GENERAL

GUIDELINES

IN
WRITING TEST
ITEMS
 
Avoid wording that is ambiguous and
confusing.
Use appropriate vocabulary and sentence
structure.
Keep questions short and straight to the point.
Write items that have one correct answer.
Do not provide clues to the answer.
WRITING MULTIPLE
CHOICE ITEMS

 
 The most widely used form of the test item because of
its versatility
 Can measure different kinds of content and almost any
type of cognitive behavior
 Easy to score
 Composed of a stem which sets up the problem and
asks a question, followed by a number of alternative
responses where one of the alternatives is the correct
answer, the other alternatives are distractors or foils
 The principal goal is to write clear, concise of
unambiguous items.
 GUIDELINES IN
WRITING EFFECTIVE
MULTIPLE CHOICE
ITEMS
 
1. Each item should be clearly stated in the
form of a question or an incomplete
statement.
2. Do not provide grammatical or contextual
clues to the correct answer.
3. Use language that even the poorest
readers will understand.
4. Write a correct answer or best answer and
several plausible distracters.
 
 5. Each alternative response should fit the stem
in order to avoid giving clues to its correctness.
 6. Refrain from using negatives or double
negatives. They tend to make the items
confusing and difficult.
 7. Use all of the above and none of the above
only when they will contribute more than
another plausible distractor.
 8. Do not use items directly from the textbook.
Test for understanding not memorization.
 
Example 1:
1. A two-way grid summarizing the relationship between test scores and
criterion scores is sometimes referred to as an:
A. Correlation coefficient C. Probability Histogram
B. Expectancy table D. Bivariate frequency
distribution
Improved
2. Two- way grids summarizing test-criterion relationships are
sometimes called:
A. Correlation coefficient C. Probability Histogram
B. Expectancy table D. Bivariate frequency distribution
 
Example 2:
1. What is the area of a right triangle whose sides adjacent to the right
angle are 4 inches and 3 inches, respectively?
A. 7 C. 17
B. 12 D. None of the above
Improved
2. What is the area of a right triangle whose sides adjacent to the right
angle are 4 inches and 3 inches, respectively?
A. 6 square inches C. 12 square inches
B. 7 square inches D. None of the above
 GUIDELINES IN
WRITING

ALTERNATE-
RESPONSE ITEMS
 
1. Avoid the use of negatives
2. Avoid the use of unfamiliar
3. Avoid trick items that appear to be true
but are false because of an inconspicuous
word or phrase
4. Use quantitative and precise rather than
qualitative language when ever possible
5. Don’t make true items longer than false
items
 
 6. Refrain from creating a pattern of response.
 7. Present a similar number of true and false
statements.
 8. Be sensitive to the use of determiners. Words such
as always, never, and none indicate sweeping
generalizations, which are associated with false
items. Conversely, words like usually and generally
are associated with true items.
 9. A statement must only have one central idea
 10. Avoid quoting exact statements from the
textbook.
 
 Example 1:

1. Many people voted for Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo in

the last presidential election.

2. Gloria –Macapagal- Arroyo received more than 50%

of the votes cast in the last presidential election.
 GUIDELINES IN

WRITING MATCHING
ITEMS
 
 1. Specify the basis for matching the premises with the
responses.
 2. Be sure that the whole matching exercise is found
on one page only. Splitting the exercise is confusing,
distracting and time-consuming for the student.
 3. Avoid including too many premises on matching
item.
 4. Both the premises and responses in the same
general category or class.
 5. Premises or responses composed of one or two
should be arranged alphabetically.
 
Example:
DIRECTIONS: Match Column A with Column B. You will be given one
point for each correct match.
Column A Column B

______1. Execution of Rizal A. 1521

______2. Pseudonym of Ricarte B. 1896
______3. Hero of Tirad Pass C. Gregorio del Pilar
______4. Masterpiece of Juan Luna D. Vibora
______5. Arrival of the Spaniards in the Phils. E. Spolarium
 
_____1. National Hero of the Philippines A. Aguinaldo
_____2. Hero of Tirad Pass B. Bonifacio
_____3. Brain of the Katipunan C. Del Pilar
_____4. Brain of the Phil. Revolution D. Jacinto
_____5. The Sublime Paralytic E. Mabini
F. Rizal
 GUIDELINES IN

WRITING
COMPLETION ITEMS
 
 1. Use only one blank.
 2. The blank should be placed near or at the end of the
sentence.
 3. Give clear instructions indicating whether synonyms
will be correct and whether spelling will be a factor in
scoring.
 4. Be definite enough in the incomplete sentence so that
only one correct answer is possible.
 5. Avoid using direct statements from the textbook with a
word or two missing.
 6. All blanks for all items should be of equal length and
long enough to accommodate the longest response.
 
Example:
DIRECTIONS: Write the expression that completes each of
the following sentences.
1. ________________ is money earned from the use of money
2. The Philippines is at the ____________ and ___________ of
____________.
Improved
1. Money earned from the use of money is called
________________.
2. The Philippines is located in the continent of
________________.
GUIDELINES IN
WRITING

ARRANGEMENT
ITEMS
 
1. Items to be arranged should belong
to one category only.
2. Provide instructions on the rationale
for arrangement or sequencing.
3. Specify the response code students
have to use in arranging the items.
4. Provide sufficient space for the
writing of the answer.
 
 Example:

DIRECTIONS: Arrange the following decimals in the

order of magnitude by placing 1 above the smallest, 2
above the next, 3 above the third and 4 above the
biggest.
a. 0.2180 b. 0.2801 c. 0.2018 d. 0. 2081
 
DIRECTIONS: The following words are arranged at
random, On your answer sheet, rearrange the words
so that they will form a sentence.

Much the costs rose

 
DIRECTIONS: Each group of letters below spell out
words if the letters are properly arranged. On your
answer sheet, rearrange the letters in each group to
form a word.

Ybo ebul swie atgo

 GUIDELINES IN
WRITING

COMPLETION-
DRAWING ITEMS
 
Guidelines:
1. Provide instruction on how the
drawing will be completed.
2. Present the drawing to be completed.
 GUIDELINES IN

WRITING
CORRECTION ITEMS
 
1. Underline or italicize the word or
phrase to be corrected in a sentence.
2. Specify in the instruction where
students will write their correction of
the underlined or italicized word or
phrase.
3. Write items that measure higher
levels of cognitive behavior.
 
Example:
DIRECTIONS: Change the underlined word or
phrase to make each of the following statements
correct. Write your answer on the space before each
number.
 
_________________1. Inflation caused by increased
demand is known as oil-push.
_________________2. Inflation is the phenomenon of
failing prices.
 GUIDELINES IN
WRITING

IDENTIFICATION
ITEMS
 
1. The direction of the test should indicate clearly what
has to be identified, like persons, instruments, dates,
events, steps in a process, and formula.
2. Sufficient space has to be provided for the answer to
each item.
3. The question should not be copied verbatim from the
textbook.
 
Example: DIRECTIONS: Following are phrase definitions
of terms. Opposite each number, write the term defined.
________________1. Weight divided by volume
________________2. Degree of hotness or coldness of a
body
________________3. Changing speed of a moving body
________________4. Ratio of resistance to effort
GUIDELINES IN
WRITING

ENUMERATION
ITEMS
 
1. The exact number of expected answers
have to be specified.
2. Spaces for the writing of answers have
to be provided and should be of the same
length.
 
Example: DIRECTIONS: List down or enumerate
what are asked for in each of the following:

Causes of World War I and II

1._______________________________ 4. ____________________________
2._______________________________ 5. ____________________________
3. ______________________________
 GUIDELINES IN

WRITING ANALOGY
ITEMS
 Analogy items consist of pair of words
which are related to each other.

Guidelines:
1. The pattern of relationship in the first pair of words
must be the same pattern in the second pair.
2. Options must be related to the correct answer.
3. The principle of parallelism has to be observed in
writing the options.
4. More than three options have to be included in each
analogy item to lessen guessing.
5. Items must be grammatically consistent.
 
Example: 1. Black is to white, as peace is to
_________________.
a. unity c. harmony
b. discard d. concord
 GUIDELINES IN
WRITING

INTERPRETIVE ITEMS
 
Guidelines:
 1. The interpretive exercise must be related to the
instruction provided to the students.
 2. The material to be presented to the students should be
new to the students but similar to what was presented
during instruction.
 3. Written passages should be as brief as possible: The test
should not be test of general reading ability.
 4. The students have to interpret, apply, analyze and
comprehend in order to answer a given question in the
exercise.
 GUIDELINES IN
WRITING SHORT

EXPLANATION ITEMS
 
1. Specify in the instruction of the test, the number of
sentences that students can use in answering the
question
2. Make the question brief and to the point for the
students not to be confused.
GUIDELINES IN
CONSTRUCTING

ESSAY TESTS
 
 Two types:
A. EXTENDED RESPONSE- allows for an in-depth
sampling of a student’s knowledge, thinking processes
and problem-solving behavior relative to a specific
topic.
B. RESTRICTED RESPONSE - the examinee is
required to provide limited response based on a
specified criterion for answering the question.