• Use of tests for learner appraisal-achievement test, Diagnostic test- construction of each preparation of test items- scoring key- marking scheme-question wise analysis

 

LEARNER APPRAISAL ACHIEVEMENT TEST 

 Learner appraisal achievement tests are assessments used to evaluate the knowledge and skills that individual learners have acquired in a specific subject or area of study. 

These tests are designed to measure the extent to which learners have achieved the desired learning outcomes and provide feedback on their performance.

The purpose of learner appraisal achievement tests is to assess individual learners' progress and identify their strengths and weaknesses. 

These tests can be used by educators to determine whether learners have met the learning objectives and to guide instructional decisions. They can also be used for grading and placement purposes.

When designing learner appraisal achievement tests, it is important to ensure that they are aligned with the learning objectives and instructional content. 

The questions or tasks included in the test should accurately measure the intended knowledge and skills. It is also crucial to provide clear instructions to learners and allow sufficient time for test administration.

To enhance the effectiveness of learner appraisal achievement tests, it is recommended to use a variety of question types, such as multiple-choice, short answer, and performance-based tasks. This allows for a comprehensive assessment of learners' understanding and application of concepts.

Additionally, it is important to ensure that learner appraisal achievement tests are valid and reliable.

 Validity refers to the extent to which the test measures what it is intended to measure, while reliability refers to the consistency of the test results over time.

 Both validity and reliability are essential for obtaining accurate and meaningful assessment results.

Overall, learner appraisal achievement tests play a crucial role in evaluating individual learners' knowledge and skills, providing feedback, and informing instructional decisions. 

By using these tests effectively, educators can support learners' progress and promote their ongoing development.

USES OF TESTS  FOR LEARNER APPRAISAL ACHIEVEMENT TEST 

1. Achievement tests are used to assess the knowledge and skills that learners have acquired in a specific subject or area of study.

2.These tests are typically administered after a period of instruction or learning to evaluate the extent to which learners have achieved the desired learning outcomes.

3.Achievement tests can be used in various educational settings, including schools, colleges, and universities, to measure learners' performance and determine their level of understanding and proficiency.

4.These tests can cover a wide range of topics and subjects, such as mathematics, science, language arts, social studies, and more.

5.The purpose of achievement tests is to provide an objective measure of learners' knowledge and skills, allowing educators to identify areas of strength and weakness and tailor instruction accordingly.

6. Achievement tests often consist of multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, or performance-based tasks that require learners to demonstrate their understanding and application of concepts.

7.The results of achievement tests can be used for various purposes, such as grading, placement, identifying learning gaps, and informing instructional decisions.

8.It is important to ensure that achievement tests are valid and reliable, meaning they accurately measure what they are intended to measure and produce consistent results over time.

9.To enhance the effectiveness of achievement tests, it is crucial to align them with the learning objectives and instructional content, provide clear instructions to learners, and allow for sufficient time and resources for test administration.

DIAGNOSTIC TEST

• Diagnostic tests are assessments used to identify learners' strengths and weaknesses in a specific subject or area of study. These tests are typically administered at the beginning of a course or instructional program to gather information about learners' prior knowledge and skills.
•  In another words A diagnostic test in education is a sort of pre-evaluation that enables the instructor to learn the extent of the student's subject-matter knowledge. In other words, it is used to determine the extent of a student's knowledge and to identify any potential learning gaps. They occur at the start of a learning experience, such as the start of a unit, lesson quarter, or time period.

• Diagnostic assessments are also considered “low-stake” as they are not graded and do not help in deciding if the student should move on to the next class. However, these assessments are helpful in knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the student regarding a specific field of study.

• The purpose of diagnostic tests is to provide educators with valuable information about learners' readiness for instruction. By identifying learners' areas of strength and areas that need improvement, educators can tailor their instruction to meet individual learners' needs.

• When designing diagnostic tests, it is important to focus on the key concepts and skills that will be covered in the instructional program. The questions or tasks included in the test should target these specific areas and provide a clear indication of learners' current knowledge and skills.

• Diagnostic tests can include a variety of question types, such as multiple-choice, short answer, and problem-solving tasks. It is important to provide clear instructions and allow sufficient time for learners to complete the test.

• To ensure the validity and reliability of diagnostic tests, it is recommended to pilot test the assessment with a small group of learners before administering it to the larger group. This allows for any necessary revisions or adjustments to be made based on feedback from learners.

• Once the diagnostic test results are obtained, educators can analyze the data to identify patterns and trends. This information can then be used to inform instructional decisions, such as grouping learners based on their needs, targeting specific areas for remediation or enrichment, and adjusting the pace or depth of instruction.

• Overall, diagnostic tests are valuable tools for gathering information about learners' prior knowledge and skills. By using these tests effectively, educators can gain insights into learners' needs and provide targeted instruction to support their ongoing development.

NEED FOR DIAGNOSTIC TEST 

• Most standardized and teacher-made achievement tests are designed to give an indication of how far the student has progressed towards the accomplishment of specific objectives measured by the test. These objectives, however are grouped in broad categories. They cover a broad area and result in a total score which reflects overall achievement in the area tested. Thus the teachers can say that a pupil is doing well in arithmetic or poorly in difficulty. It will identify students who are having relative difficulty in an area, but it will not identify the causes of the difficulty. Such survey(achievement) tools serve a useful function, but in order to help the student with a disability,the teacher will need to analyse the nature of the difficulty and the causes for the trouble. There are tests which have been devised to provide information about the specific nature of pupil’s difficulties in given subject areas. These tests are called diagnostic tests. Any test can be used as diagnostic test in a limited way by examining student’s performance in the individual items which make up the test rather than on the test as a whole. 
• Thus diagnostic test yield measures of highly related abilities underlying achievement in a subject. They are designed to identify particular strengths and weaknesses of the part of the individual child and with reasonable limits to reveal the underlying causes. The diagnostic test attempts to bread a complex skill like computation into measures of theses sub-skills. Such measures can help the teacher locate the sources of difficulty using which constructive action can be taken. 

EDUCATIONAL DIAGNOSTICS

• As is obvious, the term diagnosis has been borrowed from the medical professions where in implies “identification of disease by means of patients” symptoms”. 
• The word diagnosis is used more or less in the same sense in education. The only difference perhaps is that in medical diagnosis it is physical or an organ breakdown that is examined, while in educational diagnosis it is the failure of the process of education or learning that is located and attended to be remedied. We may say that educational diagnosis is “ the determination of the nature of learning difficulties and deficiencies”.Of course, it cannot stop only at the identification of weakness in learning bus has to go a little deeper to locate their causes and also suggest remedies for getting rid of them.

CONSTRUCTION OF DIAGNOSTIC TEST 

• Diagnostic tests may be standardized or teacher-made, diagnostic test will be more effective and economical that standardized tests. The norms which constitute a strong point with standardized tests are not called for in diagnosis as the purpose is to discover the weaknesses of individual students rather than compare their achievements. The designing of a diagnostic test is significantly different from a survey test. A teacher require must more data on the specific difficulties of the pupils. Diagnostic test have. It also requires a more detailed content analysis. The unit on which a diagnostic test is based should be broken into learning points with an attempt not to omit any of them. The diagnostic procedure is based on the assumption that mastery of the total process can be no stronger than that of the weak link in the chain of related concepts or skills. Accordingly, each concept, skill or learning point called into play in the test process in identified at the time of designing and then measured. As far as a diagnostic test is concerned, it is not very important to know the relative importance of the various learning point as it is in the case of survey tests. We are not to decide their relative weightage. The basic principles is to cover all of them to give an unbroken sequence. Perhaps for each learning point, an adequate number of questions will have to be given to provide decisive evidences. All the forms of questions can be employed for testing different learning points. As we want to collect evidence on all the points, it is desirable to use either short answer or objective type questions. Supply type of questions seem, however, to have an edge over selection type because they reveal the process of thinking in addition to the product of thinking. Such questions for in the responses. It appears, therefore, that for diagnostic test, short answer involving one or two steps are preferred especially in subject like mathematics. Whatever be the form of questions, they should in general be easy ones. No rigid time limit needs be specified in the case of diagnostic tests. Diagnosis should be individualized as much as possible and every student should be allowed as much time as he reasonably needs. 
• It may be noted that as we do not have to relate content and process, the preparation of a blueprint may altogether be avoided in a diagnostic test. The items are designed so as to throw light on the weakness of the students and therefore the questions have to be specifically related to the learning points. The scope of the answer or the level of precision expected should also be made clear. After the items on different learning points are written, they have to be assembled into a test. The basis of arranging test items in a diagnostic test is entirely different from other tests. There appears to be a good deal of justification in favour of clubbing questions around learning points even when they are of different forms. The learning points themselves can be arranged in increasing order of their complexity. If they are so arranged, the students do not have to change their mental sets very frequently. Moreover, this arrangements also helps in analyzing the response of students with a view identify their weaknesses, which is one of the important tasks in diagnostic testing. 
• To complete the test, sent of instruction may be drafled. It should also be provided with a scoring key and marking scheme. Finally the test is edited and reviewed to weed out inaccuracies or lapses of wording etc., 
• The step in the construction of a diagnostic test can be summarized as follows. 

1. Identified of the problem areas 
2. Detailed content analysis
3. Listing all the learning points 
4. Arranging the learning points in the logical sequence 
5. Writing test items. (preferably two or three items of free response type) for each learning point) 
6. Clubbing the items around the learning points. 
7. Providing a scoring key and a marking scheme. 
8. Providing the time limit as required by individual students. 
9. Administration of the test. 
10. After administering the test, the following procedure may be followed for analyzing the performance and indentify the weaknesses. 
11. Item-wise analysis of the performance of each student. 
12. Qualitative and qualitative analysis for identifying the strengths and weakness 
13. Identification of the causes of learning difficulties 
14. Preparation of a diagnostic chart of each student 
15. Planning and implementing highly individual remedial programmes 
16. Evaluating the effectiveness of the programme. 

USES OF DIAGNOSTIC TEST 

• Point out inadequacies in specific skills. 
•  Locate areas in which individual instruction is required. 
•  Furnish continuous information in order that learning activities may be most productive of desirable outcomes. 
• Serve as a basis for improving instructional methods, instructional materials and learning procedures.

FEATURES OF DIAGNOSTIC TEST 

To call an assessment a “diagnostic test”, it must meet the following criteria:

• A diagnostic evaluation is required to take place at the start of the new semester or lesson unit
• It needs to concentrate on comprehending a student's current knowledge base.
• A diagnostic test in education must pinpoint the student's strengths and potential growth areas.
• It must not be graded.
• In order to measure student improvement, it should set a baseline to compare what they understood before a class and what they learned after.

TYPES OF DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT 

Diagnostic test in education is broadly categorized into - standardized diagnostic assessment and informal diagnostic assessment.

1.Standardized Diagnostic Test

• A standardized diagnostic test uses well-defined testing methods to evaluate students’ knowledge. This assessment provides an in-depth analysis of a student’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Standardized diagnostic evaluations usually follow informal evaluations. The teacher starts by gathering unprompted information on the student's level of knowledge. They then use a standardized approach, such as curriculum-based assessment, to establish a student's degree of proficiency with a certain benchmark.
• These tests are used when you need to gather detailed information about a student’s learning strengths and weaknesses.

2.Informal Diagnostic Assessment

• Before starting a new lesson, an informal diagnostic evaluation occurs. For instance, the teacher may pick up the phone and invite a select group of students to contribute what they know about a certain topic. In order to acquire data, the teacher might also request that students complete a survey or a simple checklist.
• Informal Diagnostic assessments are employed when you swiftly need to measure students’ knowledge about the subject or topic. It is fast and brief in nature.

EXAMPLES OF DIAGNOSTIC TEST 

1. Surveys and Questionnaires
2. Unit Pretest 
3. Fill in the gap questions
4. Checklists
5. Curriculum-based Measurement
6. Impromptu Quiz - spontaneous quiz

ADVANTAGES OF DIAGNOSTIC TEST

• Connecting learning outcomes to clear goals and objectives is beneficial.
• Diagnostic tests offer valuable information for developing a curriculum that enhances students' learning results.
• Focusing on the material that has to be taught, it improves the effectiveness of both teaching and learning.
• Both the instructor and the pupils benefit from the fulfilling and cordial learning atmosphere it fosters.

PLANNING FOR DIAGNOSTIC TEST 

The essential steps in educational diagnosis are :

(i) Identifying the students who are having trouble or need help.

(ii) Locating the errors or learning difficulties.

(iii) Discovering the causal factors of slow learning.

(I) Identifying the students who are having trouble or need help.

First, one must know the learners who require help. For this you can administer a general achievement test based on the topics already taught. After evaluation you will be in a position to make lists of students who are below average, average or above average. Next, one has to locate the area where the error occurs in order to have a deeper insight into the pupils’difficulties.

(ii) Locating the errors or learning difficulties

After identifying the students who need help and visualising the necessity of additional instructional material to improve the quality of learning, your main role is to find out the area where the learner commits mistakes or which is the area where learning difficulties lie. 

(iii) Discovering the causal factors of slow learning

In some cases of learning difficulties, the causal factors are relatively simple. A student may be inattentive during teaching-learning or may be committing errors due to insufficient practice or irregular attendance.Sometimes the cause is ill-health or faulty work habits etc. It has also been observed sometimes that the basic cause of low achievement is a feeling of helplessness or the complexity of the subject-matter which perhaps is much above the level of their comprehension.Sequential presentation in Figure shows how diagnosis leads to improved quality of learning.

CONCEPT MAP ON DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND LEARNER APPRAISAL ACHIEVEMENT TEST 

CONSTRUCTION OF EACH PREPARATION OF TEST ITEMS 

• When constructing test items for a diagnostic test, it is important to keep in mind the specific areas or concepts that you want to assess. 

1. Determine the purpose of the test:

 The first step in constructing a test is to determine its purpose. Is it to assess prior knowledge, identify learning gaps, or determine readiness for a particular course or program. This will help in determining the content and format of the test.

2. Identify the content areas to be assessed: Based on the purpose of the test, identify the specific content areas that need to be assessed. This could be specific subject knowledge, skills, or concepts.

3. Planning of test :

“Test planning encompasses all of the varied operations that go into producing the tests; but it must also involve careful attention to test difficulty, to type of test items, to directions to the examiner”. (Lindquist, E.F). We shall cover most of these considerations under the heading; preparation of design for the test or blueprint of the test.

4. Preparation of design & Develop test items: 

Designing is the first and most important step in the test construction. It is at this stages that we plan to build in the test the important qualities: validity, reliability, objectivity and practicability. 

In order to accomplish this, the test constructor has to take a number of decisions regarding selection of the objective, the selection of the content, form of questions, the difficulty level of tests items and the weightages to be allotted to the objectives, to the content and the form of questions.

Once the content areas are identified, develop test items that assess the desired knowledge or skills. Test items can include multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, matching exercises, or problem-solving tasks. Ensure that the test items are clear, concise, and aligned with the content being assessed.

5.Preparation of the blueprint:

• After deciding on the design of the test, the blueprint is prepared. Preparation of the blueprint refers to the final stage of the planning of a test.The blueprint is a three-dimensional chart that shows the placement of each question with respect to the objectives and the content area that it tests.A blueprint also identifies the % weight of cognitive dimensions as the level of competence tested in each knowledge domain. It also indicates the marks carried by each question.
• It also indicates the marks carried by each question. It is useful to prepare a blue print so that the test maker knows which question will test which objective and which content unit and how many marks it would carry. Without a blue print only the weightage are decided for objectives,content areas and types of questions. The blue print concretizes the design in operational terms and all the dimensions of a question (i.e. its objective, its form, the content area it would cover and the marks allotted to it) become clear to the test maker.There is no set procedure for preparing a blue print. However, the following sequential steps would help in preparing a good blue print.

1. Transfer the decisions regarding weightages to objectives - Knowledge, Comprehension and Expression on the given proforma.

2. Transfer the weightages already decided for different content units. For this, list the content units under the content areas in the column given at the left hand and the marks under the column of total given at the right hand side.

3. Place the essay type questions first in the blue print. Place them under the objectives which you want to test through these questions. The marks of the questions may be shown in the column under the objectives and the number of questions may be given in brackets.

4. If in a question, marks are to be split between two objectives indicate it with asterisks and a dotted line as shown in the example.

5. After placing the essay type questions, place the short answer type questions under the objectives and beside the content unit that you want to test through them.

6. Place the very short answer type questions in a similar way.

7. Place the multiple choice questions in the same way - marks outside the bracket, number of questions inside the bracket.

8. Calculate the subtotals of all the questions under all the objectives.

9. Calculate the totals. Your total  tally with the weightages of objectives and content units that you had already marked on the blue print.

USES OF BLUE PRINT 

The preparation of the blueprint server the following purposes.

• helps to improve the content validity of the test. 

• defines as clearly as possible the scope and emphasis of the test. 

• relates objectives to the content. 

• Gives greater assurance that the test will measure learning outcomes and course content in a balanced manner. 

• lays before the tester a complete picture of the test he is going to prepare.

• Prepare questions based on the blue print

• After the blue print is ready, questions are to be prepared according to the dimensions defined in the blueprint. For example, if there are essay type questions to be prepared to test the writing skills, one letter and one report and also a short answer question on writing a notice, the test constructor should prepare these three questions along with their options which may be comparable in terms of objectives to be tested, content areas, forms of questions and the difficulty level.

While preparing questions it must be kept in mind that the question :

1. is based on the specific objective of teaching as indicated in the blue print.

2. relates to the specific content area as per the blue print.

3. is written in the form as required by the blue print and satisfies all the rules for framing that form of questions.

4. is at the desired level of difficulty.

5. is written in clear, correct and precise language which is well within the comprehension of pupils.

6. clearly indicates the scope and length of the answer.

• Procedure to Prepare a Blueprint
• Transfer the decisions regarding weightage to objectives – Knowledge, Comprehension, and Expression on the Performa.

• Transfer the weightage already decided for different content units. For this, list the content units under the content areas in the column given on the left-hand and the marks under the column of the total given on the right-hand side.
• If in a question, marks are to be split between two objectives indicate it with asterisks and a dotted line as shown in the example.

• Place the essay-type questions first in the blueprint. Place them under the objectives which you want to test through these questions.
• The marks of the questions may be shown in the column under the objectives and the number of questions may be given in brackets.

• After placing the essay-type questions, place the short answer-type questions under the objectives and beside the content unit that you want to test through them.

6.Assembling the Question Paper:

• After the questions are prepared, they are to be assembled in a question paper form. For this,instructions are to be written. General instructions for the paper may be given on top whereas instructions for specific questions may be given just before the questions.
• The order of questions is also to be decided while assembling the question paper. Sometimes it is according to the forms of questions, i.e., objective type questions may be put first, then very short answer, short answer and essay type questions or it may be according to the content as in the case of a language question paper where we may have structure questions first, then questions on unseen
• passage and then composition questions.
• The assembling and editing of the question paper is important from the point of view of administration. For example, if the question is divided into two sections, one of which is to be collected within a specific time limit, clear instructions to do so should be mentioned and also the arrangement of questions should be such that both the sections are easily demarcated.

7. Determine the difficulty level: 

• It is important to ensure that the test items are appropriately challenging for the intended audience. 
• Avoid making the test too easy or too difficult. Consider using a mix of easy, moderate, and difficult questions to accurately assess the students' abilities.A decision also has to be taken concerning the distribution of difficulty level. The distribution of difficulty level in a test will depend upon the purpose of the test as also on the group of students for whom it is designed. 
• To get optimum discrimination through a test, most of its questions should be of average difficulty level. A few easy questions, to motivate the below average student and a few difficult ones to challenge he gifted should find a place in the question paper. If achievement can be assumed to be normally distributed, some weightages in terms of percentages can be suggested for easy, average and difficult questions as shown in table
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8. Preparing the Scoring Key and the Marking Scheme:

• Scoring key is to be prepared for objective type questions and the marking scheme for other questions.The scoring key gives the alphabet of the correct answer and the marks carried by each question.The marking scheme gives the expected outline answer and the value points for each aspect of the answer.Detailed instructions for marking are also worked out, e.g., in marking compositions, etc. It is specified as to how many marks are to be deducted for spelling mistakes or structural mistakes, or if the composition is to be graded, how it is to be done and on what basis.
• The detailed marking scheme is necessary to ensure consistency and uniformity in scoring by different examiners. In other words it ensures reliability of scoring.

• 9.Preparing Question-wise Analysis: 
• After the question paper and marking scheme are finished, it is desirable to prepare a question-wise analysis. This analysis helps in tallying the questions in the test with the blue print, It also enables us to know the strengths and weaknesses of the test better, eg., through the analysis we can know how many topics have been covered in the syllabus, what is the difficulty level of each question and what specifications are being tested by each question. 

10. Pilot test the items: 

• Before finalizing the diagnostic test, pilot test the items with a small sample of students. This will help identify any ambiguities or issues with the test items and allow for necessary revisions.

11.Consider Time Constraints: 

• Ensure that the test can be completed within a reasonable time frame. Avoid including too many items or complex tasks that may overwhelm learners.

12.Analyze Results: 

• Once the test has been administered, analyze the results question-wise to gain insights into learners' understanding and identify areas of strength and weakness.

13. Provide Feedback:

•  Share the test results and individual feedback with learners to help them understand their strengths and areas for improvement. This feedback can guide their future learning and motivate them to address any gaps in their knowledge or skills.

• When constructing a scoring key or marking scheme for a diagnostic test, it is important to establish clear criteria for evaluating each test item. Here are some guidelines for creating a scoring key and conducting a question-wise analysis:

Scoring Key and Marking Scheme:

• The scoring key is to be prepared for objective-type questions and the marking scheme for other questions. The scoring key gives the alphabet of the correct answer and the marks carried by each question.
• The marking scheme gives the expected outline answer and the value points for each aspect of the answer. Detailed instructions for marking are also worked out, e.g., in marking compositions, etc.
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1. Determine the scoring system: 

• Decide on the scoring system for each question type. For multiple-choice questions, determine how many points will be awarded for each correct answer and if there will be any penalties for incorrect answers. For open-ended questions, determine how many points will be awarded for each component of the answer.

2. Develop a marking scheme: 

• Create a marking scheme that provides clear guidelines for assigning marks to each question. This could include specific criteria or rubrics for assessing different aspects of the response.

3. Train markers:

•  If multiple markers will be involved in scoring the diagnostic test, ensure that they are trained on the marking scheme to ensure consistency in scoring.
• It is specified as to how many marks are to be deducted for spelling mistakes or structural mistakes, or if the composition is to be graded, how it is to be done, and on what basis. A detailed marking scheme is necessary to ensure consistency and uniformity in scoring by different examiners. In other words, it ensures the reliability of scoring.

Question-wise Analysis:

Once you have established the scoring key, you can conduct a question-wise analysis by reviewing the performance of learners on each test item. This analysis can help identify areas of strength and weakness in learners' understanding of specific concepts or skills. Some notes to consider during the analysis include:

•  How many learners answered each question correctly or incorrectly?
•  Are there any common misconceptions or errors that learners made?
• Were there any questions that were particularly challenging or easy for learners?
• Are there any patterns or trends in learners' performance across different questions or topics?
• Are there any revisions or improvements that can be made to the test items based on learners' performance?

• It also enables us to know the strengths and weaknesses of the test better, e.g., through the analysis, we can know how many topics have been covered in the syllabus, what is the difficulty level of each question, and what specifications are being tested by each question.

• The analysis is done on the following points:

1. Number of the question.
2. Objective tested by the question.
3. Specification on which the question is based.
4. Topic covered.
5. Form of the question.
6. Marks allotted.
7. Approximate time required for answering.
8. Estimated difficulty level.

NOTE: Use of abbreviation as follows:-

a) For Objectives:

K- Knowledge U- Understanding

A- Application S- Skill

b) For the form of questions:

O- Objectives VSA- Very Short answer

SA- Short answer LA/E- Long Answer/Essay

c) Form of the difficulty level of questions:

A=Difficulty

B= Average

C= Easy

• By conducting  a question-wise analysis, you can gain valuable insights into learners' knowledge and skills, which can inform your instructional planning and help address any areas of weakness.Another functions include:

1. Calculate the overall performance:

•  Determine the overall performance of the students by calculating the average score or percentage of correct answers.

2. Identify areas of strength and weakness:

•  Analyze the performance of students on each question to identify areas of strength and weakness. This will help in understanding which concepts or skills need further attention.

3. Provide individual feedback:

•  Provide individual feedback to each student, highlighting their strengths and areas for improvement. This will help students understand their performance and focus on specific areas for further learning.

4. Use the analysis to inform instruction:

•  Utilize the question-wise analysis to inform instructional decisions. Adjust teaching strategies, reteach specific topics, or provide additional resources based on the identified areas of weakness.

1. Multiple-Choice Questions:

• This is very useful in measuring students achievement in schools. It is very popular and a widely used type of objective test items. It has two parts.
•  The first is called the stem or premise, which is the question, while the second is the suggested answers called alternatives,options or choices. The correct option is the answer or the key while other options are called distractors or distracters.
•  Now develop an objective item of the multiple choice type and indicate the parts. Before we give examples of multiple choice items.

According to Gronlund, N.E. (1990) the multiple-choice item is generally recognized by test experts as the most widely applicable and valuable type of objective test item. It can be used in all school subjects and at all educational level It can measure both simple and complex learning outcomes.

Multiple choice items:Consists of two major parts.

i) The stem- which is the problem part; and

ii) Response- which consist of a list of suggested answers. Within the responses, there are:

A) The key- which is the correct answer and;

B) The distractors- which are wrong answers. These should be made plausible/convincing by ensuring that they come from the same area with the key.

•  It has many varieties like correct-answer type, best answer type, worst-answer type, most inclusive- answer type, and most dissimilar answer type.

Example:

Correct-answer type.

Direction: Each problem below is followed by four possible answers only one of which is correct. In each problem find the correct answer, and write the number of that correct answer in the parentheses given at the right side.

• Which one of the following words is an adverb?

          (i) Beauty

          (ii) Beautiful 

          (iii) Beautifully

          (iv) Beautify

Best-answer type.

Directions: Each statement or question below is followed by four possible answers. Select the answer which best completes the statement or answers the question. Then on the answer sheet, find the row of answer spaces. Number the same as the statement or question.

Underline the best answer.

Psychology may be defined as the

a. Study of soul.

b. Study of mind

c.Study of consciousness.

d. Study of behaviour.

 Analogy type.

Directions:very similar to association type.

In it the learner is expected to deduce the relationship between 1st and 2nd 

part of the item, then apply it to the 3rd and 4th parts.

E.g. Mean is to central tendency as----------------- is to dispersion.

 a) Standard deviation

 b)mode 

 c) variance 

 d) median

Reverse / negative type .

Directions :In this format, all but one of the answers is correct. Hence, the learner is expected to identify the wrong option.

E.g. which of the following is not a measure of central tendency?

a) mode

 b) standard deviation 

c) mean 

d) median.

The negative part should be underlined/written in bold/capital letters.

let us examine the following tips on how to make good multiple choice items.

• The stems must be simple and clear.

• All alternatives should be possible answers, related to the stems but with only one most correct or best answer to the question.

• The distractors should be as attractive as the key and very effective in distracting students who are not sure of the key.

• To avoid guessing the correct answers should not be positioned in a particular way so as to form a patter. It should be randomly positioned.

• There should be a minimum of four options for each item. Five options are generally preferred.

• Avoid as much as possible the options "none of the above", "all of the above‟ or a combination of options like 'canded'.You can now construct good multiple choice items using these hints. 

•  Include plausible distractors that are similar in structure or content to the correct answer.
• Ensure that the correct answer is unambiguous and clearly stands out from the distractors.
• Avoid using absolute terms like "always" or "never" in the options, unless they are accurate.

• Standardised tests are no better as assessment tools than teacher-made tests. Standardised tests are better suited to large scale data collection and when uniform comparisons across students are crucial.These tests can be administered individually or to groups and provide students with feedback. It often served the bureaucratic needs of educational leaders. It is also used to inform admission and selection procedures, to sort and identify the special needs of students, and to provide accountability information about the efficacy of schooling at all levels. Many standardised tests, therefore, are norm-referenced by design, as they are created to make comparison between students along specified measurement. Most standardised tests measure aptitude and achievement.

2. True/False Questions:

Questions are given in form of a single statement and one‟s expected to judge whether it is right/wrong.

Varieties:

a) Right / wrong- very convenient to use when one wants to findout something on the affective domain.

b) One incomplete statement with several suggested answers such that the main questions will be asked using a single statement 

e.g. the mean is

a. A measure of dispersion T/F

b. A measure of central tendency T/F

c. Obtained by dividing the sum of units by the total no ofunits T/F and Yes/No variety.

let us examine the following tips on how to make good true/false questions items.

•  Keep the statements brief and focused on a single concept.
• Ensure that each statement is clear and unambiguous.
•  Avoid using negatives in the statements, as they can cause confusion.

3. Short Answer Questions:

In this type, questions are structured in a way that 

we have to fill in a blank. They are also referred as supply type items. They are characterized by a blank space where the student is expected to provide an answer. They are also called fill-in- the 

blank. They are of three forms:-

i) Question form

ii) Incomplete form- i.e. item is in the form of and incomplete statement.

iii) Association form- i.e. seeks a relationship between 2 or 3 moreclasses of items.

let us examine the following tips on how to make good short answer questions items.

•  Clearly state what is expected in the response (e.g., provide a definition, solve a problem, explain a concept).
• Specify the length or format of the response if necessary.
• Be specific about what information should be included in the response.

4. Problem-Solving Tasks:

Present a real-world scenario or situation that requires learners to apply their knowledge and skills.

 Clearly state the problem and any relevant information or data.

Provide clear instructions on what is expected in the response (e.g., show all work, explain your reasoning).

5. Matching or Fill-in-the-Blank Questions:

• These consist of two columns. One column consists questions/the problem part/normally called premises. The other column containing the answers or the responses. The learner is expected to determine the association between the premises and response.

• let us examine the following tips on how to make good fill -in- the blank questions items. 
• Use clear and concise prompts for each item.
• Ensure that the options or blanks are consistent in length and format.
•  Make sure that there is only one correct match or answer for each item.

6. Essay Questions:

• It is a written test in which the student is asked to discuss, explain, criticize, evaluate, justify,analyze, elaborate, compare and contrast, give reasons etc. this type of tests evaluate student’s ability of organizing, integrating, analyzing, and synthesizing of ideas. Easy to prepare and conduct, test student’sability of analyzing, synthesizing, criticizing, justifying ideas or views. It encourages good study habits as it eliminates guessing. But very subjective in nature.These require candidates to express themselves in writing using long answers.
• Two types of essay questions:

i) Open- headed/extended response- i.e. does not give restrictions.

ii) Structured/restricted response questions-in this one is directed.

limited on how much he/she should write by:

Note :

1. Number of space/pages to be used
2. Amount of time given
3. Indication of marks per question

Advantages of essay tests:

1. Learners are given a chance to organize and express themselves through writing.

2. They measure learner‟s understanding in a given area.

3. Enable learners to improve the speed of writing- especially creative writing.

4. Can measure the highest level of learning

5. Do not give room for guesswork.

6. They measure learner‟s vocabulary and literacy skills.

Disadvantages:

1. Content validity is not ensured - i.e. do not cover a lot of content. This disappoints learners.

2. There‟s subjectivity in scoring/marking (i.e. a problem of over making/under making).

3. Low reliability because of small sampling.

4. The scoring statement is influenced by very many factors e.g. time of the day when marking, mental and the person‟s physical state.

5. They favor those who are verbally fluent.

6. They consume a lot of time in scoring.

7. They have„Halo-effect‟ which may influence marking e.g.handwriting,organization of the work etc.

8. Differences in examiners; i.e. some too lenient others very generous.This affects feedback.

9. The learners performance cannot be concluded i.e. it is best as long as there are options. NB: Physical and mental state of the learner‟s affect performance.

10. Bluffing- i.e. beating around the bush.

let us examine the following tips on how to make essay questions items.

Clearly state the topic or question being addressed.

 Provide specific instructions on what should be included in the response (e.g., provide evidence, support your arguments).

Consider providing a word limit or time limit to guide learners' responses.

Regardless of the type of test item, it is important to review and revise the items for clarity, accuracy, and fairness. It can also be helpful to pilot test the items with a small group of learners to identify any issues or areas for improvement before administering the test to a larger group.

CONCEPT MAP ON QUESTION WISE ANALYSIS 

PowerPoint presentation on Diagnostic test 👇

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1nPjv4Qw48g9LABX-zRADHh0gxb7Ckohv/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=1182583775272448

Powerpoint presentation on learner appraisal achievement test👇

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1nVtoyGMPAPquANt23Bdy-Jk3IdkBz307/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=118258377527244813234&rtpof=true&sd=true

PowerPoint presentation on construction of each preparation of test items 👇

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ncsxtCJwzn3eSSvZwabm4xyw-kTYpM31/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=118258377527244813234&rtpof=true&sd=true