Group 5 Assessmemt Report

Module 5
Prepared
by:
Group 5
Development Angela L.
of Classroom Pogoso
Assessment Madel
Montanez
Tools Freddie
Villas
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS IN
WRITING THE TEST ITEMS
• Both norm-referenced and criterion-

referenced tests fall under the two very
general categories: (a) objective test, and (b)
essay tests. Some objective tests include: the
true or false test, multiple choice test and
matching type of tests, and enumeration test.
On the other hand, essay tests can be broadly
subdivided into composition tests or
definition illustration tests.
Lesson 1:
WRITING
The multiple-choice item is a selection-type item which
MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS
presents students with a set of possible options from
which they are to choose the correct of the best
answer. It consists of a stem which presents a problem
and several options (alternatives or choices) which
provide possible solutions to a given problem.
•
• The stem may be in a question or in an incomplete
statement. The options include the correct answer
which is called the key and several plausible wrong
options, which are called the distracters, whose
function is to distract students from the correct
answer.
•
Multiple-choice items are preferable to use
than other type of items because of the
following reasons:
1. They can measure simple and complex

learning outcomes.
2. They can measure a broad range of
achievement.
3. They are more objective and can be scored
easily.
4. They are appropriate for diagnostic use.
5. They present the task clearly.
Guidelines for Writing Multiple-Choice
Items

Writing Good Stems
1. Present one clearly stated problem
in the stem
2. State the stem in simple, clear

language.
3. Make the stem longer than the

optionsem
4. Stress the negative word used in

the stem.
1. Present one clearly stated problem in the stem.
The stem should clearly state only one problem.it must not be vague
ambiguous, or too broad. It should be specific enough that there is no
room for misinterpretation.
Example:
BAD:
A table of specifications
a. specifies the weaknesses of student performance
b. indicates hoe learning can be improved
c. adequately samples the behavior to be tested*
d. reduces the amount of time to construct the items
BETTER:
Why is table of specifications primarily important before
writing any test?
a. It indicates how learning can be improved.
b. It specifies the weakness of student performance.
c. It adequately samples the behavior to be tested.*
d. It reduces the amount of time to construct the items.
2. State the stem in simple, clear language.
The stem should be written in simple language devoid of any difficult word. The sentence structure
must be in simple form. Complex sentence structure should be avoided. Any unnecessary word/s and
irrelevant details in the stem must be eliminated.
Example:
BAD:
To measure adequately the learning outcome that is to get
the main idea of a selection without giving chance to
ambiguity, the best type of item to use is
a. Short answer item
b. Completion item
c. Multiple-choice item*
d. Matching item
The stem is wordy and contains a difficult word (ambiguity), unless the
word is introduced and explained during instruction. The stem needs that to be
shortened to make it concise and clear in defining the problem.
BETTER:
To measure clearly and precisely the skill of getting the
main idea of a selection, the best type of item to use is
a. Short-answer
b. Completion
c. Matching
d. Multiple-choice*
3. Make the stem longer than the options.
The stem should adequately cover enough details to make it clear and precise. It is common error
to load the options with too many details so that the alternatives become longer than the
stem. The options should be shorter than the stem. In other words, the stem should be longer than
the options.
Example:
BAD:
Objectives are useful when
a. Course content is clearly specified.
b. Student performance is precisely delineated.
c. Teacher behavior is definitely demonstrated.
d. Learning activities are made congruent and observable.
The options are too wordy. Brevity and clarity of expression must be
observed in writing an item. To shorten the options, the stem should contain
enough details to make it clear and definite.
BETTER:
Objectives are useful in test construction when they are stated in the point of view of the
a. teacher
b. student*
c. course
d. activity
4. Stress the negative word used in the stem.
There are instances that the use of a negative
word is important in measuring a particular
learning outcome.
Examples of negative words which may be used

in the stem are no, not and except.
The negative word used can be emphasized by 1)

underling it, 2) capitalizing it, or 3) placing it at
the end of an incomplete statement. Such
emphasis can avoid the negative aspect of a stem
being overlooked by a student.
Writing Plausible
Options
1. Make sure there is only one correct answer.
The teacher should avoid writing options that
may be open to debate or argument. The correct
answer must be unquestionably correct which
everybody should agree and accept.
2. Make the options homogeneous.

Homogeneous options are those that belong to
one category or classification. If the key is a fruit,
the distracters should also
be fruits. Homogeneous options are plausible
alternatives. Plausible alternatives have the
possibility to be chosen by the uninformed students.
5. 3.
Place
Make theallposition
the optionsof the correct answer
grammatically in random
consistent and order.
The positions
parallel in form of the
withcorrect answer
the stem should
of the item.not appear about the
same Options
number should
most beof the
consistent
times. Randomly
in tense, article,
assign orthe key so as to
avoid
grammatical
giving a clue.
form with the stem. If the stem calls for a
future tense, the key and the distracters should also be
6. stated
Avoid inusing
the same
“all oftense
the above”
to makeas the
anoptions
alternative.
parallel in
the
Mostform.
of theIf time,
the stem
the calls
item for
writer
a wordhas that
difficulty
begins ofwith
thinking
a any option
soconsonant,
that “all of then
the above”
the article
is used.
“a” should
If the option
be used.all of
Thetheother
above is the
correct
optionsanswer,
shouldany be words
of the twowhich
alternatives
have initialdetected
consonants
to be correct by
theinstudent
order tocan makegivethe
a clue as to the key. If this happens, the student
parallel.
need not read
4. Vary the remaining
the length of the keyalternatives. The distracters
to avoid giving a clue. lose their
function
Mostinofdistinguishing a good performer
the times, the correct answer tends fromto abepoor one.
longer than the distracters. To avoid length as a clue,
7. make
Avoidtheusing
correct
two answer
optionsshorter,
that have sometimes
similar meaning.
longer,
If other
two options
times of are
equal
similarlength
in the
with
meaning,
the restthe
of the
student
options.
can eliminate
them
As long
as a as
possible
there isanswer.
no predictable pattern as regards the
length of the key, giving length as a clue is eliminated.
Lesson 2: WRITING TRUE-FALSE
ITEMS
True-false items require students to

identify statements which are correct
or
 incorrect.
Rules for Writing True-False Items
1. Each statement should include only one idea.
2. Each statement should be short and simple.
3. Qualifiers such as few, many, seldom, always,
never, small, large, and so on should be avoided.
4. Negative statements should be used sparingly. .
5. Double negatives should be avoided.
6. Statements of opinions or facts should be
attributed to some important person or organization
7. The number of true and false statements should be
equal whenever possible.
1. Each statement should include only one idea.
The idea should be stated in the main point of the item rather
than on some trivial detail.
Example:
POOR:
True False*
The true-false item as seen by
Newton takes little time to prepare.
BETTER:
True* False The true-false item takes little time to
prepare.
• The “poor” example is marked false because Newton is a scientist not an
expert on test construction. The falsity of statement is based on a minor
detail not on the major idea, which is takes little time to prepare
• The “better” item focuses on a major idea. The main idea which is takes
little to prepare should be judged true or false.
2. Each statement should be short and simple.
The item becomes clear when the statement is short and
is expressed in a simple sentence.
Example:
POOR:
T*
F
True-false items provide for adequate sampling objectives
and can be scored rapidly.
BETTER:
T*
F
True-false items provide for adequate sampling of
objectives.
T*
F
True-false items can be scored rapidly.
The “poor” example has two central ideas. It can be

separated into two
3. Qualifiers such as few, many, seldom, always,
never, small, large, and so on should be avoided.
They make the statements vague and indefinite.
Example:
POOR:
T
F*
True-false items are seldom prone to
guessing.
BETTER:
T*
F
True-false items are prone to guessing.
• The qualifier “seldom” makes the “poor” example a
false item. When “seldom” is deleted, the item
becomes true.
4. Negative statements should be used sparingly.
If such statements cannot be avoided, emphasize the
negative word used by underlining it or capitalizing all the
letters in that word. This practice will preclude negative
statements to be read as positive ones.
Example:
POOR:
T
F*
True-false items are NOT prone to guessing.
BETTER:
T
F*
5. Double negatives should be avoided.
Double negatives can be interpreted as affirmative.
However, they may be understood as emphasized negative.
Double negatives tend to make statements ambiguous.
Example:
POOR:
T
F
True-false items cannot be scored by an untrained person.
BETTER:
T
F*
True-false items CANNOT be scored by a trained person.
The “poor” example uses double negatives. To improve this item,
delete
• one of the negative words and use capital letters to show
emphasis.
6. Statements of opinions or facts should be
attributed to some important person
or organization.
Example:
POOR:
T
F
Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of
death.
BETTER:
T*
F
The Department of Health reported that
pneumonia is one of the leading causes of
death.
7. The number of true and false statements
should be equal whenever possible.
Example:
POOR:
1. True 2. True 3. False 4. True 5. True 6. False
BETTER:
1. False 2. True 3. True 4. False 5. True 6. False
• The “poor” example has 4 “true” answers and 2

“false” keys.
• The “better” example has 3 “true” answers and
3 “false” keys.

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Module 5

• Both norm-referenced and criterion-

1. They can measure simple and complex

2. State the stem in simple, clear

3. Make the stem longer than the

4. Stress the negative word used in

Examples of negative words which may be used

The negative word used can be emphasized by 1)

2. Make the options homogeneous.

True-false items require students to

The “poor” example has two central ideas. It can be

• The “poor” example has 4 “true” answers and 2

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