RANES, Marijane E.

BEED-3A

Construction Of A True-False Test

Give non-example of each of the following rules of thumb in
the construction of true-false test. Improve on non-examples
for them to become good examples of tests.

1. Avoid giving hints in the body of the question.

Example: Short story IS a fictional narrative story shorter than a

novel.

The answer is true since the word "shorter" helps the learners to
know that it refers to a story which contains short narration.

Non-example: Short story is a fictional narrative story.

2. Avoid using the words "always", "never" and other such

adverbs which tend to be always true or always false.

Example: Filipinos always celebrate New Year without using

firecrackers or any instruments that make sounds.

In the given statement, learners could understand and answer the

item since Filipinos are already used in celebrating New Year
every year with Firecrackers as one of their tradition. And the
word without concludes that the answer Is false
Non-example: Filipinos celebrate New Year using
firecrackers or any instrument that make sounds.
3. Avoid long sentences which tend to be true. Keep
sentences short.

Example: Journalism is the timely reporting of events at the local,

provincial, national and international levels. It involves the
gathering of information through interviewing and research, the
results of which are turned into a fair and balanced story for
publication or for television or radio broadcast.

The answer in a given question is actually correct, but the

meaning that is being provided is too long.

Non-example: Journalism is the timely reporting of events at

the local, provincial, national and international levels.

4. Avoid a systematic pattern for true and false statements.

Example: Sonnet 18 is written by Wiliam Shakespierre.

The answer in that given item is False since the surname of the
author is misspelled.
The correct spelling of his surname is "Shakespeare".

Non-examples: Sonnet 18 is written by William Shakespeare.

5. Avoid ambiguous sentences which can be interpreted as

true and at the same time false.
Example: Verb is not an action word instead; it describes the
word.
The answer is False. It is too cliché since everyone knows that
verb is an action word.

Non-example: Verb describes an action word.

B. Give non examples of each of the following rules of thumb

in the construction of multiple choice test. Improve on the
non-examples for them to become good examples of tests.

1. Phrase the stem to allow for only one correct or best

answer.

Example: Lim stole coins from her mother's wallet. He wants to

use it for surfing but his conscience eating up his system. What
should he do?

A. Steal cash not coins.

B. Use it now, regret later.
C. Dont mind your conscience.
D. Return it to your mother and ask her nicely that you need
money for surfing.

Note: Among the four choices, the learners could easily identify
that letter D is the best option and correct answer.

Non-example: Lim needs money for surfing for his

assignments. He stole the coins from her mother's wallet and
felt his conscience. What should he do?
2. Avoid giving away the answer in the stem.

Example: They wants to honor their co-member's efforts by

preparing an event for them, English club invited Mrs. Diva to be
their guest speaker. What group organize the said event?

A. Science club
B. English Society
C. Math organization
D. Filipino Group

Note: Learners could easily answer since there's a hint in the

question.

Non-examples: They want to honor their co-members' efforts

by preparing an event for them, they invited Mrs Diva to be
their guest speaker. What group organize the said event?

3. Choose distracters appropriately.

Example: Who wrote the Tell-Tale Heart?

A. Edgar Allen Poe

B. Edgar Allan Poe
C. Howard Allen Poe
D. Howard Allan Poe

Note: The distracters that use in this given question is a bit

confusing, but appropriate to test the learners' thinking skills.
Non-example:
A. Edgar Allan Poe
B. William Shakespeare
C. Oscar Wilde
D. Stephen King

4 Choose distracters so that they are all equally plausible

and attractive.

Example: The poem: Annabelle Lee, was written by which famous

author?

A. William Shakespeare
B. Kate Chopin
C. O. Henry
D. Edgar Allan Poe
E. Elizabeth Browning

Note: The five authors are all well-known in writing, it's one of
method to identify whether learners study the lesson.

Non-example:
A. Annabelle
B. Lee
C. Howard Poe
D. Edgar Allan Poe
E. Allan
5. Phrase questions so that they will test higher order
thinking skills.

Example: Kino weighs 58 kg after eating 1 cup of rice and adobo

for lunch. For the next day, he ate two cups of rice and adobo and
weighs 59 kg. Every time he eats more, his weight increases.
How can you explain it?

A. The calories present in foods he intake is less than the calories

that burn by his body.
B. The calories present in foods he intake is more than the
calories that burn by his body.
C. He ate variety of foods without exercising after it.
D. He ate foods rich in calories to lessen his body weight.

Non-example: Kino weighs 58 kg after eating 1 cup of rice

and adobo for lunch. For the next day, he ate two cups of rice
and adobo and weighs 59 kg. When Kino eat more food that
he does his weight increases too. What is the reason for the
increase of his weight?

6. Do not ask subjective questions or options for which there

are no right or wrong answer.

Example: Why Jose Rizal is a hero?

A. He awakens the emotions and urge to fight of Filipinos for our

independence.
B. His love for our country is beyond compare.
C. He used his intellect to fight for our freedom.
Note: The options are all appropriate to answer the question
since they are enough to give learners an idea that all of it are
correct and all they could do is to choose the best among them.

Non-example: Jose Rizal is a hero because of his patriotism.

Which of the following support the statement?