We investigated if instruction on a Table of Specifications (TOS) would influence the quality of classroom test construction. Results should prove informative for educational researchers, teacher educators, and practising teachers interested in evidenced-based strategies that may improve assessment-related practices. Fifty-three college…

Test development has been an important part of measurement and evaluation in any educational setting, whether its purpose is instruction or training. Both teachers and trainers are expected to have certain level of mastery in developing reliable and valid tests for assessing performance of learners adequately. However, it has often been reported…

The author and other teaching faculty take pride in their ability to write creative and challenging examination questions. Their self-assessment is based on experience and their knowledge of their subject and discipline. Although their judgment may be correct, it is done usually in the absence of deep knowledge of what is known about the…

Much of the learning in technology education is hands-on and best assessed via techniques other than traditional tests. Rubrics have become increasingly recognized as the best means of evaluating student efforts and accomplishments in projects, group work, presentations, various types of research papers, videotapes, web pages, and many other…

What are the purposes of exams? Would teachers give exams if they were not grading students? Exams provide information that should inform the instructional program, let the students know their strengths as well as areas for growth, and tell teachers what information their students know and what they still need to know. When determining how…

Provides recommendations to aid teachers (elementary and secondary) in planning tests, constructing item types (essay, short answer, true-false, or other alternate response, matching, multiple-choice), administering tests, scoring tests, analyzing tests, and using test results. (KH)

Describes a method for increasing efficiency of examination production which uses file cards to store and organize test items. The process of reproducing tests directly from master copies made with file cards is discussed. (AM)

This article presents guidelines for writing better test items to evaluate student learning better. Recommendations are provided for writing true-false items (test only one idea in each item), multiple-choice items (include the bulk of information in the stem), and matching items (only use homogeneous lists). Examples are provided. (Contains 7…

One hundred seventh and tenth grade tests across several content areas were examined for the presence of six types of test-wiseness cues. Approximately 75 percent of teacher-made and publisher-provided tests contained one or more cued items. The most frequent type of cue was length of option, followed by specific determiners. (Author/JDD)

Describes 10 objective item types which can be used to develop tests for social studies. Teachers need to develop and use a variety of test designs. Three questions must be answered in developing tests: "What do students need to know?"; "How should they demonstrate knowledge?"; and "How can I create items to assess the students' progress on these…

In this practical, easy-to-use guide, suggestions are made for setting educational objectives and preparing a teacher-made test. Specific suggestions are made for selecting items for essay tests, multiple choice tests, completion tests, matching tests, and true-false tests. (BW)

Testing 1-2-3 is a general purpose testing system developed at the Computer-Based Education Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois for use on NovaNET computer-based education systems. The testing system can be used for: short, teacher-made quizzes, individualized examinations, computer managed instruction curriculum testing,…

Four considerations that enhance the instructional importance of tests are content match, use of feedback, a flagging function, and the increasing tendency to attach sanctions and rewards to standardized test results. These sanctions are apt to force greater attention to the other three characteristics, strengthening the links between instruction…

It is important that teachers test not only knowledge, but also comprehension, application, synthesis, and evaluation. Several suggestions for test items in physical education are presented. (CJ)

This article discusses ways teachers may vary and modify teacher-made tests to better facilitate prescriptive programing for special education students. Formats featuring statements, object identification, gestures, and writing are discussed, as are item alterations in terms of both item presentation and student responses. (PB)