The document provides information on different types of assessment tools:
1) Multiple choice tests, true/false tests, matching tests, completion tests, cloze tests, and essay tests. Advantages and disadvantages of each type are discussed.
2) Guidance is given on writing questions for each test type, including pointers on style, structure, and content.
3) References are provided on assessment and measuring student learning outcomes. The document aims to help in developing different assessment tools.
2. LESSON 1: MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST
(MCT)
The multiple choice test is a form of assessment
in which the students are asked to select the
correct or best answer out of the choices from
the list.
Is composed of a STEM, which sets up the
problem, followed by the number of
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSES. The other
alternatives are DISTRACTORS or FOILS.
Can be presented in 3 ways: direct question,
incomplete statement and mathematical equation.
3. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF MCT
Advantages Disadvantages
Has a great Multiple choices are
versatility in ambiguous
measuring objectives Can just select
Requires less time random
Writing is minimized answers/guessing
Scoring is objective
More amenable to
item analysis
4. REFERENCES:
Reganit, Arnulfo, Elicay, Ronaldo, & Laguerta,
Cresencial (2010). Assessment of Student
Learning 1 (Cognitive Learning). C & E Publishing,
Inc.
Garcia, Carlito D. (2008). Measuring & Evaluating
Educational Outcomes. Books atbp. Publishing
Corp., Mandaluyong
5. LESSON 2: TRUE OR FALSE TEST
This type of test requires the examinee to
recognize and mark an item as true or false.
Other possible options are agree or disagree, yes
or no, valid or invalid, fact or opinion, and cause
or effect.
Are utilized to assess a student’s ability to
recognize the accuracy of a declarative
statement.
(http://www.park.edu.cetl2/quicktips/truefalse.
html)
6. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF
TFT
Advantages Disadvantages
Answers tend to be Emphasis on Rote
short Memorization
Ease of Dependence on
Construction Absolute Judgment
Ease of Scoring Likelihood of
Guessing
7. POINTERS ON WRITING TRUE OR FALSE
ITEMS
Construct items that measure important
objectives.
Avoid using determiners.
Avoid using trick questions.
Limit each item to the point that is being tested.
Avoid excess use of negative words and phrases.
Approximately half of the statements are false.
Avoid qualitative terms like best, some, many, and
several.
9. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF
MTT
Advantages Disadvantages
The matching-type test is It tends to ask students to
simple to construct score. It is associate trivial information.
well suited in measuring Unfortunately, most
associations. Like a multiple- matching-type test
choice test, it presents the emphasizes memorization,
student with questions and although it is impossible to
alternatives. construct items that measure
It reduces the effects of more complex cognitive skills.
guessing, although the chance
of guessing increases as the
student progress in answering In case of commercial answer
items. This, however, is easily sheets, matching items can
remedied by adding more accommodate no more than
options. five options.
10. POINTERS ON WRITING MATCHING-TYPE TESTS
If possible, the response list should consist of short phrase,
single words, or numbers.
Use homogenous options and items.
Have more options than the given items. Initially, a matching-
item test decrease the students' tendencies to guess but as
the students progress in answering the test, the guessing
tendencies increase. This can be avoided by increasing the
options.
Arrange the options and items alphabetically, numerically, or
magnitudinally. This is one way to help the examinees since they
can maximize their time by not searching for the correct
answers, especially if there are many options.
Limit the number of items within each set. Ideally, the minimum
is five and the maximum is ten per set.
Place the shorter responses on column B. This time-saving
practice allows the students to read the longer items first in
column A and then search quickly through the shorter options
to locate the correct alternative.
11. 7.PROVIDE COMPLETE DIRECTIONS.DIRECTIONS SHOULD
STIPULATE WHETHER OPTIONS CAN BE USED ONLY ONCE OR
MORE THAN ONCE. THEY SHOULD ALSO INSTRUCT THE
STUDENTS ON HOW TO RESPOND. THE INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD
ALSO CLARIFY WHAT COLUMN A AND B ARE ABOUT.
8. PLACE THE LIST OF OPTIONS ON THE SAME PAGE AS THE
LIST OF ITEMS. TIME IS WASTED IF THE STUDENTS HAVE TO
FLIP PAGES TO SEARCH THROUGH ALL OPTIONS TO LOCATE THE
CORRECT ONES. ADDITIONALLY, SOME STUDENTS MAY
OVELOOK THAT THERE ARE STILL SOME OPTIONS ON THE NEXT
PAGE.
9. AVOID SPECIFIC DETERMINERS AND TRIVIAL INFORMATION
THAT CAN HELP THE STUDENTS FIND THE CORRECT RESPONSE
WITHOUT ANY EFFORT ON THEIR PART. THE USE OT "NONE OF
THE ABOVE" A AN OPTION IS RECOMMENDED IF IT IS ONLY
CORRECT ANSWER.
10. CLEARLY EXPLAIN THE BASIS ON WHICH IS TO BE MADE.
12. SUGGESTIONS FOR MEASURING COMPLEX
OBJECTIVES WITH MATCHING-TYPE TESTS
Match examples with terminologies. Perhaps
this is the most direct and simplest method
of increasing the thought content of
matching tests provide that the example has
not yet been taught before.
Use novel pictorial materials.
13. LESSON 4: COMPLETION TEST
Acompletion test is a format of
testing that requires the
students to complete with the
correct word or phrase.
14. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF
CT
Advantages Disadvantages
Construction of Completion test are
relatively test is difficult to score.
relative easy. They typically
Guessing is measure rote
eliminated. memory.
Item sampling is
improved.
15. POINTERS OF COMPLETION TEST
Write items that clearly imply of response
desired.
Use only one blank per item.
Put the blank at the end of the item if possible.
Avoid specific determiners.
Structure an item so that they require response
should be concise.
Blanks provided for answer should be be equal in
length.
Provide sufficient space for the answer.
16. REFERENCES:
Gracia, Carlito D. (2008). Measuring and
Evalauting Outcomes. Books Atbp. Publishing
Corp.,Mandaluyong
Reganit, Artulfo, Elicay, Ronaldo & Laguerta,
Cresencia (2010)
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/compl
etiontest
http://ph.adsfn.com/money-
wordsterm6490completion test
17. LESSON 5: CLOZE TEST
Cloze or cloze deletion test is an exercise.
Test. Or assessment consisting of a portion of a
text with certain words removed (cloze text) and
the students are asked to replace the missing
words. The cloze test requires the ability to
understand context and vocabulary to be able to
identify the correct words or type of words that
belong in the deleted passages of the text.
Words may be deleted from the text in
question either mechanically or selectively,
depending on what aspect the test intends to give
emphasis to.
18. EXAMPLE:
TODAY I WENT TO THE _________________
AND BOUGHT SOME MILK AND EGGS. I KNEW IT WAS
GOING TO RAIN, BUT
I FORGOT TO TAKE MY
_________________, AND ENDED UP GETTING WET
ON MY WAY ____________.
ADVANTAGES OF CLOZE TEST. TESTS MADE BY THE
CLOSE PROCEDURE HAVE DONE MUCH TO SOLVE THESE
PROBLEMS. A CLOZE TEST CAN BE MADE OVER ANY
PASSAGE BY REPLACING EVERY FIFTH WORD WITH AN
UNDERLINED BLANK SPACE OF A STANDARD OF A LENGTH.
20. LESSON 6: ESSAY TEST (ET)
An essay test permits direct
assessment of the attainment of numerous
goals and objectives. In contrast to with
the objective test item types, an essay
test demands less construction time per
fixed unit of student time but a significant
increase in labor and time for scoring.
21. ADVANTAGES OF ESSAY TESTS
Essays give students freedom to respond within broad limits.
Essay examinations allow students to express their ideas with
relatively few restraints.
Guessing is eliminated. Essays involve recall and there are no
options to select from. The student is expected to supply
rather that select the proper response.
Essay items are practical for testing a small number of
students. However, as the number of students increases, the
advantage of essay tests decrease.
Essay test reduce assembling time. Less time is required for
typing, mimeographing, and assembling. If only a few questions
are asked, the teacher can just write them on the board.
They can measure divergent thinking. Divergent thinking is
indicated by unconventional, creative, relatively free responses.
Because they allow great freedom in answering, the opportunity
to obtain unusual responses is increased.
22. DISADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS OF ESSAY
TESTS
Essays are difficult to score objectively because
students have greater freedom of expression.
Extended essays measure only the limited
aspects of student knowledge.
Essay questions are time-consuming for teachers
and students.
Essays eliminate guessing but not bluffing.
Most essays require a little more than rote
memory.
Essay tests place a premium on writing.
23. THE USE OF ESSAY TESTS TO FACILITATE
LEARNING
Favorable Disadvantages
Raises the quality of Essay tests do not
writing allow students to
Teaches students to revise and rewrite
organize, outline and their work since time
summarize is limited.
assignments rather
The teachers’ over-
than simply look for
facts, dates and attention to details
details expected in T- can destroy the
F or multiple choice themes of essays.
tests.
24. SITUATIONS THAT SUGGEST THE USE OF
ESSAY QUESTIONS
If the test objectives specify that students have
to write, recall or supply information, an essay
type of test may be necessary.
When the class size is small, a teacher can afford
to spend more time to read and check the essay
responses.
If a test can be used only once, an essay
examination may be more convenient than a
multiple-choice one.
25. POINTERS ON WRITING ESSAY QUESTIONS
Specify limitations. The teachers should tell the students the length of
the desired response and the weight each question will be given when
determining scores. With these, the students will be able to know the
time to be spent on each item, the maximum points per item, the
approximate number of words and space for each item.
Structure the task. The instructions in the essay test should clearly
specify the task. Most of the questions in the essay tests are so vague
that the real intentions of the instructors are lost.
Make each item relatively short and increase the number of items. The
more items there are, the greater chance there is of the sampling of
knowledge.
Give all the students the same essay questions if content is relevant.
Sometimes, teachers give the students the opportunity to deal with
one or two items from a set of essay questions.
Ask questions in a direct manner. Avoid deviousness and pedanticism
when framing questions.
