A problem faced by many instructors is that of designing exams that accurately assess the abilities of the students. Typically, these exams are prepared several days in advance, and generic question scores are used based on rough approximation of the question difficulty and length. For example, for a recent class taught by the author, there were…

We introduce a specific type of item for knowledge tests, confidence-weighted true-false (CTF) items, and review experiences of its application in psychology courses. A CTF item is a statement about the learning content to which students respond whether the statement is true or false, and they rate their confidence level. Previous studies using…

Provides 11 rules to follow in developing new objective evaluation methods to replace standardized tests. (DD)

Discusses the pros and cons of objective testing and its difficulties and dangers. (SB)

The feasibility and efficacy of using self-report response methods with an In-Basket exercise were evaluated in two studies involving 258 managers and 55 college students, respectively. Results suggest that high face validity of the In-Basket exercise can be combined with the scoring ease and objectivity of self-reports. (SLD)

This "toolbox" offers suggestions about how and when to create objective tests. Such tests are sometimes a quick way to find out how students are doing, and sometimes they help students focus on what they are doing in class or help teachers define the content that is worth knowing. The following suggestions are offered for developing objective…

Reports on the development and testing of the Revision and Editing Test. Presents the test and its answer key in an appendix. (RL)

Addresses modern language teachers, especially of French, on the notions of objectivity and subjectivity, and the problems of testing knowledge. Specific written and oral measures are discussed, and a glossary of testing terms is provided. (Text is in French.) (MSE)

Questions designed for student evaluation in a U.S. history course combine the features of both an objective and essay test. (DE)

This concise guide to objective testing, prepared by the Centre for Studies in Science Education at the University of Leeds, is intended as a manual for those science teachers who wish to understand the scope and limitations of objective questions and to construct satisfactory test items for their own use. The first section discusses the nature of…

Summarizes classifications of educational objectives, types of test items, and principles underlying the construction of tests. Indicates that a combination of essay and objective tests is preferable in the overall evaluation of a course. (CC)

This publication is one of 14 modules prepared for pre- and in-service teachers to prepare themselves for teaching individualized and activity-centered Intermediate Science Curriculum Study materials. In this module, an attempt is made to make teachers aware of the main components of a good test. Various statements and activities are given in the…

Computer aided assessment (CAA) tools are more and more widely adopted in academic environments mixed to other assessment means. In this article, we present a CAA Web application, named eWorkbook, which can be used for evaluating learner's knowledge by creating (the tutor) and taking (the learner) on-line tests based on multiple choice, multiple…

A paper-and-pencil test of seven of Inhelder and Piaget's formal operational schemes was developed. Multitrait-multimethod cross-validation procedures indicated that the objective test is a valid and reliable measure. It has the advantage of use in a large group setting without the need for trained clinical interviewers. (Author/PN)

Outlines the benefits associated with true-false and multiple-choice tests and sets forth rules for writing effective items for such tests. (FL)