Regular testing can serve as an incentive for students to keep up with their readings, but the time and effort involved in composing and grading frequent tests can serve as an equally strong disincentive to time-strapped instructors. We describe a distorted-item (DI) test that simply requires excerpting sentences or phrases from the assigned…

Guidelines developed specifically for cases in which objectively scored written tests are to be used are described. When objective cognitive tests are properly built and used, they can serve four educationally important functions. These tests provide the instructor information on what a student can and cannot do. The instructor needs this…

Answer changes on tests are more likely to be made on items early in a group of questions, toward the end of a test, and on difficult items. The reasons for this student behavior are examined. (Editor/JD)

Two types of objective questions are compared: the multiple choice item, in which one and only one of several stated alternatives is correct for a given initial statement, and the multiple true-false item, where the stem is followed by several completions of which one or more can be correct. (DT)

In response to requests for standardization on testing and grading, a pilot program for the administration and evaluation of objective examinations was instituted. Outlined are objectives, initial test item collection, procedural flow for examinations, faculty responsibilities, support staff responsibilities, and project coordinator services. (LBH)

THIS REPORT OF THE CUEBS PANEL ON EDUCATION AND TESTING SERVES AS A RESOURCE FOR THE INSTRUCTOR PREPARING COURSE EXAMINATIONS. THE MAJOR TOPICS DISCUSSED ARE (1) THE PROCEDURES IN PREPARING AN ACHIEVEMENT TEST, (2) THE CATEGORIZATION AND CODING OF TEST ITEMS, AND (3) THE ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS OF VARIOUS TESTING PROCEDURES. OVER 1300 OBJECTIVE…

This paper is designed to assist mathematics teachers in writing multiple-choice test items. The steps in constructing test items are considered and suggestions for revising poorly constructed items are given. Poor items as well as good are considered and in some cases the changes needed to overcome weaknesses in an item are indicated. The revised…

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…

This paper provides substantial evidence in favor of the continued use of conventional objective testing procedures in lieu of either the Coombs' cross-out technique or the Dressel and Schmid free-choice response procedure. From the studies presented in this paper, the tendency is for the cross-out and the free choice methods to yield a decrement…

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)

Focuses on objective techniques, a powerful and long-run force in educational assessment. But how successful have individual objective techniques been? This question must be answered for each test. Includes brief reference to an evaluation of one instrument. (Author)

Investigates the reliability and validity of scores yielded from a new scoring formula. (Author/DEP)

Matching test (MT) construction techniques were compared. These included: (a) MT instruction that limit the number of times responses can be selected to once, rather than more than once; (2) MTs that are organized in groups of five premises, or stems, rather than in groups of ten premises; and (3) MTs designed to measure knowledge, rather than a…

The essay test has the potential to remedy the discrepancy between announced course objectives and the objective test items that supposedly measure attainment of those objectives, according to the authors. Guidelines are provided for developing and administering essay tests. (Author/PGD)