Constructing

Selected-
Response Type
PROPONENT:
Jerone
Sammy
 A. Constructing a True-False Test
Binomial-choice tests are test that have only two (2) options such as true or false, right or
wrong, good or better and so on. A student who knows nothing of the content of the
examination would have 50% chance of getting the correct answer by sheer guess work.
Although correction-for-guessing formula exists, it is best that the teacher ensures that a
true-false item is able to discriminate properly between those who know and those who are
just guessing. A modified true-false test can offset the effect of guessing by requiring
students to explain their answer and to disregard a correct answer if the explanation is
incorrect.
 rules of thumb in constructing
true-false items.
Rule 1. Do not give a hint (inadvertently) in the body
of the question.

Example. The Philippines gained its independence in 1898 and therefore

celebrated its
centennial year in 2000. _____
 rules of thumb in constructing
true-false items.
Rule 2. Avoid using the words “always”, “never”, “often” and other
adverbs that tend to be either always true or always false.

Example. Christmas always falls on a Sunday because it is a Sabbath day.

_____
 rules of thumb in constructing
true-false items.
Rule 3. Avoid long sentences as these tend to be “true”. Keep
sentences short.

Example. Tests need to be valid, reliable and useful, although, it would require a great amount
of time and effort to ensure that tests possess these test characteristics. _____
Example. Tests need to be valid, reliable and useful since it takes very little amount of time,
money and effort to construct tests with these characteristics. ______
 rules of thumb in constructing
true-false items.
Rule 4. Avoid trick statements with some minor misleading word or spelling
anomaly, misplaced phrases etc. a wise student who does not know the subject
matter may detect this strategy and thus get the answer correctly.

Example. True or False. The Principle of our school is Mr. Albert P.

Panadero.
 rules of thumb in constructing
true-false items.

Rule 5. Avoid quoting verbatim from reference materials or textbooks. This practice sends
the wrong signal to the students that is necessary to memorize the textbook word for word
and thus, acquisition of higher level thinking skills are not given due to importance.
 rules of thumb in constructing
true-false items.

Rule 6. Avoid specific determiners or give-away qualifiers. Students quickly learn that
strongly worded statements are more likely to be false than true, for example, statements
with “never” “no” “all” or “always”. Moderately worded statements are more likely to be
true than false. Statements with “many” “often” “sometime” “generally” “frequently” or
“some” should be avoided.
 rules of thumb in constructing
true-false items.

Rule 7. With true or false questions, avoid a grossly disproportionate number of

either true or false statements or even patterns in the occurrence of true or false
statements.
Constructing a Multiple-
Choice Test
 Constructing a Multiple-Choice Test
A multiple-choice test item format can assess multiple skills and can be constructed in
different forms. A teacher who possesses the skills required for constructing multiple-choice
tests finds it easy to construct the rest of item formats. In every step of test construction, the
teachers are directed by the rules and guidelines for test construction.

·Item writing. When teachers write the test for the first time, they should consider that it is
just a simple draft; it deserves a second or even third checking, especially when the test
format I multiple-choice.
Guidelines for Constructing Multiple-
Choice Items
Do not use unfamiliar words, terms and phrases. The ability of the item to
01 discriminate or its level of difficulty should stem from the subject matter rather
than form the wording of the question.

What would be the system reliability of a computer system whose slave and
e.g. peripherals are connected in parallel circuits and each one has a known time to
failure probability of 0.05?
Guidelines for Constructing Multiple-
Choice Items
Do not use modifiers that are vague and whose meanings can differ from one
02 person to the next such as much, often, usually etc.

e.g. Much of the process of photosynthesis takes place in the:

a. bark b. leaf c. stem
Guidelines for Constructing Multiple-
Choice Items
Avoid complex or awkward word arrangements. Also, avoid use of negatives in the
03 stem as this may add unnecessary comprehension difficulties.

(Poor) As President of the Republic of the Philippines, Corazon Cojuangco Aquino would
e.g. stand next to which President of the Philippine Republic subsequent to the 1986 EDSA
Revolution?
(Better) Who was the President of the Philippines after Corazon Cojuangco Aquino?
Guidelines for Constructing Multiple-
Choice Items
Do not use negatives or double negatives as such statements tend to be confusing.
04 It is best to use simpler sentences rather than sentences that would require expertise
in grammatical construction.

e.g. (Poor) Which of the following will not cause inflation in the Philippine economy?
(Better) Which of the following will cause inflation in the Philippine economy?
Guidelines for Constructing Multiple-
Choice Items
Each item stem should be as short as possible; otherwise you risk testing more for
05 reading and comprehension skills.

Which planet is known as the "Red Planet"?

e.g. A) Venus B) Mars C) Jupiter D) Saturn
Guidelines for Constructing Multiple-
Choice Items
06 Distracters should be equally plausible and attractive.

The short story: Mary Day’s Eve, was written by which Filipino author?
e.g. a. Jose Garcia Villa b. Nick Joaquin c. Robert Frost d. Edgar Allan Poe
Guidelines for Constructing Multiple-
Choice Items

All multiple choice options should be grammatically consistent with the stem.
07
Guidelines for Constructing Multiple-
Choice Items
08 The length, explicitness, or degree of technicality of alternatives should be the
determinants of the correctness of the answer.

If the three angles of two triangles are congruent, then the triangles are:

e.g. a. congruent whenever one of the sides of the triangles are congruent
b. similar
c. equiangular and therefore, must also be congruent
d. equilateral if they are equiangular
Guidelines for Constructing Multiple-
Choice Items
09 Avoid stems that reveal the answer to another item.

Question 1: What is the capital of France?

A) Berlin B) London C) Paris D) Madrid
e.g.
Question 2: Which European city is known for the Eiffel Tower?
A) Berlin B) London C) Paris D) Madrid
Guidelines for Constructing Multiple-
Choice Items
10 Avoid alternatives that are synonymous with others or those that include or overlap
others.

What causes ice to transform from solid state to liquid state?

e.g. a. Change in temperature. c. Changes in pressure.
b. Change in the chemical composition. d. Change in heat levels.
 Guidelines for Constructing
Multiple-Choice Items
11. Avoid presenting sequenced items in the same order
as in the text.

Lesson 1:Introduction to Organic Chemistry

Lesson 2: Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
Lesson 3: Acid-Base Reactions
 Guidelines for Constructing
Multiple-Choice Items
12. Avoid use of assuming qualifiers that many examinees may not be
aware.

Revised Question:
What is the primary component of DNA
What is the primary component of DNA
replication in prokaryotic cells?
replication in simple bacterial cells?
A) DNA polymerase alpha
A) DNA polymerase alpha
B) DNA polymerase delta
B) DNA polymerase delta
C) DNA polymerase epsilon
C) DNA polymerase epsilon
D) DNA polymerase III
D) DNA polymerase III
 Guidelines for Constructing
Multiple-Choice Items
13. Avoid use of unnecessary words or phrases, which are not relevant to the problem at hand (unless such
discriminating ability is the primary intent of the evaluation). The item’s value is particularly damaged if
the unnecessary material is designed to distract or mislead. Such items test the student’s reading
comprehension rather than knowledge of the subject matter.

Example. The side opposite the thirty degree angle in a right triangle is equal to half the
length of the hypotenuse. If the sine of a 30-degree is 0.5 and its hypotenuse is 5, what is the
length of the side opposite the 30-degree angle?
a. 2.5 b. 3.5 c. 5.5 d. 1.5
 Guidelines for Constructing
Multiple-Choice Items
14. Avoid use of non-relevant sources of difficulty such as requiring a
complex calculation when only knowledge of a principle is being tested.

Note in the previous example, knowledge of the sine of the 30-degree angle would lead some
students to use the sine formula for calculation even if a simpler approach would have
sufficed.
 Guidelines for Constructing
Multiple-Choice Items
Example:
What year did the Battle of Gettysburg
15.Avoid extreme
take place?
specificity requirements
A) 1863
in responses. B) July 1-3, 1863
C) July 4, 1863
D) 1865
 Guidelines for Constructing
Multiple-Choice Items
Example:
16. Include as much of the
Calculate the area of a rectangle with a length of 8
item as possible in the stem.
units and a width of 5 units.
This allows less repetition A) 13
and shorter choice options. B) 40
C) 8 x 5
D) 53
 Guidelines for Constructing
Multiple-Choice Items
17.Use the “None of the above” option
Example:
only when the keyed answer is totally
Who is known for painting the Mona Lisa?
correct when choice of the “best” response
A) Leonardo da Vinci
is intended, “none of the above” is not
B) Vincent van Gogh
appropriate, since the implication has
already been made that the correct C) Pablo Picasso
response may be partially inaccurate. D) None of the above
 Guidelines for Constructing
Multiple-Choice Items
Example:
Which of the following cities are both the
19.Having compound response capital and the largest city of their country?
choices may purposefully A) Rome
increase difficulty of an item. B) London
C) Tokyo
D) None of the above
 Guidelines for Constructing
Multiple-Choice Items
18.Note than use of “all of the above” may
example: Which of the following are prime
allow credit for partial knowledge. In a
numbers?
multiple option item, (allowing only one
option choice) if a student only knew that two A) 2
(2) options were correct, he could then deduce B) 6
the correctness of “all of the above”. This C) 3
assumes you are allowed only one correct
D) All of the above
choice.
 Guidelines for Constructing
Multiple-Choice Items
20.The difficulty of a multiple
Example.
choice item may be controlled by (Less Homogeneous) (More Homogeneous)

varying the homogeneity or Thailand is located in: Thailand is located in:

a. Southeast Asia a. Laos and Kampuchea
degree of similarity of responses.
b. Eastern Europe b. India and China
The more homogenous, the more c. South America c. China and Malaysia
difficult the item. d. East Africa d. Laos and China
e. Central America e. India and Malaya
Constructing Matching
Type
 Constructing Matching Type

The matching type items may be considered modified multiple choice type
items where the choices progressively reduce as one successfully matches
the items on the left with the items on the right.
Guidelines for Constructing Matching
Type
Match homogeneous not heterogeneous items. The items to match must
01 be homogeneous. If you want your students to match authors with their
literacy works, in one column will be authors and in the second column
must be literary works. Don’t insert nationality for instance with names of
authors. That will not be good item since it is obviously wrong
Guidelines for Constructing Matching
Type
Match the items in Column A with the items in Column B.

e.g. Column A
Provinces
Column B
Tourist Destinations
1. Albay a. Luneta Park
2. Bohol b. Mt. Mayon
3. Banaue c. Chocolate Hills
4. Pangasinan d. Rice Terraces
5. Manila e. Hundred Islands
f. Pagsanjan Falls
g. Malolos Church
Guidelines for Constructing Matching
Type

The stem (longer in construction than the options) must be in the first
02 column while the options (usually shorter) must be in the second column.
Guidelines for Constructing Matching
Type

e.g. Match the countries with their respective capitals.

Column A Column B
(Countries): (Capitals):
France Paris
Germany Berlin
Italy Rome
Guidelines for Constructing Matching
Type

The potions must be more in number than the stems to prevent the student
03 from arriving at the answer by mere process of elimination.
Guidelines for Constructing Matching
Type
Match the following scientists with their notable contributions.
e.g. Stems (Scientists): Options (Contributions):
• Marie Curie A) Theory of General Relativity
• Isaac Newton B) Discovery of radium and polonium
• Albert Einstein C) Laws of motion and universal gravitation
D) Photoelectric effect and the theory of relativity
Guidelines for Constructing Matching
Type

To help the examinee find the answer easier, arrange the options
04 alphabetically or chronologically, whichever is applicable.
Guidelines for Constructing Matching
Type

e.g. Match the following historical events with their respective dates.
Stems (Events): Options (Dates):
• American Declaration of Independence A) 1776
• French Revolution B) 1789
• Fall of the Berlin Wall C) 1989
Guidelines for Constructing Matching
Type

Like any other test must be given. The examinees must know exactly
05 what to do.
Guidelines for Constructing Matching
Type
Imperfect Matching happens when an option is the answer to more than one item in the
column.
e.g. Column A Column B
Tourist Destinations Provinces
1. Luneta Park a. Albay
2. Mines View Park b. Manila
3. Chocolate Hills c. Banaue
4. Camp John Hay d. Bohol
5. Intramuros e. Pangasinan
f. Baguio
g. Palawan
Guidelines for Constructing Matching
Type
Sequencing Matching requires the examinee to arrange things, steps, or events in

e.g. chronological order.

Arrange the steps on how to conduct historical research.
_________ 1. Reporting
_________ 2. Gathering of source materials.
_________ 3. Problem formulation.
_________ 4. Criticizing source materials.
_________ 5. Interpreting historical data
Guidelines for Constructing Matching
Type
Multiple Matching requires the examinee to match the items in column A to B, then match
the answers from column B to column C and further match answers from column C to
e.g. column D.
Match the provinces listed in Column A with their Capital towns in Column B and with the
tourist spots they are known for.
Column A Column B Column C
1. Bohol a. Tagaytay City I. Underground River
2. Camarines Sur b. Tagbilaran City II. Taal Vocano
3. Batangas c. Puerto Princesa III. Water Sports Complex
4. Palawan d. Pili IV. Chocolate Hills
e. Batangas City V. Mayon Volcano
 Pointers on Writing
Matching Type and Supply
Type Items
 Pointers on Writing Matching Type and
Supply Type Items
If possible, the response list should consist of short phrases, single words
01
or numbers.

02 Use homogenous options and items

03 Have more options than the given items.

 Pointers on Writing Matching Type and
Supply Type Items
Arrange the options and items alphabetically, numerically or
04 magnitudinally.

Limit the number of items within each set. Ideally, the minimum is five
05 items and the maximum is ten per set.

06 Place the shorter responses in column B.

 Pointers on Writing Matching Type and
Supply Type Items

07 Provide complete directions.

Place the list of options on the same page as the list of items.
08

09 Avoid specific determiners and trivial information that can help the students find the
correct response without any effort on their part.
 Pointers on Writing Matching Type and
Supply Type Items

10 Clearly explain the basis on which the match is to be made.

Thank
you!!!