Principles of Test Construction

JANET LYNN S. MONTEMAYOR

Faculty, College of Teacher Education--Benguet State University
PhD (Research & Evaluation) Candidate, UP-Diliman

Tests may be…

Unintentionally misused
Intentionally abused
Appropriately used

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 Qualities of a Good Test Constructor

Good understanding of the subject matter.

Sufficient knowledge about the testee.
Adequate knowledge of the medium of
teaching and learning.
Adequate knowledge of different item
formats.
Creative ability in writing items in the
different cognitive levels.
Enduring strength in constructing, editing,
discarding items.

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Instructions

Components
 Part
 Type of Test
 Content / Objectives
 What to write
 Where to write
 Point system
 Total number of points
 Time allotted
 Special Instructions
 Examples

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Alternate Response Test

Does the item contain a single proposition or idea?

Is the type of answer logically consistent with the
statement?
Are the statements succinct?
Is the item stated positively?
Is the length of both statements in an item about the
same?
Do the correct responses have a pattern?
Are unequivocal terms used?
Does the item try to trick students?
Is trivial knowledge being tested?
Are about half the items answered correctly
with same response?

Multiple-Choice Test

Is the stem stated as clearly, directly, and simply as

possible?
Is the problem self-contained in the stem?
Is the stem stated positively?
Is there only one correct answer?
Are all the alternatives parallel with respect to
grammatical structure, length, and
complexity? Are irrelevant clues avoided?

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 Multiple-Choice Test

Are the options short?

Are complex options avoided?
Are options placed in logical order?
Are the distractors plausible to students who do not
know the correct answer?
Are correct answers spread equally among all
the choices?

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Matching Test

Is it clear how and where students place their

answers?
Is it clear that each response may be used once,
more than once, or not at all?
Are items included homogeneous?
Are there more responses than premises?
Are the responses logically ordered?
Are grammatical clues avoided?
Is there only one feasible answer for each premise?
Is the set of premises or responses too long?
Are premises and responses on the same
page?

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Simple-Recall Items

Is verbatim language from instructional materials

avoided?
Is knowledge being assessed?
Is a single, brief answer required?
Is the blank at the end of the sentence?
Is the length of each blank the same?
Is the precision of a numerical answer specified?
Is it worded to avoid verbal clues to the right
answer?

Essay Test

Could the item be better assessed with a different

kind of assessment?
Is the essay question aligned with the intended
learning outcome?
Is the essay question too long and should be rather
split-up into several relatively short questions?
Does the essay question contain a clear and
delimited task and a specific problem situation
(if necessary)?
Is the question worded and structured in such a way
that it will be clear to the students what they are
expected to do?

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 Essay Test

If there is a problem situation included in the essay

question, is it a novel situation?
Do the students know how many points the essay
is worth?
Have you avoided the use of optional questions?
Have you written a model answer or an outline of
major points that should be included in the answer?
Is the model answer aligned with the intended
learning outcome and essay question?
Did you have a person knowledgeable in the subject
critically review the essay item for clarity and for
alignment with the intended learning outcome and
the model answer?

Types of Essay Questions

Selective recall
 Name the heads of state in the world who have been
awarded as the “World Who’s Who of Women.”
Evaluating recall
 Name the five departments in the Philippines which
have had the greatest influence on the economic
development of the country.
Comparison of two things (Specific)
 Compare traditional and modern methods in teaching
Mathematics.
Comparison of two things (General)
 Compare education in United States with that in the
Philippines.

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 Decision (for or against)
 In which can you do better, oral or written
examination? Why?
Cause or effect
 Why is vocational education given more stress by
the government than other courses in the
Philippines?
Explanation of the use of exact meaning of some
phrases or statement in a passage
 What does this adage mean: “Health is wealth”?
Summary of some unit of the test or some
articles read
 In a paragraph, summarize the advantages and
disadvantages of ICT.

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Types of Essay Questions

Analysis
 What are the characteristics of President Rodrigo
Duterte that made him win the Elections?
Statement of relationships
 In what way does knowledge in Algebra help in the
study of Statistics?
Illustrations and applications of concepts and
principles
 Give three examples of the uses of Mathematics in
daily life.
Classification
 To what class does human beings belong in the
animal kingdom?

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 Application of rules and principles in new
situations
 Why is multiple-choice test used in government
examinations?
Discussion
 Discuss briefly the functions of measurement and
evaluation.
Statement of aim
 State the rules in constructing a matching test.
Criticism
 What is wrong with the statement “Practice makes
perfect”?

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Types of Essay Questions

Outline
 Outline the procedures in constructing a Table of
Specifications.
Reorganization of Facts
 Discuss the theory and practice scheme approach
based upon the book, class discussion, outside
reading and actual practice.
Formulation of new questions, problems and
questions raised
 What must be known in order to understand te
matter into consideration?
New method or procedure
 Suggest a plan for improving the truth or falsity of
the contention that abolition of NAT is a good policy
in education.
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 Advantages of Essay Test

Easy to construct
Economical
Trains the core of organizing, expressing, and
reasoning power
Minimizes guessing
Develops critical thinking
Minimizes cheating and memorizing
Develops good study habits

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Disadvantages of Essay Test

Low validity
Low reliability
Low usability
Encourages bluffing
Difficult to score

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Packaging the Test

Group together all items of similar format.

Arrange test items from easy to difficult.
Space the items for easy reading.
Keep items and options on the same page.
Position illustrations near descriptions.
Check your answer key.

Packaging the Test

Determine how students will record answers.

Provide blanks for name, schedule, date, etc.
Check test directions.
 Number of the items to which they apply
 How to record answers
 Basis on which to select answers
 Criteria for scoring

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Packaging the Test

Determine how students records answers.

Provide blanks for name, schedule, date, etc.
Proofread the test.

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