Items

• Write true-false items only where they are more appropriate

than other types (only two possible alternatives)
• Write statements that can be unquestionably judges as true or
false (avoid partly true statements).
• Keep the reading level low.
• Avoid Negative statements (especially double negatives).
• Avoid use of specific determiners (e.g., always, sometimes, never).
• Keep the true and false statements approximately equal in length
and number.
 Test Item:
Directions: Read each of the following statements. If the statement
is true, underline the word TRUE. If the statement is false, underline
the word FALSE.

True False 1. The green coloring of material of the plant leaf is

called chlorophyl.

True False 2. Petal and sepal are two synonymous words.

What can you say about the test item? Explain.

 Guidelines for Writing Fill-in Items

• Avoid ambiguity
• Use only one or at most two blank spaces. Avoid
over mutilation of completion exercises.
• Make sure that only one term will sensibly the
statement or answer the question.
• Leave only important terms blank.
 Test Item:
and play a central role in the evaluation of
student learning.
Guidelines for Writing Essay Questions

1. The question should clearly define the task for the

student.
2. Be sure that the student knows the scope and
direction of the answer required.
Example:
Length, amount of detail or facts to be included, etc.
3. Use new examples and illustrations. The best
essay items are usually those that require students
to apply their knowledge to new problems or new
situations.
4. Good phrases to use in essay questions include:
 Compare and Contrast
 Present the arguments for or against
 Give the reason for, explain how or why, etc.
5. Before administering the test, decide on how
points will be awarded.
 TYPES OF ESSAY
1.Restricted 2.Extended
Essay/ Essay/
Controlled Uncontrolled
Response Response
 RESTRICTED ESSAY OR CONTROLLED
RESPONSE
Example:
Usually limits the content and the
List the major
response facts and
by restricting the opinions
scope of inthethe
First statement of the National Address
topic to be discussed.
(SONA) of Pres. Duterte. Limit your answer
toUseful for measuring learning outcomes
one page only. The score will depend on
requiring
the content,interpretation andaccuracy
organization and application of
of the
answer
data in specific area.
.
 Extended Essay/Uncontrolled Response

Allows students to select information that they think is

Example:
Example: Imagine pertinent
that you and a friend
found a magic wand. Write a story about an
adventure
To organize
thattheyouanswer
and yourin accordance with
friend had with
thetheir
magic wand.
best judgement and to integrate and
evaluate ideas as they think suitable.
Test Item: Compare the essay test with the multiple
choice test in terms of:
(a) Learning outcomes to be measured
(b) Framing the question
(c) Scoring
(d) Influence of extraneous factors.

What can you say about the test item? Explain.

THANK
YOU