Selecting and Constructing Test Items and Tasks

I. You will now write an item for each one. Identify the item type you have used.

Learning Objective Sample Item Item Type

1. Identify the characters of the story read. The following are the characters Multiple Choice
of the story “Romeo and Juliet”
except:

a. Mercutio
b. William
c. Prince Escalus
d. Friar Laurence

2. Add fractions with similar denominators. 1 2 Short Answer

+ = ______
3 3 Items

3. Classify different mammals. Column A contains the list of Matching Type

mammals. Match each one with
its corresponding type given in
Column B. Write the letter of
your answer before the number

1. Kangaroos a. Placental
2. Dogs b. Monotremes
3. Platypus c. Marsupial

4. Compare characteristics of reptiles and Explain the difference between Essay

amphibians. reptiles and amphibians in terms Restricted
of their characteristics in 5
sentences.

5. Explain the use of a thermometer. Elaborate the importance of Essay Extended

thermometer featuring its uses.

6. Name five national symbols of our country. The five national symbols of our Completion
country are _____, ______,
______, _______, and _______.

Worksheet Assessment in Learning 1

7. Differentiate tsunami from an ocean surge. Cite and explain the difference Essay
between tsunami and ocean Restricted
surge with a maximum of 5
sentences.

8. Find the perimeter of a given area. Solve for perimeter of a square Short Answer
with an area of 81.

9. Classify hand tools according to use. Write T if the statement is Binary

correct and F if it is incorrect and Choice
explain why.

1. Hammer is used for cutting

curves and shapes.

10. Determine the volume of a given container. What is the volume of a box Short Answer
with the dimensions 18 cm
width, 30 cm length and 12 cm
height?

II. Column A is a set of completion items. Transform them to short-answer items and write your
answers in Column B.

A B
Completion Items Short-Answer Items
1. The militants who fought against the government in Syria Who were the militants who fought
were the ____________________. against the government in Syria?

2. The two smallest planets in the Solar System are What are the two smallest planets in
_______________ and _______________. the Solar System?

3. Two indigenous creatures found in the Philippines are What are the two indigenous creatures
_______________ and _______________. found in the Philippines?

4. In the equation 3𝑥=45, 𝑥 is ____________________. What is the value of x in the equation

3x = 45?

5. The greatest number of deaths reported due to Ebola virus in Where does the greatest number of
Africa is found in _______________. deaths reported due to Ebola virus in

Worksheet Assessment in Learning 1

 Africa?

III. This time, transform the short-answer items given in Column A to completion items.

A Short-Answer B
Completion

1. How do you measure the volume of a cylinder? The volume of a cylinder can be
measured through ______.
2. What could be the reason why Mr. X was murdered in the Mr. X was murdered in the story
story? because ________.
3. What is so famous about Mt. Mayon volcano? Mt. Mayon is so famous about
________.
4. If one side of the square is m, what is its area? The area of the square if its one side
is 5m is _______.
5. What is the incidence of poverty in the country in percentage The incidence of poverty in the
according to the latest survey? country in percentage according to the
latest survey is ________.

IV. Below is a checklist for reviewing multiple-choice items. Review the items given below using the
guidelines. Write NO in the appropriate column of the guidelines that is not followed.

Checklist for Reviewing Multiple-Choice Items

1. Does the item present a meaningful problem? Yes No

2. Is the item stem free of unnecessary words or facts? Yes No
3. Are the alternatives grammatically consistent with the item stem? Yes No

4. Is there only one correct or clearly best answer? Yes No

5. Are the distracters plausible to the uninformed? Yes No

Guidelines
Sample Multiple-Choice Items
1 2 3 4 5
1. Which of the following organisms that live on Planet Earth No Yes No
would be the largest in number?

Worksheet Assessment in Learning 1

a. Ants

b. Snails

c. Ducks

d. Cows

2. What advantage do plants with flowers that open only at No No

night have?
a. Enhanced fruits

b. Bright coloration

c. Protected from flower feeders

d. Pollinators of the plant are active at night

3. A neutral atom No No
a. Dangerous

b. Equal in sizes

c. Useful for making atomic bombs

d. Has equal number of protons and electrons

4. What is predicted to be a result of global warming? No No

a. Frequent volcanic eruptions

b. Economic instability

c. Rising ocean level

d. Increased weather temperature

5. Possession of illegal and dangerous drugs is against No

a. An existing law

b. A religious dogma

c. School regulation

d. All of the above

V. Write an improved version of each item based on the guidelines not observed in the review you
have done in Part I.

Sample Multiple-Choice Items Improved Version

Worksheet Assessment in Learning 1

 1. Which of the following organisms that live on Planet Which type of organisms has the largest
Earth would be the largest in number? population on earth?
a. Ants
a. Insects
b. Snails
b. Algae
c. Ducks
c. Bacteria
d. Cows d. Fungi
2. What advantage do plants with flowers that open only The following are advantages of plants with
at night have? flowers that open only at night, except:
a. Enhanced fruits
a. Enchanted fruits
b. Bright coloration
b. Bright coloration
c. Protected from flower feeders c. Protected from flower feeders
d. Pollinators of the plant are active at night d. Pollinators of the plant are active at night.
3. A neutral atom Which of the following is a property of a
a. Dangerous neutral atom?
b. Equal in sizes
a. Dangerous
c. Useful for making atomic bombs
b. Equal in sizes
d. Has equal number of protons and electrons c. Useful for making atomic bombs
d. Has equal number of protons and
electrons
4. What is predicted to be a result of global warming? Which of the following is not a result of
a. Frequent volcanic eruptions global warming?
b. Economic instability
a. Water scarcity and droughts
c. Rising ocean level
b. Economic instability
d. Increased weather temperature c. Rising ocean level
d. Increased weather temperature
5. Possession of illegal and dangerous drugs is against As a student, possession of illegal and
a. An existing law dangerous drugs is against what?
b. A religious dogma
a. An existing law
c. School regulation
b. A religious dogma
d. All of the above c. School regulation
d. All of the above

VI. Given below is a sample matching item. Study it very well and write at least five (5) problems you
see in this sample.

Directions: Match Column A with Column B.

Column A Column B

Worksheet Assessment in Learning 1

 1. Water lily a. Flower
2. Narra b. Tree
3. Bamboo c. Vine
4. Mango d. Ornamental
5. Orchid
6. Yellow bell
7. Fortune plant
8. Banana plant
9. Grass
10. Gardenia

Observations:

1. The direction does not provide a clear

basis for matching, and it is unclear how
to handle the choices in column B.
2. There is no distracter in column B, as
far as I can tell.

3. The number of premises in column A

exceeds 8.

4. To avoid simple elimination, there

should be more options in column B.

5. There is no indication whether the

same response can be used multiple
times.

VII. Study each of the items given below and write your evaluation in the second column.

Original Item Evaluation

1. A solar eclipse _______________. This item is an unfinished statement form. The
distracters used were not similar to the choices,
making the answer obvious.
A. Looks bigger than a lunar eclipse.

Worksheet Assessment in Learning 1

B. Causes temperature to rise.

C. Occurs when the moon is between the earth

and the moon.
D. Happens less frequently than a lunar eclipse.

This item focuses on a single fact or idea. It is not

2. The earth is round. Yes No
worthy because there are no unnecessary facts.

3. This item was stated accurately and simply so

Who is the Prime Minister of the United that students could easily understand it. Because
States? there is only one correct answer, this item is a
short answer form.
4. Match A with B. The instruction does not specify how the answer
A B will be handled. There are no distracters in
___1. Plate A. Rectangle
___2. Pyramid B. Triangle column B's choices, making it simple to figure out.
___3. Nipa hut C. Round
___4. Ball D. Isosceles triangle
___5. Bag E. Square

5. What causes war between countries? The item is stated accurately and clearly, and the
answer options are relevant to the question.
A. Expansionism

B. Religion

C. Politics

D. Resources

VIII. Construct a restricted-essay item for each of the given instructional outcomes.

Instructional Outcome Restricted-Essay Item

When it comes to developing the item questions,

1. Naming advantages of a particular item
name at least 5 advantages of restricted - essay item.
format.

Explain/defend the writer's point of view when writing

2. Defending a writer’s opinion. the story you've read.

Explain the development of a bee based on its

3. Explaining the development of an insect. characteristics on a half-sheet of paper.

Worksheet Assessment in Learning 1

 IX. Construct a rubric that can be used to score the extended-essay items. Indicate the scoring criterion
and the description for each level.

Essay Item
Your school just had its Book Week celebration. Write a news article for this event which can be
published in your school paper.

Rubric for news article Scoring Criterion: _______________

Rating Description

Points: (9 – 10)
Excellent The ideas are thoroughly explained, the writing is extremely coherent,
and there are few errors.

Points: (7 – 8)
Very Satisfactory Ideas are explained, writing is coherent, and some errors exist.

Satisfactory
Fairly Satisfactory
Points: (5 – 6)
Some concepts are explained, there is some coherence, and there are
errors.
Points: (3 – 4)
Less ideas are explained, there is a lack of coherence, and there are
numerous errors visible in the writing.

Points: (0 – 2)
Unsatisfactory There is no explanation of ideas, no coherence, and many errors that
hinder comprehension.

Source: De Guzman, E. & Adamos, J. (2015). Assessment of Learning 1. Adriana Publishing Company: Quezon City

Worksheet Assessment in Learning 1