Construction of

TEST ITEMS
and TASK
Learning Objectives:
1. Categories and Formats of Traditional Tests
2. General Guidelines in Choosing Appropriate Test
Format and Sample of Test/Assessment.
3. Guidelines for Review of Test Items
 Categories and Formats of
Traditional Tests
Selected-response type Constructed-response type
require to requires to
choose the correct supply answers
answer from to a given
several choices question or
problem
 Selected-response type
A.Multiple-Choice Test
- it is the most commonly used format in formal testing and
typically consists of a stem (problem), one correct or best
alternative (correct answer), and three or more incorrect
alternatives (distractors)
B. True-False or Alternate Response Test
- it generally consists of a statement and deciding if the statement
is true (accurate/correct) or false (inaccurate/incorrect)
C. Matching-Type Test
- it consists of two sets of items to be matched with each other
based on a specified attribute
 Constructed-response type
A.Short Answer Test
- it consists off open-ended questions or incomplete sentences that
requires to write the correct answer which may consist of a
single word or a short phrase.
a. Completion - it consists of incomplete statements that requires to
fill in the blanks with the correct word or phrase.
b. Identification - it consists of statements that summon to identify
or recall the terms/concepts, people, places or events being
described.
c. Enumeration - it directs to list down all possible answers to the
question
 Constructed-response type
B. Essay Test
- it consists of problems/questions that requires to
compose or construct written responses, usually long
ones with several paragraphs.
C. Problem-Solving Test
- It consists of problems/questions that require
learners to solve problems in quantitative or
qualitative settings using knowledge and skills in
mathematical concepts and procedures, and/or other
higher-order cognitive skills.
General Guidelines in Choosing Appropriate
Test Format
1. What are the objectives or desired learning outcomes
of the activity being assessed?
2. What level of thinking is to be assessed (i.e.,
remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing,
evaluating or creating)?
3. Is the test matched or aligned with the activities
objectives or desired learning outcomes?
4. Are the tests realistic to the test takers/participants?
General Guidelines in Choosing Appropriate
Test Format
5. Do not put too many test questions in one test
group.
T or F: 10 – 15 questions
Multiple Choice: max. of 30 questions
Matching type: 5 questions per test group
Others: 5 – 10 questions
Multiple-
Choice
Items
 Structure of a Multiple-Choice Test Items
● Stem: This is the part of the item in which the problem
is stated for the examinee. It can be a question, a set of
directions or a statement with an embedded blank.
● Options/Alternatives: These are the choices given for
the item.
● Key: This is the correct choice for the item.
● Distractors: These are the incorrect choices for the
item.
 General Guidelines in Writing Good Multiple
Choice Items
1. Do not lift and use statements from the textbooks or
other learning materials.
2. Keep the vocabulary simple and understandable based
on the level of test takers/participants.
3. A direct question is preferred over an incomplete
sentence.
Faulty : Cement is ordinarily produced by _________.
Good : How is cement ordinarily produced?
 General Guidelines in Writing Good Multiple
Choice Items
4. Word the stem positively and avoid double negatives,
such as NOT and EXCEPT in a stem. If a negative
word is necessary, underline or capitalize the words for
emphasis.

Faulty: Which of the following is not a measure of variability?

Good: Which of the following is NOT a measure of variability?

 General Guidelines in Writing Good Multiple
Choice Items
6. Avoid the use of unnecessary words or phrases which are
not relevant to the problem at hand.

Faulty: While ironing his formal polo shirt Darwin burned

his hand accidentally on the hot iron. This was due to a
transfer of heat because….

Good: Which of the following ways of heat transfer

explains why Darwin’s hand was burned after he touched a
 General Guidelines in Writing Good Multiple Choice
Items question or task.
5. Write the stem as clearly described
Faulty: Validity refers to
a. the consistency of test scores
b. the inference made on the basis of the test scores
c. measurement error as determined by standard deviation
d. the stability of test scores
Good: The inference made on the basis of the test scores refers to
a. Reliability
b. Validity
c. Stability
d. Measurement error
 General Guidelines in Writing Good Multiple Choice
Items
7. Write the distracters to be plausible yet clearly wrong.
Faulty : Which of the following is the largest city in the United States?
a. Michigan
b. London
c. New York
d. Berlin

Good : Which of the following is the largest city in the United States?
a. Los Angeles
b. Chicago
c. New York
d. Miami
General Guidelines in Writing Good Multiple-Choice
Items
8. Write options that are parallel or similar in form and length to avoid
giving clues about the correct answer.
9. Place options in logical order (e.g. alphabetical, shortest to longest)
10.Place correct response randomly to avoid a discernible pattern of
correct answers.
11.Do not use "none of the above" as a last option when the correct
answer is simply the best answer among the choices offered.
12.Avoid all of the above option, especially if it is intended to be the
correct answer.
 General Guidelines in Writing Good Multiple-Choice
Items
13. Alternatives should not overlap in meaning or be synonymous with one another.
14. Avoid terms such as "always" or "never," as they generally signal incorrect choices.
15. To test understanding of a term or concept, present the term in the stem followed by
definitions or descriptions in the alternatives.
16. Avoid items based on personal opinions unless the opinion is qualified by evidence
or a reference to the source of the opinion (e.g., According to the author of this
passage, . . . ).
17. Avoid items that reveal the answer to another item.
18. Avoid humorous items.
19. Items should measure only the construct of interest, not one s knowledge of the
item context.
20. Write items to measure what students know, not what they do not know
 Guidelines for Review of Test Items
1. Consider the item as a whole and whether
a. it measures knowledge or a skill component which is
worthwhile and appropriate for the examinees who
will be tested;
b. there is a markedly better way to test what this item
tests;
c. it is of the appropriate level of difficulty for the
examinees who will be tested.
 Guidelines for Review of Test Items
2. Consider the stem and whether it
a. presents a clearly defined problem or task to
the examinee;
b. contains unnecessary information;
c. could be worded more simply, clearly or
concisely
 Guidelines for Review of Test Items
3. Consider the alternatives and whether
a. they are parallel in structure;
b. they fit logically and grammatically with the stem;
c. they could be worded more simply, clearly or
concisely;
d. any are so inclusive that they logically eliminate
another more restricted option from being a possible
answer.
 Guidelines for Review of Test Items

4. Consider the key and whether it

a. is the best answer among the set of options for the
item;
b. actually answers the question posed in the stem;
c. is too obvious relative to the other alternatives
(i.e., should be shortened, lengthened, given
greater numbers of details, made less concrete).
 Guidelines for Review of Test Items
5. Consider the distractors and whether
a. there is any way you could justify one or more as an
acceptable correct answer;
b. they are plausible enough to be attractive to examinees who
are misinformed or ill-prepared;
c. any one calls attention to the key (e.g., no distractor should
merely state the reverse of the key or resemble the key very
closely unless another pair of choices is similarly parallel or
involves opposites).
 Test Construction Rules for Multiple-Choice
Tests
1. Set the number of items so that at least 95 percent
of the examinees can answer all items.
2. The correct choice should appear about an equal
number of times in each response position.
3. Do not use any pattern of correct responses, e.g.,
ABCDE, etc.
4. Directions to examinees should be written on the
test to indicate whether guessing is permitted or not.
 Example of a Perfect Multiple-Choice Item

What is the effect of releasing a ball in

positive gravity?
a. It will rise.
b. It will fall down.
c. It will retain its mass.
d. Its shape will change.
 Example of a Perfect Multiple-Choice
Item
What is the effect of releasing a ball in
positive gravity?
a. It will rise. - false but related
b. It will fall down. - correct
c. It will retain its mass. - true but unrelated
d. Its shape will change. - false unrelated
 Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
Extremely versatile-can measure the higher level mental
processes (application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation)
A compromise between a short answer/essay and T/F item
Can cover a wide range of content can be sampled by one
test

Disadvantages
Difficult to construct plausible alternative responses
Application/Evaluation
1. A type of response that require to choose the correct answer from several
choices.
2. A type of response requires to supply answers to a given question or problem
3-5 What are the 3 types of test that belongs to selected type of response?
6-8 How about the 3 types of constructed response type?
9. A type of test that is easy to construct but difficult to check.
10. A type of test that is easy to check but difficult to construct.
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Assignment:
Create a sample test item of the following
1. 15 item test in Multiple Choice
2. 15 item test in Modified TRUE or FALSE
Note: Please follow the guidelines based on
our discussion about Constructing test item
and this is submitted next meeting

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