TEST AND MEASUREMENT

Introduction
Education is a continuous process of acquiring and
imparting knowledge skills and attitudes. The main aim of education is to
bring about the behavioural changes in learners objectives, learning
experiences and evaluation are the three pillars of education. This process of
instruction involves three important tasks namely teaching, learning and
evaluation. Teaching and testing are the two main steps of scholastic
activity. Continuous evaluation has become an integral part of instruction,
so as to continually assess the achievement of the instructional objectives
by the student’s effectiveness of the learning experiences provided and
instructional strategy used by the teacher. Test and measurement is used
by the teachers to determine the knowledge of the pupil. Evaluation and
measurement is necessary because it helps to find out desirable and in
desirable experience provided in the construction of class. A teacher has to
devise and administer a variety of tools and techniques and tools such as
observation, case study, test and examinations constitute important means
to evaluate the students’ performance.

MEASUREMENT:

Measurement is an important feature of our daily life. In our life,

something are the other is being measured every time. It enters into all
branches of science for the reason, measurement is indispensable in the
domain of education.

Measurement of any kind is matter determining how much or how

little or how great or how much less than or how much more than. It is the
process of assigning symbols or numerals to observation objects or events in
some meaningful or consistent manner according to the rule.
EVALUATION:

Evaluation is the assignment of symbols of phenomena usually

with reference to some social, cultural or scientific standards in education.
It is the cultural or scientific standards in education. According to Wright
Score, “Evaluation is a relatively new technical term introduce the design a
more comprehensive concept of measurements, that implied in conventional
test and examinations.

Evaluation is the process of observing, measuring and testing a thing

for the purpose of judging it and of determining its ‘value’ either by
comparison to similar things. Evaluation is more broader and
comprehensive than assessment. Evaluation is the process of determining
the value of a thing or process, based on the assessment of its different
aspects/components by employing observation, measurement and tests.

TEST:

Test is a tool to understand the level of achievement of an individual in

performing a particular task assignment. Test can be defined as the device
or procedure to confronting a subject with a standard set of questions or
tasks independently and the result of which we can provide a qualitative
comparison of the performance of different students. Test is one of the tool
of measurement. It is the most important tool for the classroom teachers for
collecting data.

Types of Tests:

Classification of tests by purpose includes the following

i. Achievement Test
ii. Diagnostic Test
iii. Prognostic Test
i. Achievement Test:

Every teacher wants to find out the progress made by his pupil in
the progress made by his pupil in the subject. The teacher’s achievement in
a subject at a particular stage has to be assessed in terms of his mastery in
the curricular provisions anticipated for that stage as well as the realization
of the objectives excepted. A test designed to assess the achievement in any
subject with regard to a set of predetermined objectives is called an
achievement test.

Downie defines achievement test as “ any test that measures the

attainments of an individual after a period of training or learning is called an
achievement test”.

ii. Diagnostic Test:

There are tests which have been devised to provide information about
the specific nature of pupil’s performance in given subject areas. These
tasks are called diagnostic test.

“ A test that helps the teacher to identify the concepts in the

content area taught, which students struggle to learn and the nature of
the difficulties experienced by them is called a ‘Diagnostic test’.

iii. Prognostic test:

The test which predicts the future performance of a student particular

area is known as a prognostic test. A prognostic test is one which measures
the capacity of a person for success in some field and as such it is predictive
in character.

Characteristics of a good test:

The following are the characteristics of a good test.

i. Reliability
ii. Validity
iii. Objectivity
iv. Feasibility

i. Reliability:
Reliability of a test is its trustworthiness or its consistency. It is
defined as the consistency with which a test measures what it
intends to measure.
ii. Validity:
Validity means purposiveness. Validity of a test is the ‘accuracy’
with which a test measure what it intends to measure.
iii. Objectivity:

Objectivity of a test is the consistency with which the test

items yield the same scores to any examiner who evaluates the test
items. It is free from personal biases in interpreting its scope as well as
scoring the responses. Objectivity of a test can increased by using more
objective type test items and answers are scored according to model
answers provided

iv. Feasibility:

In assessing the value of a test, usability or practicability is

an important criterion. Ease of administration, ease of scoring, ease
interpretation etc., are factors contributing to the practicability of any
test.

MEASUREMENT

Measurement is an important feature of our daily life. According to

Ross “From birth to death, almost every aspect of our life is touched by
measurements in its form”. Measurement of any kind is determining how
much or how little, how great or how small, how much more than or how
much more or less than etc. Measurement is used to assess the physical
characteristics and man’s external features. Measurement are used to
find , student’s height, weight, age, intelligence, their abilities expressed
in different fields etc.

Definition of Measurement:

In the words of James. M. Braidfield. “Measurement is the process of

assigning symbols to dimension of phenomena in order to characterize
the status of phenomena as precisely as possible. To measure means to
determine the magnitude of a property in terms of a suitable unit or it is
giving status to a physical property or an outcome of an institution.

Conclusion:

Test results provide a basis for drawing conclusions about learning and
teaching. The preparation of a good test is a systematic process having
well defined stages. In order to test the knowledge of a student, one can
use test and measurement.

DIAGNOSTIC TEST

Introduction:

A test designed to identify and investigate the difficulties,

disabilities, inadequacies and gaps of pupil in specific curriculum areas
with a view to helping the overcome those difficulties through remedial
instruction is called a diagnostic test. Its purpose is to identify the exact
nature of the difficulties and to locate the causes that result in poor
achievement.

Construction of a diagnostic test

There are five steps in the construction of a diagnostic test.

i. Purposeful planning:

It aims at identification of learning materials that are known to

have potential difficulties. An experienced teacher can identify such areas
by proper analysis. Such areas will have more weightage in the test.

ii. Analysis of the learning material – concerned:

The content should be thoroughly analyzed and find all the

teaching points. Each teaching point may include a number of stages.
These stages should be arranged in the sequential order of difficulty as
well as logical sequence.

iii. Writing of test items:

Write test items representing all the minute steps arising out
of the analysis. Arrange these items in the order taking into consideration
both sequence of the stage and difficulty level.

iv. Division of items into small sections:

Sometimes the total number of item will be very large and then
more time will be required to work at these items. In such cases, items
may be divided into two or three sections to suit the convenience of the
learners. The subtests thus obtained may be administrated on different
occasions.

v. Provision of clear instruction:

Very clear instructions should be given as to what the pupil

should do and how if they find any difficulty with a particular item, they
should be directed to pass onto the next item without costing time.

Procedure to be followed for analyzing the performance:

i. Item-wise analysis of the performance of each student

ii. Preparation of a diagnostic chart for each student
iii. Identification of the courses for learning difficulties.
iv. Planning and implementing highly individualized remedial
measures
v. Evaluating the effectiveness of the programme.

Uses of Diagnostic Test

 Identifying the learning concepts/points that students struggle to
learn
 Finding the errors, students commit and their nature
 Identifying the inadequacy in specific skills that are required to
understand those concepts/points which students struggle to
learn.
 Serving as the basis for the modification required in the teaching
method.
 Providing feedback to the teacher and students to know their
respective shortcomings in the teaching-learning process

Conclusion:

The diagnostic test point out the inadequacies in specific skills and
locate areas in which individual instruction is required. Also it furnish
continuous information in order that learning activities may be most
productive of desirable outcomes. Thus, a diagnostic test serve as a basis
for improving instructional methods, instructional materials and learning
procedures.
 Paste one page DIAGNOSTIC TEST QUESTION PAPER

SCORING KEY

Next Page DIAGNOSTIC TEST CHART

DIAGNOSTIC TEST

Total number of students =

Total number of errors =

Students average = Total number of errors/Total number of

students

Students average =

Common Errors:

In the diagnostic test, the students have done the test which was
satisfactorily. Many students wrote well and some students put mistakes in
fill in the blanks ( Qn. No: )

Remedial Measures:

The teacher give more explanation to

the………………………………………………………. The students were given one
word tests often to correct their mistakes and to improve their scores

ACHIEVEMENT TEST

The term achievement is often mainly understood in terms of pupil’s scores

on a certain school subject. For instance, a subject wise student is tested in
two school subjects say physical science and mathematics and in the former
he gets 80% while in the later he gets 60% marks. It is understood that his
achievement in science is better than his achievement in mathematics.

Achievement tests constitute a tool of evaluation. It is necessary for the

teacher to know how for the pupils have attained in a particular subject
have attained in a particular subject area.
Definition:

According to Downie “Any test that measures the attainments or

accomplishments of an individual after a period of training or learning is
called an achievement test”.

Types of Achievement Tests:

Achievements as used in schools are of two type. They are

i. Teacher made achievement test

ii. Standard achievement test
Teacher made achievement tests are of two types.
i. Oral tests
ii. Written or paper and pencil tests

Classification of written tests

i. Objective Type:

These tests are immense help in measuring the factual

knowledge and are reliable being objective in nature. They are not meant for
measuring the ability to organize knowledge and express and narrate facts.
These tests have special task to perform.

Merits:

a. They are more comprehensive.

b. They are easy to administer and store
c. They are less time consuming
d. They are more valid and reliable
e. They reduce the role of luck or chance
f. They are useful to evaluate objective based teaching.

Demerits:

a. Guessing is possible
b. Construction is difficult and time consuming
c. Objectives ability to organise matter and in a coherent fashion etc.
d. Printing cost is greater than that of considering as an essay type test.
ii. Short Answer:

Short answers item can be answered by a word, phase number or

symbol. They are essentially the same differing only in the method of
presenting the problem. The short answer items use a direct questions.

Merits:

a. It is easiest to construct
b. The pupil most supply the answer
c. It reduced the possibility that the pupils obtained the correct answer
by guessing

Demerits:

a. Understanding for measuring complex learning outcomes

b. The scoring is very difficult
iii. Essay Type test:

The purpose of the essay type test is to elicit understanding, organisations

and interpretation rather than to test bits of knowledge. The essay questions
gives an opportunity to generalise, analyse, illustrate and describe what a
person knows. Questions begin with ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘compare and
contrast’, ‘discuss’ etc.

Merits:

a. It is easy for a teacher to construct and administered

b. It is possible to use this test for all subjects of the school curriculum
c. An individual can express himself logically and there will be full freedom
of response.
d. We can develop the following aspects in the students
i. The range of ideas
ii. Style
iii. Quality of ideas
iv. Technical accuracy

Demerits:

a. There is no reliability
b. Hallow effect plays a vital role
 c. No objectivity in scoring

Preparation of a teacher made achievement test:

The preparation of a good test is a systematic process having well- defined

stages. The important steps envisaged in the preparation of a good
achievement test are

 Planning the test

 Designing the test items
 Reviewing and editing
 Arranging the items
 Preparation of a design
 Providing directions
 Preparing the scoring key and marking scheme
 Administering the test and scoring
 Evaluating the test

Preparation of design

The test constructor has to take a number of decisions regarding

selection of the objectives, the selection of the content, and form of question.
The difficulty level of test items and the weightage allotted to the objectives
to the content and the form of questions. The set of those decisions will be
called the design of the test.

a. Weightage allotted to the objectives:

Sl.No. Objectives Marks Percentage

1 Knowledge
2 Understanding
3 Application
4 Skill
Total

b. Weightage allotted to the content

 Sl.No. Content Marks Percentage

Total

c. Weightage allotted to the form of questions

Sl.No. Form of questions Marks Percentage

Total

d. Distribution of difficulty level

Sl.No. Difficulty level Marks Percentage

Total

Preparation of Blue Print:

The blue Print is a three dimensional chart showing the weightage given to
the objectives content and the form of question in terms of marks. It is also
called a table of specifications. The units or the content spread along the
vertical axis where the objectives are listed on horizontal axis. Each column
is further sub divided into columns that indicates the form of questions.
Thus, we get a number of cells, each cell having three dimensions, the
objective, the content and the form of question.
 BLUE PRINT

Objectives
Sl. Knowledge Understanding Application Skill
No Content O S E O S E O S E O S E Total

1
2
3
4
Sub Total
Total

Note:

 The number inside the bracket indicates the number of questions

 The number outside the bracket indicates the marks allotted for each
questions
O Objective Type, S Short Answer Type, E Essay Type

Paste ACHIEVEMENT TEST QUESTION PAPER

Preparation of Scoring Key and Marking Scheme

Scoring key refers to the prepared list of answers to a given set

of objective questions.
A marking scheme is essential for supply type questions such
as short answer and essay type questions because it indicates
i. The number of steps or learning points expected in the answer
ii. The outline of each point or step expected in the answer
iii. The weightage to each point or each step
iv. The level of accuracy expected of each step.
 SCORING KEY

Sl.No Answer Marks allotted Total Marks

for step
Etc

QUESTION WISE ANALYSIS

Evaluation can be done at two levels

i. Question wise analysis

ii. Item analysis

Question wise analysis is done by analyzing each question according

to objective specification, content, question type estimated difficulty level
and time required. This helps the teacher in assessing the effectiveness of
the test item with reference to the objectives and other requirements in
the blue prints. This also gives an insight in to the difficulties uncounted
by students in taking the test.

Question wise analysis

Sl.No. Type of Question Content Objective Specification

MARKS OBTAINED BY THE STUDENTS

Sl.No. NAME OF THE STUDENT MATKS OUT OF MATKS OUT OF

50 100
1
2
3 Etc
 MARKS

etc

MARKS IN ASCENDING ORDER

etc

FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION TABLE

A frequency distribution shows a tallying of the number of times

each score occurs in a group of scores.

Steps for forming frequency distribution table:

i. Determine the range

Range = Highest Score – lowest Score
ii. Decide the size and number of class intervals
iii. Decide the starting point
iv. Tally the scores in their proper intervals

Class Interval Tally marks Frequency

Notes write in right side calculate done left side

 MEASURES OF CENTRAL TENDENCY

A number of central tendency may be defined as a single measure

representing all the scores of a distribution. The commonly used
measures of central tendency are

1. Mean
2. Median
3. Mode
1. MEAN:
It is also known as Arithmetic Mean. The mean is simple
arithmetic average. The formula for mean is
∑ 𝑓𝑑
Mean = A + ×𝑖
𝑁

Where,
A→ Assumed mean
∑ → The sum
𝑓 → frequency
𝑑 → distribution
𝑖 →length of the class interval
𝑁 →Total number of scores
2. Median

Median is the middle score of a set scores, when they are arranged
either in the ascending or descending order of their magnitude. Then
median is find out by using the formula.

𝑁
−𝑐𝑓𝑚
Median = lm + ( 2
𝑓𝑚
)× i

Where

𝑙𝑚 → Lower limit of the median class

𝑐𝑓𝑚 → Cumulative frequency up to the median class

𝑓𝑚 → Frequency of the median class

N → Total number of scores

i → length of the class interval

3. Mode:

The mode is strictly defined as the point on the scale of measurement

with maximum frequency in a distribution. Usually it is the item of the
variable which occurs the largest number of items and its formula is

Mode = 3Median – 2 Mean

MEASURES OF DISPERSION:

The measures of central tendency provide useful summary, information

about the data in a typical value known as average. i.e.) Mean, Median,
Mode. This is not sufficient enough to describe the data completely one
cannot come to know in what manner the values or measurements of
variables are dispersed or scattered about the average. It is necessary to
know the scatter of the values from their mean, there are four absolute
measure of dispersion. They are

1. Range
2. Quartile Deviation
3. Mean Deviation
4. Standard Deviation
1. Range:

Range may be defined as the difference between the values of the

extremes. The highest and the lowest value of the under consideration

Range = Highest score - lowest score

2. Quartile Deviation:

A group can be divided into four equal quarters with respect to the total
number. Then we got three scores located at the end of the first quarter,
second and third quarter. These are said to be the first quartile (Q1), second
Quartile (Q2) and third quartile (Q3). Quartile deviation is half the difference
between the third quartile and the first quartile. Quartile deviation is
expressed by the formula,

𝑸𝟑− 𝑸𝟏
Q =
𝟐
Q1 → first quartile

Q3 → third quartile

𝑵
−𝒄𝒇𝟏
Q1 = l1 + ( 𝟒
)× i
𝒇𝟏

𝑙1 → The exact lower limit of the interval in which the lower quartile falls

𝑐𝑓1 → Cumulative frequency up to the interval which contains the lower

quartile

𝑓1 → Frequency of the interval containing the lowest quartile

𝟑𝑵
−𝒄𝒇𝟑
Q3 = l3 + ( 𝟒 )× i
𝒇𝟑

𝑙3 → The exact lower limit of the interval in which the upper quartile falls

𝑐𝑓3 → Cumulative frequency up to the interval which contains the upper

quartile falls

𝑓3 → Frequency of the upper quartile class

3. Mean Deviation:

Mean deviation is the average of the deviation of the scores taken from
the mean. It is also called average deviation

∑|𝑓𝑥|
Mean deviation = 𝑁

Where

x= X-M

X = Midpoint

M= Arithmetic Mean
 4. Standard Deviation:

Standard deviation is defined as the positive square root of the arithmetic

mean of the squares of the deviation of the given observation from the
arithmetic mean.

∑ 𝑓𝑑 2
∑ 𝑓𝑑 2
Standard Deviation = i √ 𝑁 − ( 𝑁 )

RANK CORRELATION

Statistical measure for finding out degree of association between two

variables by association, we mean the tendency of variables to more together
correlation three different stages.

1. Positive Correlation

2. Negative Correlation
3. Zero Correlation

The degrees of correlation gives and varies between -1 and +1. In the
case of positive correlation, the correlation coefficient will lie between 0 to 1.
In the case of negative correlation coefficient will be -1 to 0. In the case zero
correlation, the correlation coefficient is equal to 0.

0 – 0.2 Very low positive correlation

0.2 – 0.4 Low positive correlation
0.4 – 0.6 Average positive correlation
0.6 – 0.8 High positive correlation
0.8 – 1 Very high Positive correlation
1 Perfect positive correlation
-1 Perfect negative correlation
-1 - -0.8 Very high negative correlation
-0.8- -0.6 High negative correlation
-0.6 - -0.4 Average negative correlation
-0.4 - -0.2 Low negative correlation
-0.2 - 0 Very low negative correlation
The formula for Rank correlation coefficient is

6 ∑ 𝑑2
𝜌 = 1- 𝑁(𝑁2 −1)

d→ difference between the rank of the scores

N → total number of score

Write fresh page each graph one page

GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION

HISTOGRAM

Out of several methods of presenting a frequency distribution. Histogram is

the most popular and widely spread graph. The statistical meaning of
histogram is that it is a graph that represents the class frequencies. In a
frequency distribution by vertical adjacent rectangles. In constructing a
histogram, the x-axis is labelled with the actual class intervals and y- axis is
labelled with frequencies.

Histogram

Class interval Frequency

FREQUENCY POLYGON

A polygon is defined as a many sided closed figure. When a many

sides figure is drawn on the basis of frequencies given in a frequency
distribution, the figure is called a frequency polygon.

Frequency Polygon

Class interval Frequency Midpoint

FREQUENCY CURVE

A smoothed frequency curve can be drawn through the various points of

the frequency polygon. The curve is drawn freehand in such a manner that
the area included under the curve is approximately the same as that of the
polygon. The object of drawing a smoothed frequency curve is to eliminate
all accidental variables that might be present in the data. The curve should
begin and end at the x-axis as a general rule.

Frequency Curve

Class interval Frequency Midpoint

LESS THAN CUMULATIVE FREQUENCY

When one wants to find out how many items are less than a given upper
limit. Less than cumulative frequencies will become handy and useful. To
draw a less than cumulative frequency curve take actual upper limits along
the x-axis and less than cumulative frequencies along the y-axis. Plot the
points and join them. It is an increasing curve.

GREATER THAN CUMULATIVE FREQUENCY

When one wants to find out how many items are greater than a lower limit
greater than cumulative frequencies will become handy and useful. To draw
a greater than cumulative frequency curve take actual lower limits. Also
along the x-axis and greater than cumulative frequencies along the y-axis.
Plot the points and join them. It is a decreasing curve.

LESS THAN CUMULATIVE FREQUENCY CURVE

Class interval Frequency Less than cumulative frequency

GREATER THAN CUMULATIVE FREQUENCY CURVE

Class interval Frequency Greater than cumulative frequency

OGIVE CURVE

Ogive is a graph drawn making use of the cumulative frequencies

of the classes. Mention has already been made about cumulative frequencies
while discussing about development of frequency tables as part of
classification of data. A graph can be drawn by plotting the cumulative
frequencies above the lower or upper limits of the class concerned. Such a
graph may be said to be cumulative frequency graph or ‘ogive’.

OGIVE CURVE

Class Less than % of less Greater than % of greater than

interval cf than cf cf cf

𝐥𝐜𝐟
% of less than cf = ×100
𝐍

𝒈𝒄𝒇
% of greater than cf = × 100
𝑵

SECTOR GRAPH AND PIE DIAGRAM

This graph is drawn to represent data regarding a whole which has been
divided into parts or shares. As the name indicates the whole is represent by
a complete circle. Which is then divided into sector representing a share of
the whole. In such a way that the area of a sector will be proportional to the
magnitude of share represented by it. The name pie-diagram may have been
divided from the circular shape of pie, which is usually shared by cutting it
in the shape of sectors.

360
Formula = ×𝑓
𝑁

Class interval Frequency Degree of

frequency
360
( ) ×𝑓
𝑁