DEVELOPMENT OF VARRIED

ASSESSMENT TOOLS
| Assessment in Learning I
 General Principles of Testing
Ebel and Frisbie (1999) as cited by Garcia ( 2008) listed five basic
principles
1. Measure all instructional objectives
2. Cover all learning tasks
3. Use appropriate test items
4. Make test valid and reliable
validity of test = it measures what it is suppose to measure
reliability of test = the score remain the same or consistent
when the teacher give the same test the second time.
5. Use test to improve learning
Principles of High Quality Assessment
I. Clarity of the Learning Target
= the learning outcomes must be SMART
II. Appropriateness of Assessment Tool
= the type of test should always match the instructional
objectives or learning outcomes
1. Objective test
= a type of test that requires students to
select the correct response from several
alternative or to supply a word or short
phrase to answer a question or
complete a statement.
Principles of High Quality Assessment
2. Subjective Test
= is a type of test that permits the student to
organize and present an original answer.

Ex. Short questions or long general questions. It has no specific

answer.
3. Performance Assessment
= ( Mueller, 2010) is an assessment in which
students are asked to perform real-world tasks
that demonstrate meaningful application of
essential knowledge and skills.
Principles of High Quality Assessment
4. Portfolio Assessment
= an assessment based on systematic, longitudinal
collection of student work created in response to specific
known instructional objectives.
Portfolio = is a purposeful collection of student’s work that
exhibits the students’ effort, progress and
achievements in one or more areas over a period of
time.
5. Oral Questioning
= is used to collect assessment data by asking questions.
Principles of High Quality Assessment
6. Observational Technique
= method of collecting assessment data through
observation.
7. Self-report
= the response of the students may be used to
evaluate both performance and attitude.
Assessment tools could include sentence
completion, Likert scale, checklist, or holistic
scales.
Principles of High Quality Assessment
III. Different Qualities of Assessment Tools
1.Validity
2. Reliability
3. Fairness
4. Objectivity
5. Scorability
6. Adequacy
7. Administrability
8. Practicality and Efficiency
DEVELOPMENT
STEPS IN
OF VARRIED DEVELOPING
ASSESSMENT
TOOLS ASSESSMENT TOOLS
STEPS IN DEVELOPING ASSESSMENT TOOLS
1. Examine the instructional objectives of the
topics previously discussed.
2. Make a table of specification (TOS).
3. Construct the test items.
4. Assemble the test items.
STEPS IN DEVELOPING ASSESSMENT TOOLS

5. Check the assembled test items.

6. Write directions.
7. Make the answer key.
8. Analyze and improve the test items.
STEPS IN DEVELOPING ASSESSMENT TOOLS

5. Check the assembled test items.

6. Write directions.
7. Make the answer key.
8. Analyze and improve the test items.
DEVELOPMENT
OF VARRIED
Types of
ASSESSMENT
TOOLS
Objective Test
1.Types of Objective Test
a. True-False items

b. multiple-choice type items

c. matching type items

d. enumeration and filling of blanks

e. essays

➢ The first four type of objective tests are used to test the first four to five levels

of the hierarchy of educational objectives base on Blooms taxonomy.

➢ The last ( essays) is used for testing higher order thinking skills.
 2. Planning a Test and Construction of Table of
Specification (TOS)

Steps in Planning for a Test

1. Identify the test objectives
2. Deciding on the type of objective test
to be prepared
3. Preparing a Table of Specification
(TOS)
4. Constructing the draft test items
5. Try-out and validation
 a. Identifying Test Objectives

➢ Must cover the various levels of Blooms

Taxonomy.
➢ Each objective consists of statement of what is
to be achieves and, preferably , by how many
percent of the pupils/students.
Example. We want to construct a test on the topic:
“Subject-Verb Agreement in English” for Grade V class.

• Knowledge. The students must be able to identify the

subject and the verb in a given sentence.
• Comprehension. The student must be able to determine
the appropriate forms of a verb to be used given the
subject of a sentence.
• Application. The student must be able to write sentences
observing rules on subject-verb agreement.
• Synthesis/Evaluation. The student must be able to formulate
rules to be followed regarding subject-verb agreement.
b. Deciding on the type of objective test

• The test objectives guide the kind of

objective test that will be designed and
constructed by the teacher.
• For instance, for the first four levels, we may
want to construct a multiple test while for
application and judgement , we may opt
to give an essay test or modified essay test.
c. Preparing a table of specification (TOS)

• A TOS is a test map that guide the teacher

in constructing a test.
• The TOS must ensure that there is balance
between items that test lower level thinking
skills and those which test higher order
thinking skills ( or alternatively , a balance
between easy and difficult items)
c. Preparing a Table of Specification
1. Selecting the learning outcomes to be measured.
2. Make an outline of the subject matter to be covered in the test.
3. Decide on the number of item per subtopic.
𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑥 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑠
number of items = 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠
Example: Topic : Addition of dissimilar fractions
Number of sessions: 4
Desired number of items: 40
Total number of sessions: 20

4 𝑥 40
number of items = = 8
20
Preparing a Table of Specification

4. Make the chart

Topic Number of Objectives Item Placement Total Percent

sessions age
R U A A E C

Topic 1 5 Objective 1 4 1,3 3 7.5 %

Objective 2 5 6 2 5%

. . . . . . . .

Total 9 9 9 8 5 0 40 100%

22.5% 22.5% 22.5% 20% 12.5% 0% 100%

Determining the number of Test Items
Assessment Format Average Time to Answer
True-False 30 Seconds
Multiple-Choice 60 Seconds
Multiple-Choice of higher level 90 seconds
Learning Objectives
Short Answer 120 Seconds
Completion 60 seconds
Matching 30 seconds per response
Short Essay 10-15 Minutes
Extended Essay 30 minutes
Visual Image 30 seconds
d. Constructing the test items
• The actual construction of the test items follows the TOS.
• As a general rule, it is advised that the actual number of items to
be constructed in the draft should be double the desired number
of items
• For instance, if there are 5 level knowledge items to be included in
the final test form, then at least 10 knowledge level items should
be included in the draft.
• ( to eliminate items that are too much difficult or too much easy)
d. Assemble the Test Items
1. Group all test items with similar format.
2. Arrange test items from easy to difficult.
3. Space the test items for easy reading.
4. Keep items and option in the same page.
5. Place the illustrations near the
description.
6. Check the answer key.
Item analysis and try-out
The purpose of this try out is to determine the
a. items characteristics through item analysis
b. characteristics of the test itself-validity,
reliability and practicality
DEVELOPMENT • 3. Constructing a
OF VARRIED
ASSESSMENT
TOOLS
True-False Test
3. Constructing a True-False Test

• Binomial-choice test are tests having only two (2) options

such as true or false, right or wrong, good or better and so
on.
• The teacher should ensures that a true-false items 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
3. Constructing a True-False Test

Rule 1. Do not give a hint ( inadvertently) in the body of the

question.

Example : The Philippines gained its independence in 1989

and therefore celebrating its centennial year in
2000.
What makes the answer obvious?
The answer is FALSE because 100 years from 1989 is not 2000
but 2089.
3. Constructing a True-False Test
Rule 2: Avoid using the words “always”, “never”, “often” and
other adverb that tend to be either always true or
always false.
Example: Christmas always falls on Sunday because it is a
Sabbath day.

Statement that use the word “ always” are almost always true.
 3. Constructing a True-False Test
Rule 3: Avoid long sentences as these tend to be “true”. Keep
sentences short.

Example 1. Test need to be valid, reliable and useful, although, it

would require a great time and effort to ensure that
test posses these test characteristics.
Example 2. 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.
 3. Constructing a True-False Test
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.
The Principal’s name may actually be correct but since the word is
misspelled and the entire sentence takes a different meaning, the answer
would be false.
3. Constructing a True-False Test

Rule 5. Avoid quoting verbatim from reference materials or text

books. This practice sends the wrong signal to the students
that it is necessary to memories the textbook word for
word and thus, acquisition of higher level thinking skills is
not given due importance.
3. Constructing a True-False Test

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” “sometimes”
“generally” “frequently” or “some” should be avoided.
3. Constructing a True-False Test

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” “sometimes”
“generally” “frequently” or “some” should be avoided.
DEVELOPMENT
OF VARRIED
•Multiple
ASSESSMENT
TOOLS Choices Tests
 4. Multiple Choices Tests
• The multiple choice type of test offers the student
with more than two options per item to choose from.
• Each item in multiple choice test consist of two parts

a. the stem
b. the options
In the set of options, there is “correct” or “best” options
while all the others are considered “distracters”.
 4. Multiple Choices Tests
Rule 1. Do not use unfamiliar words, terms and phrases.
Example: What would be the system reliability of a
computer system whose slave and peripherals are
connected in parallel circuits and each one has a
known time to failure probability of 0.05?

A student completely unfamiliar with the terms “slave” and

“peripherals” may not be able to answer correctly even if he
know the subject matter of reliability.
 4. Multiple Choices Tests
Rule 2. Do not use modifiers that are vague and whose meanings
can differ from one person to the next such as: much, often,
usually, etc.
Example:
Much of the process of photosynthesis takes place in the :
A. bark
B. leaf
C. stem
The qualifier “much” is vague and could have been replaced by
more specific qualifiers like.” 90% of the photosynthesis process” or
some similar phrase that would be more precise.
 4. Multiple Choices Tests
Rule 3. Avoid complex or awkward word arrangements. Also avoid
use of negative in the stem as this may add unnecessary
comprehension difficulties.
Example:
(Poor) As President of the Republic of the Philippines, Corazon C.
Aquino would 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 C.

Aquino?
 4. Multiple Choices Tests
Rule 4. Do not use negative or double negative as such
statements tend to be confusing. It is best to use simpler
sentences rather than sentences that would require
expertise in grammatical construction.
Example:
(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?
 4. Multiple Choices Tests
Example:

(Poor) What does the statement “ Development patterns

acquired during the formative years are NOT
unchangeable” imply?
( Better) What does the statement “ Development patterns
acquired during the formative years are changeable”
imply ?
 4. Multiple Choices Tests
Example:

(Poor) What does the statement “ Development patterns

acquired during the formative years are NOT
unchangeable” imply?
( Better) What does the statement “ Development patterns
acquired during the formative years are changeable”
imply ?
 4. Multiple Choices Tests

Rule 5. Each item should be as short as

possible; otherwise you risk testing
more for reading and
comprehension
 4. Multiple Choices Tests
Rule 6. Distracters should be equally plausible and attractive.
Example: The short story : May Day’s Eve, was written by which
Filipino author?
A. Jose Garcia Villa
B. Nick Juaquin
C. Genoveva Edrosa Matute
D. Robert Frost
E. Edgar Allan Poe
Which of the given options is/are not good distracter(s)? Why?
 4. Multiple Choices Tests

Rule 7. All multiple choice options

should be grammatically
consistent with the stem.
 4. Multiple Choices Tests
Rule 8. The length, explicitness, or degree of technicality of alternative
should not be determinant of the correctness of the answer. The
following is an example of the rule:

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

A, C and D tend to explain why they must be the correct answer forcing the
student to think that they are.
 4. Multiple Choices Tests
Rule 9. Avoid stems that reveal the answer to another item.
Rule 10. Avoid alternatives that are synonymous with others or those
that, include or overlap others.

Example: What cause ice to transform from solid state to liquid state?
A. change in temperature
B. change in pressure
C. change in chemical composition
D. change in heat levels

The last distracters would play no significant role in increasing the value of the item.
 4. Multiple Choices Tests
Rule 10. Avoid use of unnecessary words or phrases, which are not
relevant to the problem at hand.

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 C. 5.5
B. 3.5 D. 1.5
Which word(s) should be removed?
 4. Multiple Choices Tests
Rule 11. Avoid use of non-relevant sources of difficulty such as
requiring a complex calculation when only
knowledge of the principle is being tested.

Rule 12. Avoid extreme specific requirements in responses.

Rule 13. Include as much of the item as possible in the stem.

This allows less repetition and shorter choice options.
 4. Multiple Choices Tests
Rule 14. Use the “None of the above” option only when the keyed
answer is totally correct. When choice of the best response is
intended, “none of the above “ is not appropriate, since
the implication has already been made that the correct
response may be partially inaccurate.
Rule 15. Note the use of “all of the above” may allow credit for partial
knowledge. In a multiple option item, (allowing only one option
choice) if a student only knew that two option were correct, he
could then deduce the correctness of “all of the above”. This
assume you are allowed only one correct choice.
 4. Multiple Choices Tests

Rule 16. Having compound response choices may

purposely increase difficulty of an item.

Example: Who was the Commander-in-Chief of the Confederate States of

America during the American Civil War?
A. General Robert E. Lee
B. President Jefferson Davis
C. General Stonewall Jackson
D. General Ulysses S. Grant E. President Abraham Lincoln
 4. Multiple Choices Tests
Rule 17. The difficult of a multiple choice item may be controlled by varying the
homogeneity or degree of similarity of responses. The more homogeneous,
the more difficult the item.
Example: Less Homogeneous More Homogeneous
Thailand is located in: Thailand is located in:
A. Southeast Asia A. Laos and Kampuchea
B. Eastern Europe B. India and China
C. South America C. China and Malaya
D. East Africa D. Laos and China
E. Central America E. India and Malaya
 4. Multiple Choices Tests

Rule 16. Having compound response

choices may purposely increase
difficulty of an item.