Professional Documents
Culture Documents
By Greg Conderman
I. Supply (recall)
A. Multiple Choice
B. Matching
C. True/False
1. Time Considerations
Elementary level (5-30 minutes)
Secondary (50-60 minutes)
2. Items
M/Choice (allow 1 per minute)
Fill in the blank (allow 1 per minute)
Short answer (depends on response desired)
True/False (2 per minute)
3. Response Format
Consider level of students
Consider objective (recognition, recall)
Make it clear, easy, straight forward
Clear response---increase validity and reliability
4. Scoring Format
Make it easy to correct and score
Consider checklists based on specific outcomes
Consider using charts/graphs
Recommendations
Developing Teacher Made Tests
Supply-type
A. Completion Items (Fill-in-the-blank)
Put blanks at the end of the sentences to provide meaningful context for the
reader.
Poor Item: The _______is the most frequently used score to report “averages.”
Better Item: The most frequently used score to report “averages” is the ______.
If you use definitions, provide the word such as: Define the term assessment
(rather than provide the definition and forcing the student to retrieve the word).
Use the same length blanks, use only one blank, and leave only key words out of
the sentence.
Give short answer or essay responses directions. Also provide a bit of background
for the student. Items should be stated specifically and clearly as possible to focus
the student’s attention on the answer you are seeking.
Example: The use of IQ tests has been debated for several decades. In this
response, provide a rationale for the use of IQ tests and describe at least two
advantages and two disadvantages of IQ tests.
You may include values in an essay response (i.e. What do you think of it)? Grade
on the degree that the student supports his/her own opinion.
Indicate point value and the emphasis assigned to each item part
For short answer, the student should be able to respond in 1,2, or 3 sentences.
Essays are appropriate to assess higher order thinking and to require students to
plan, develop, and write their own answers.
C. Listing
Indicate the number of items and the point value. Number the answer space for
each item.
Example:
1. List the four types of reliability (½ point each)
1.
2.
3.
4.
D. Selection-type
Better item: The authors of our text describe educational assessment as:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Poor item: Which year was the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) enacted
into law?
A. 1975
B. 1986
C. 1990
D. 1983
Better item: Which year was the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) enacted
into law?
A. 1975
B. 1983
C. 1986
D. 1990
Do not use any grammatical clues that would assist the students. Also, do not end
sentences or questions with a preposition.
Example: According to class notes, which two items belong in the background
information section of a report?
A. The child’s educational history and the child’s hobbies
B. The child’s hobbies and the child’s family status
C. The child’s educational history and the child’s IQ scores
D. The child’s health and the child’s hobbies.
Try to make all responses similar in length. A very short response or a very long
response often are clues that they are the correct responses.
Poor Item:
1. We live in the continent called:
A. North America
B. South America
C. Canada
D. Wisconsin
Better Item:
1. What is the name of the continent in which we live?
A. North America
B. South America
C. Canada
D. Wisconsin
2. Matching
Provide clear directions. Are students supposed to write letters, match with lines,
etc? Label each list. Also, indicate if some items can be used more than once.
Include more options than premises, and keep the list to a minimum (no more
than 10).
Each of the premises should be numbered, and each of the options should have an
alphabetical letter to identify it.
Make all premises and options plural or singular to avoid giving unintentional
clues.
Make sure stems and responses are homogeneous. Don’t include one or two items
that are so clearly different or obvious that they are very easy to match. All of the
written information in each column should be of the same class and should be
arranged in logical order, such as alphabetical or chronological order.
Poor Item
A. B.
A. B.
A. B.
A. B.
Avoid negative statements because they often cause problems for students.
Don’t make a statement false merely by inserting the word “not” in an otherwise
obviously true statement. When an item contains an opinion, be sure to tie it to the
source.
Other Considerations
4. Consider placing material on the test to parallel the content coverage sequence.
8. Include directions for the total test and each test section. Include how to respond and
the point value for questions in each section.
9. Try not to include information that will offer answers to previous questions.
10. Try to put all matching on one page (etc.) so students do not have to turn pages to
match answers and responses.