Assessment Tools 13

LECTURE 3
ASSESSMENT TOOLS
Objective-Type Test
This can be classified as to the recall type and recognition type. The recall type is categorized
into simple recall and completion; while the recognition type is categorized into alternative response,
multiple-choice, matching type, rearrangement, analogy, and identification.

Advantages of Objective-Type Test

1. Easy to correct or score
2. Eliminates subjectivity
3. Adequate sampling
4. Objectivity in scoring
5. Eliminates bluffing
6. Norms can be established
7. Saves time and energy in answering questions

Disadvantages of Objective-Type Test

1. Difficult to construct
2. Encourages cheating and guessing
3. Expensive
4. Encourages rote memorization
5. Time consuming

Recall Type
a. Simple Recall
This type of test is the easiest to construct among the objective type of tests because
the item appears as a direct question, a sentence, word, or phrase or even a specific direction.
The response requires the examinee to recall previously learned lessons and the answers are
usually short consisting of either a word or phrase.
This test is applicable in mathematics and natural science subjects like biology,
chemistry, and physics where the stimulus appears in a form of a problem that requires
computation.

Rules and Suggestions for the Construction

1. The test items must be so worded that the response is brief as possible, preferably a
single word, number, symbol or a brief phrase. This objectifies and facilitates
scoring.
2. The direct question is preferable than the statement form. It is easier to phrase and
more natural to the examinees.
3. The blanks for their responses must be in a column preferably at the right column of
the items. This arrangement facilitates scoring and is more convenient to the
examinees because they do not have to turn their neck to go back to the left column
to write their answer before the item.
4. The question must be so worded that there is only one correct response. Whenever
this is impossible, all acceptable answers must be included in the scoring key.

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5. Make a minimum use of textbook language in wording the question. Unfamiliar

phrasing reduces the possibility of correct responses that represent more
meaningless verbal associations.

b. Completion Test
This test consists of a series of items that requires the examinee to fill the blank with
the missing word or phrase to complete a statement. A test item may contain one or more
blanks. This type of test is also called fill in the blank.

Rules and Suggestions for the Construction

1. Give the student a reasonable basis for the responses desired. Avoid indefinite
statements.
2. Avoid over mutilated statements.
3. Avoid giving the examinee unwanted clues to the desired response. There are
several ways in which clues are often carelessly given. The following suggestions
may help prevent common errors in constructing completion test.
a. Avoid lifting statements directly from the book.
b. Omit only key words or phrases rather than trivial details.
c. Whenever possible, avoid “a” or “an” before a blank. These articles give a clue
of whether a response starts with a consonant or a vowel.
d. Do not indicate the expected response by varying the length of blank or by using
a dot for each letter in the correct word.
e. Guard against the possibility that one item or part of the test may suggest the
correct response to another item.
f. Avoid giving grammatical clues to the expected answer.
4. Arrange the test so as to facilitate scoring.
a. Allow one point for each blank correctly filled. Avoid fractional credits or
unequal weighing of items in a test.
b. Select the items to which only one correct response is possible.
c. Arrange the items in a way that the examinees’ responses are in the right
column of the sentence.
d. Scoring is more rapid if the blanks are numbered and the examinee is directed
to write his answer in the appropriate numbered blanks.
e. Preparing a scoring key by writing on another sheet of test paper all acceptable
answer.

Recognition Type
a. Alternative Response
The test consists of a series of items where it admits only one correct response for each
item from two or three constant options to be chosen. This type is commonly used in classroom
testing, particularly, the two-constant alternative type, namely true-false type or yes-no type.
Other types of constant alternative-response tests are: three-constant alternative type
and constant alternative with correction,

Rules and Suggestions for the Construction

1. The test items must be arranged in groups of five to facilitate scoring. The groups
must be separated by two single spaces and the items within a group by a single
space.

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2. In indicating response, it must be as simple as possible where single letter is enough

to facilitate scoring, for instance, T for True and F for False. It would be better if
responses be placed in one column at the right margin to facilitate scoring.
3. The use of similar statement from the book must be avoided to minimize rote
memory in studying.
4. The items must be carefully constructed so that the language is within the level of
examinees, hence, flowery statements should be avoided.
5. Specific determiners like “all,” “always,” “none,” “not,” “nothing,” and “no” are
more likely to be false and should be avoided.
6. Determiners such as “may,” “some” “seldom,” sometimes,” “usually,” and “often”
are more likely to be true, hence, the said determiners must be avoided because
they give indirect suggestion to probable answers.
7. Qualitative terms like “few,” “many,” “great,” “frequent,” and “large” are vague and
indefinite and they must be avoided.
8. Statements which are partly right and partly wrong must be avoided.
9. Statements must be strongly considered that they represent either true or false.
10. Ambiguous and double negative statements must be avoided.

b. Multiple Choice Test

This test is made up of items which consist of three or more plausible options for each
item. The choices are multiple so that the examinees may choose only one correct or best
option for each time.
The multiple-choice is regarded as one of the best test forms in testing outcomes. This
test form is most valuable and widely used in standardized test due to its flexibility and
objectivity in terms of scoring. For teacher-made test, it is applicable in testing the vocabulary,
reading comprehension, relationship, interpretation of graphs, formulae, tables, and in drawing
of inferences from a set of data.

Rules and Suggestions for the Construction

1. Statements borrowed from the textbook or reference book must be avoided. Use
unfamiliar phrasing to test the comprehension of students.
2. All options must be plausible with each other to let the students attract distractors
or incorrect responses where only those with high intellectual level can get the
correct answer.
3. All options must be grammatically consistent. For instance, if the stem is singular,
the options are also singular.
4. Articles “a” and “an” are avoided as last word in an incomplete sentence. These
articles give students clues that the probable answer starts with a consonant or
vowel.
5. Four or more options must be included in each item to minimize guessing.
6. The order of correct answer in all items must be used in all items must be randomly
arranged rather than following a regular pattern.
7. A uniform number of options must be used in all items. For instance, if there are
four options in Item 1, the rest of the items must also have four options.
8. The correct options must be of the same length with the distractors or wrong
answers.
9. Homogeneity of the options must be increased in order for the examinee to choose
the correct option by using logical elimination.

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10. The simplest method of indicating a response must be used to facilitate scoring. For
instance, the options in each item are numbered or letter. Hence, the choice is
either a number or a letter.

Kinds of Multiple-Choice Test

1. Stem-and-options variety
This variety is most commonly used in classroom testing, board
examinations, civil service examinations, and many others. The stem serves as the
problem and followed by four more plausible options in which examinees choose
the best option or correct answer.

2. Setting-and-options variety
The optional response to this type of multiple-choice test is dependent
upon setting or foundation of some sort. A setting can be a form of sentence,
paragraph, graph, equation, picture or some forms of representation.

3. Group-Term Variety
This variety consists of group of words or terms in which one does not
belong to the group.

4. Structured-response variety
This variety makes use of structured response which is commonly used in
natural science classroom setting. This is to test how well the examinees in
determining statements which are related to each other.

5. Contained-options variety
This variety is designed to identify errors in a word, phrase, or sentence in a
paragraph.

c. Matching Type
Matching type consists of two columns in which proper pairing relationship of two
things is strictly observed. For instance, Column A is to be matched with Column B.
In balanced matching type, the number of items is equal to the number of options.
In unbalanced matching type, there is unequal number of items and number of options.
There are less number of items than number of options. For instance, if there are 10 items
in Column A or item column, there should be more than 10 items in Column B or option
column.

Rules and Suggestions for the Construction

1. Using heterogeneous materials must be avoided. Only homogeneous materials are
used.
2. Unbalanced matching type is preferable wherein there are more options than item
to minimize the guessing factor.
3. Each category must be grammatically consistent.
4. All options including distractors or wrong responses are plausible or closely related
with each other.
5. The item column (Column A) must be placed at the left and option column (Column
B) must be placed at the right.

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6. Option column must be arranged in alphabetical order; if dates, chronological order;

to facilitate the selection of correct answer.
7. There must be only one correct response in each item.
8. Make sure that each item has a pair in the option column.
9. The ideal number of item is 5 to 10 and maximum of 15.
10. All items and options must appear in one page to avoid waste of time and energy in
turning the pages.

d. Rearrangement Type
Rearrangement type consists of multiple-option item where it requires a
chronological, logical or rank order.

e. Analogy
Analogy is a type of test which is made up of items consisting of a pair of words
related to each other. It is designed to measure the ability of the examinee to observe the
relationship of the first word to the second word. The following are kinds of relationship of
analogy test:

1. Purpose 9. Place
2. Cause and effect 10. Degree
3. Part-whole 11. Characteristics
4. Part-part 12. Sequence
5. Action to object 13. Grammatical
6. Object to action 14. Numerical
7. Synonym 15. Association
8. Antonym

Rules and Suggestions for the Construction

1. The relationship of the first pair of words is equal to the relationship of the second.
2. Distractors or incorrect responses must be plausible or closely related to the correct
answer to attract the examinees to the incorrect response.
3. All options must be constructed in parallel language.
4. All options must be grammatically consistent.
5. Four or more options in each item must be included to minimize guessing.
6. Only homogeneous relationship must be included in each item.

f. Identification Type
This type of test requires the examinees to identify what is being defined in the
statement or sentence and there are no options to choose from.

Essay
Essay tests are assessment tools which consist of specific question or problem wherein
the examinees respond in one or more sentences. It is widely considered to measure students’
ability to think and express their ideas critically within a certain period of time.

Advantages of Essay Test

1. Easy to construct
2. Economical

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3. Saves time and energy

4. Trains the core of organizing ideas
5. Minimize guessing
6. Develops critical thinking
7. Minimize cheating
8. Minimize rote memorization
9. Develops good study habits
10. Develops students’ ability of to express their own ideas

Disadvantages of Essay Test

1. Low validity
2. Low reliability
3. Low practicability
4. Encourage bluffing
5. Difficult to correct or score
6. Disadvantage to students with poor penmanship

Rules and Suggestions for the Construction

1. Essay test must be planned in advanced by the teacher to have effective results.
2. Major aspects of the lesson must be framed in preparing the questions of essay test,
precautions on the causes of unreliability must be taken.
3. After the test has been planned and questions have been written tentatively, precautions on
the causes are phrased clearly so that the scope of the question is clear to the students.
4. In assembling the questions into its final form, the teacher must be careful that questions
are phrased clearly so that the scope of the question is clear to the students.
5. Time limit on the coverage of each question must be considered to give students adequate
time to answer.

Methods in Constructing Essay Test

1. Selection recall 11. Illustration and Examples of
2. Evaluating recall Principles in Science
3. Comparison of two things 12. Classification
(specific) 13. Application or Rules or Principles
4. Comparison of two things to New Situations
(general) 14. Discussion
5. Decision (For or Against) 15. Statement of Aim
6. Cause or Effects 16. Criticism
7. Explanation of the Use of Exact 17. Outline
Meaning 18. Reorganization of Facts
8. Summary of a Test or Article Read 19. Formulation of New Questions
9. Analysis and Problems Raised
10. Statement of Relationship 20. New Method or Procedure

Steps in Constructing Teacher-Made Assessment Tools

1. Planning the test
a. A careful statement of the philosophy of the school and objectives of the particular subject
must be available.

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b. Adequate provisions for review must be made taking into consideration the adequacy of
facilities and equipment.
c. The purpose of the test must be defined. If the purpose of the test is for diagnosis, it must
reveal the specific weaknesses of the students as basis for remedial instruction. However, if
the purpose is to appraise the critical thinking and reasoning power, the scores are to be
used for classification and grouping.
d. The nature of the test must take into consideration the conditions under which it is to be
administered. In planning the test, such factors as age, experience of the examinees, testing
environment, ventilation, cost of materials and duplicating facilities must be considered.
e. Length of the test must be determined. The time element by the purpose it is to serve.

2. Preparing the test

a. The first draft of the test must be prepared as early as possible.
b. The test must include more than one type of item. Two or three types of objective test may
be used to minimize monotony on the part of examinee.
c. The items are arranged in ascending order from most easy to most difficult.
d. More items must be included on the first draft of the test for possible inclusion on the final
draft. Items with less important must be deleted.
e. The first and final draft of the test must be revised and refined.
f. The items must be stated in order that the whole content functions in determining the
answer rather than a part of it.
g. The items of similar type must be placed together in the same test.
h. A regular sequence in the pattern of response must be avoided. The order of response must
be incidental rather than a regular pattern.
i. The direction of the test must be brief, clear, and complete to the examinees.

3. Reproducing the test

a. To facilitate in reproducing the test, duplicating facilities must be available in every
institution.
b. Every school must be provided with facilitative staffs to do the encoding, printing, scanning
and mimeographing the test questions.

4. Administering the test

a. The test must be administered in an environment familiar to the examinees.
b. Examinees must sit far apart, free from books and notebooks.
c. Typographical errors must be corrected to the class before the test begins.
d. It is not advisable to administer a test before and after a holiday.
e. Give complete and clear directions before the test begins and questions about the directions
must not be entertained while the test is ongoing.
f. The distribution of testing materials must be planned in advance to save time and effort.
g. Briefly entertain questions being raised while the test is going on.
h. In timing the test, the examiner must write on the board the time the test has started, and
the time it will end.
i. The examinee must not be allowed to leave the examination room except for personal
necessitates but within reasonable time limit.
j. The test materials must be collected carefully and quickly.

5. Scoring the test

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a. The best procedure in scoring objective test is to give one point of credit for each correct
answer.
b. In case of a test with two or three options in each item, correction formula is applied:
For two-option test, score is right minus wrong.
For three-option test, score is right minus one-half wrong.
However, correction formula is not applicable to four or more options in an item, and to
elementary pupils.
c. In case correction formula is applied, the students must be informed beforehand so that
they cannot guess their answer.
6. Evaluating the test
a. In a general achievement test with 50% difficulty in each item, items with 100 percent and 0
percent answered by examinees are valueless and they must be revised.
b. The validity of individual item is determined by index of discrimination. A common practice
is to arrange the test papers from highest score to lowest score. One-third of the test
papers form highest and lowest group (based on scores) are compared of the same test
item. The middle group is set aside. To estimate the index of discrimination, the following
formula is used:
RU −RL
IDisc=
N
where:
IDisc is the index of discrimination
RU is the right response of the upper group
RL is the right response of the upper group

c. The results of the test must be checked against an outside criterion or a control factor.
d. It is desirable to solve for the reliability coefficient of the test.

7. Interpreting the test results

In interpreting the test of standardized achievement test, the results are based on the
table of norms. For teacher-made test, table of norms are not applicable.

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