CONSTRUCTION OF TEST ITEMS AND QUESTIONS

INTRODUCTION
Teachers are concerned with their students achieving the specified learning outcomes in the
subjects they teach. They have to test the achievement of all those learning outcomes. Any
testing device therefore attempt to test the entire content prescribed and taught by teachers.
Essay questions that are generally used in assignments by their very nature can only cover a
limited content. Objective items are most suitable for a wider coverage of content. In any
assessment of students, teachers must ensure objectivity and reliability of assessment. This unit
describes the rules for constructing different types of test items and questions and their
advantages and limitations.

Types of test items and questions

Teachers are required to find out how their students are progressing in their studies. They would
be keen to get information on whether students have achieved the outcomes spelt out for the
lesson Achievement or otherwise of all outcomes is a necessity. Learning outcomes are spelt
out in three areas. The types of tests, test items and questions would depend upon the learning
outcome. Test items and questions dealt with in this Unit are intended to assess learning
outcomes.
For assessing cognitive domain two categories of test items and questions, are used by teachers.
These are
• Supply Type
• Selection Type
Supply type items are so called because students are required to supply (write) answers to the
items. They supply answers or write them. In the selection type a set of possible answers are
provided for each item. Students are required to select the best] most appropriate answer from
out of the list given,
The Supply question requires students to write their own answers to a question. Supply type
items require students to provide his/her own answer to the question. No answers are given to
students to choose from. Therefore, there is no scope for any guessing by students on answers.
The question may require students to give a one word or one sentence answer. The answer may
be longer also a paragraph or more than a page.
The following are the types of Supply type items
• Completion Choice
 • Single answer question
• Short answer/structured essay question
• Numerical Problem Solving

The Selection question provides students with alternate answers from which to choose. The
correct answer. The following are the types of Selection items
• Multiple Choice
• True /false (also called Alternate response)
• Matching

Supply type items are used to test the following

• writing ability
• ability to organise ideas and thoughts
• student’s creativity
• synthesis and evaluation of ideas
• problem solving skills
• recall of a sequence of activities
Selection type items are useful in the following situations
to test recognition of correct answers
• to test products of any mathematical calculation
• to judge the correctness or otherwise of a statement
• to differentiate similar objects, words symbols etc,.