Siargao Island Institute of Technology

Dapa, Siargao Island, Province of Surigao del Norte

http//:www.siit.edu.ph

COLLEGE OF TEACHER
EDUCATION

Learning Materials for

ASSESS 1 – Assessment of Learning 1

Inclusive Dates: September 16-21, 2024

Prepared by:

Anamie P. Argente, LPT

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Learning Materials for ASSESS 1 – Assessment of Learning 1

 CHAPTER 5
DISTINGUISHING AND CONSTRUCTING
VARIOUS PAP PAPER-AND-PENCIL-TESTS

5.1. Planning a Test and Construction of Table of

Specifications (TOS)
5.2. Types of Paper-and-Pencil Test
5.3. Constructing Selected-Response Type
5.4. Constructing Supply Type or Constructed-
Response Type
At the end of these weeks, the pre-service teacher (PST) should be able to:
a. Construct a Table of Specifications; and
b. Construct paper-and-pencil tests in accordance with the guidelines in test
construction

INTRODUCTION
In this Chapter we are concerned with developing paper-and- paper tests for
assessing the attainment of educational objectives based on Bloom's taxonomy. Paper-
and-pencil test can either be selected response or constructed-response types. Selected
response type includes (a) true-false items, (b) multiple-choice type items and (c)
matching type. Constructed-response type of test includes (a) enumeration, (b)
completion and (c) essays.
The construction of valid test items begins with a Table of Specifications.

5.1 Planning a Test and Construction of Table of

Specifications (TOS)
The important steps in planning for a test are:
 Identifying test objectives/lesson outcomes
 Deciding on the type of objective test to be prepared
 Preparing a Table of Specifications (TOS)
 Constructing the draft test items
 Try-out and validation

Identifying Test Objectives. An objective test, if it is to be comprehensive, must cover

the various levels of Bloom's taxonomy. Each objective consists of a statement of what is
to be achieved preferably by the students.

Example. We want to construct a test on the topic. "Subject-Verb Agreement in

English" for a Grade V class.

The following are typical objectives:

Learning Materials for ASSESS 1 – Assessment of Learning 1

 Knowledge/Remembering. The students must be able to identify the subject
and the verb in a given sentence.

Comprehension/Understanding. The students must be able to determine the

appropriate form of a verb to be used given the subject of a sentence.

Application/Applying. The students must be able to write sentences

observing rules on subject-verb agreement.

Analysis/Analyzing. The students must be able to break down a given

sentence into its subject and predicate.

Evaluation/Evaluating.The students must be able to evaluate whether or not

a sentence observes rules on subject-verb agreement.

Synthesis/Creating. The students must be able to formulate rules to be

followed regarding subject-verb agreement.

Deciding on the type of objective test. The test objectives guide the kind of objective
tests that will be designed and constructed by the teacher. This means aligning the test
with the lesson objective/outcome.

For instance, for the first four (4) levels, we may want to construct a multiple-choice type
of test while for application and judgment, we may opt to give an essay test or a modified
essay test. At all times, the test to be formulated must be aligned with the learning
outcome. This is the principle of constructive alignment.

Preparing a table of specifications (TOS). A Table of Specifications or TOS 1s a test

map that guides the teacher in constructing a test. The TOS ensures that there is balance
between Items that test lower-level thinking skills and those which test Higher order
thinking skills (or alternatively, a balance between easy and difficult items) in the test.

The simplest TOS consists of four (4) columns: (a) level of objective to be tested, (b)
statement of objective, © item numbers where such an objective is being tested and (d)
number of items and percentage out of the total for that particular objective. A prototype
table is shown below:

In the Table of Specifications we

see that there are five items that
deal with knowledge and these
items are items 1,3,5,7,9.
Similarly, from the same table we
see that five items represent
analysis, namely: 11, 15, 18, 21,
23. The first five levels of Bloom's
taxonomy are equally represented in
the test while synthesis (tested
through essay) is weighted
equivalent to ten (10) points or
double the weight given to any of

Learning Materials for ASSESS 1 – Assessment of Learning 1

the first four levels. The Table of Specifications guides the teacher in formulating the test.
As we can see, the TOS also ensures that each of the objectives in the hierarchy of
educational objectives is well represented in the test. As such, the resulting test that will
be constructed by the teacher will be more or less comprehensive. Without the Table of
Specifications, the tendency for the test maker is to focus too much on facts and concepts
at the Recall level. Constructing test items based on a TOS ensures alignment of learning
outcomes and assessment tasks.

Constructing the test items. The actual construction of the test items follows the TOS.
As a general rule, it is advised that the actual number of items to be constructed in the
draft should be double the desired number of items.

For instance, if there are five (5) recall level items to be included in the final test form,
then at least ten (10) recall level items should be included in the draft The subsequent
test try-out and item analysis will most likely eliminate many of the constructed items in
the draft (either they are too difficult, too easy or non-discriminatory), hence it will be
necessary to construct more items than will actually be included in the final test form.

Most often, however, the try-out is not done due to lack of time.

Item analysis and try-out. The test draft is tried out to a group of pupils or students.
The purpose of this try-out is to determine the: (a) item characteristics through item
analysis, and (b) characteristics of the test itself-validity, reliability and practicality.

5.2 Types of Paper-and-Pencil Test

Development of paper-and-pencil tests requires careful planning and expertise
in terms of actual test construction. The more seasoned teachers can produce true-false
items that can test even higher order thinking skills and not just rote memory learning.
Essays are easier to construct than the other types of objective test, but the difficulty in
scoring essay examinations teachers from using this particular form of examination in
actual practice.

5.3. Constructing Selected-Response Type

5.3.1 True-False Test
Binomial-choice or alternate response tests- are tests that have only two
(2) options such as true or false, right or wrong, yes or no good or better, check (4) or
cross out (6) and so on.

A student who knows nothing of the content of the examination would have
50% chance of getting the correct answer by sheer guess work. Although correction-for-
guessing formulas exist, it is best that the teacher ensures that a true-false item is able to
discriminate properly between those who know and those who are just guessing. A
modified true-false test can offset the effect of guessing by requiring students to explain
their answer and to disregard a correct answer if the explanation is incorrect. Here are
some rules of thumb in constructing true-false items.

Learning Materials for ASSESS 1 – Assessment of Learning 1

 Guidelines for Constructing Alternate-Response Test

Rule 1. Do not give a hint (inadvertently) in the body of the question.

Example. The Philippines gained its independence in 1898 and therefore

celebrated its centennial year in 2000 Obviously, the answer is FALSE because 100 years
from 1898 is not 2000 but 1998.

Rule 2. Avoid using the words "always," "never, "often" and other
words that tend to be either always true or always false.

Example: Christmas always falls on a Sunday because it is a Sabbath day.

Statements that use the word "always" are almost always false. A test-wise student can
easily guess his way through a test like these and get high scores even if he does not
know anything about the test.

Rule 3. Avoid long sentences as these tend to be "true." Keep

sentences short.

Example: Tests need to be valid, reliable and useful, although, it would require
a great amount of time and effort to ensure that tests possess these test characteristics.
.

Notice that the statement is true. However, we are also not sure which part of
the sentence is deemed true by the student. It is just fortunate that in this case, all parts
of the sentence are true and, hence, the entire sentence is true. The following example
illustrates what can go wrong in long sentences:

Example: Tests need to be valid, reliable and useful since it takes very little
amount of time, money and effort to construct tests with these characteristics. .

The first part of the sentence is true but the second part is debatable and may,
in fact, be false. Thus, a true" response is correct and, also, a "False" response is correct.

Rule 4. Avoid trick statements with some minor misleading word or

spelling anomaly; misplaced phrases, etc. A wise student who does not know
the subject matter may detect this strategy and thus get the answer correctly.

The Raven was written by Edgar Allen Poe.

Allen is misspelled and the answer would be false. This is an example of a

tricky but utterly useless item.

Rule 5. Avoid quoting verbatim from reference materials or textbooks.

This practice sends the wrong signal to the students that it is necessary to memorize the
textbook word for word and, thus, acquisition of higher-level thinking skills is not given
due importance.

Rule 6. Avoid specific determiners or give-away qualifiers. Students

quickly learn that strongly worded statements are more likely to be false than true.

For example, statements with "never" "no" "all" or "always.” Moderately

worded statements are more likely to be true than false. Statements that are moderately

Learning Materials for ASSESS 1 – Assessment of Learning 1

worded use "many" "often" "sometimes" "generally" "frequently" or "some" usually should
be avoided. e.g. Executives usually suffer from hyperacidity. The statement tends to be
correct. The word "usually" leads to the answer.

Rule 7. With true or false questions, avoid a grossly disproportionate

number of either true or false statement or even patterns in the occurrence of
true and false statements.

1. T 6. 6. F 1. 1. T 6. 6. F

2. F 7. 7. F 2.2. F 7. 7. T

3. F 8. 8. F OR 3. 3. T 8. 8. F

4. F 9. 9. F 4. 4. F 9. 9. T

5. F 1 10. F 5. 5. T 1 10. F

For ease of correction, teachers sometime create a pattern of True or False answers.
Students will sense it and may arrive at a correct answer not because he/she really knows
the answer but because he/she senses the pattern.

Rule 8. Avoid double negatives.

This makes test item unclear and definitely will confuse the student. e.g. The changes that
take place in early childhood are NOT Unchangeable. The test item simply means "The
changes in early childhood are changeable".

5.3.2 Multiple Choice Tests

The multiple choice type of test offers the student with more than two (2)
options per item to choose from. Each item in a multiple choice test consists of two parts:
(a) the stem and (b) the options. In the set of options, there is a "correct" or "best" option
while all the others are considered "distracters."

The distracters are chosen in such a way that they are attractive to those who
do not know the answer or who are guessing but at the same time, have no appeal to
those who actually know the answer. It is this feature of multiple choice type tests that
allows the teacher to test higher order thinking skills even if the options are clearly stated.
As in true false items, there are certain rules of thumb to be followed in constructing
multiple choice tests.

Guidelines for Constructing Multiple Choice Items

1) Do not use unfamiliar words, terms and phrases.

The ability of the item to discriminate or its level of difficulty should stem from
the subject matter rather than from the wording of the question.

Example: What would be the system reliability of a computer system whose

slave and peripherals are connected in parallel circuits and each one has a known time to
failure probability of 0.05? A student completely unfamiliar with the terms "slave" and

Learning Materials for ASSESS 1 – Assessment of Learning 1

"peripherals"may not be able to answer correctly even if he knew the subject matter of
reliability.

2) Do not use modifiers that are vague and whose meanings can differ from one
person to the next such as: much, often, uxually, etc.

Example: Much of the process of photosynthesis takes place in the:

a. bark
b. leaf
c. stem

The qualifier "much" is vague and could have been replaced by more specific qualifiers
like: "90% of the photosynthetic process" or some similar phrase that would be more
precise. Be quantitative.

3) Avoid complex or awkward word arrangements. Also, avoid use of negatives in

the stem as this may add unnecessary comprehension difficulties.

Example:

(Poor) As President of the Republic of the Philippines, Corazon Cojuangco Aquino

would stand next to which President of the Philippine Republic subsequent to the 1986
EDSA Revolution?

(Better) Who was the President of the Philippines after Corazon C. Aquino?

4) Do not use negatives or double negatives as such statements tend to be

confusing. It is best to use simpler sentences rather than sentences that would require
expertise in grammatical construction.

Example:

(Poor) Which of the following will not cause inflation in the Philippine economy?

(Better) Which of the following will cause inflation in the Philippine economy?

Poor: What does the statement "Development patterns. acquired during the
formative years are NOT Unchangeable" imply? A. B. C D Better: What does the statement
"Development patterns acquired during the formative years are changeable" imply?

A.

B.

C.

D.

5) Each item stem should be as short as possible; otherwise you risk testing
more for reading and comprehension skills.

6) Distracters should be equally plausible and attractive.

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Example:

The short story: May Day's Eve, was written by which Filipino author?

a. Jose Garcia Villa

b. Nick Joaquin
c. Genoveva Edrosa Matute
d. Robert Frost e. Edgar Allan Poe

If distracters had all been Filipino authors, the value of the item would be
greatly increased. In this particular instance, only the first three carry the burden of the
entire item since the last two can be essentially disregarded by the students.

7) All multiple choice options should be grammatically consistent with the stem.

Example:

As compared to the autos of the 1960s autos in the 1980s

A. traveling slower
B. bigger interiors
C. to use less fuel
D. contain more safety measures

Option A, B and C are obviously wrong for the language smart because when added to the
stem the sentence is grammatically wrong. D is the only option which when connected to
the stem retains the grammatical accuracy of the sentence, thus obviously is the correct
answer.

8) The length, explicitness, or degree of technicality of alternatives should not

be the determinants of the correctness of the answer.
The following is an example of this rule:
Example:
If the three angles of two triangles are congruent, then the triangles are:
a. congruent whenever one of the sides of the triangles are congruent
b. similar
c. equiangular and/therefore, must also be congruent
d. equilateral if they are equiangular
The correct choice, "b," may be obvious from its length and explicitness alone.
The other choices are long and tend to explain why they must be the correct choices
forcing the students to think that they are, in fact, not the correct answers!

9) Avoid stems that reveal the answer to another item.

Example:
a. Who will mosť strongly disagree with the progressivist who claims that the child should
be taught only that which interests him and if he is not interested, wait till the child gets
interested?

A. Essentialist C. Progressivist
B. Empiricist D. Rationalist

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b. Which group will most strongly focus its teaching on the interest of the child?
A. Progressivist C. Perrenialist
B. Essentialist D. Reconstructionist

One may arrive at a correct answer (letter b) by looking at item "a," that gives the
answer to "b."

10) Avoid alternatives that are synonymous with others or those that include or
overlap others.
Example:
What causes ice to transform from solid state to liquid state?
a. Change in temperature
b. Changes in pressure c
. Change in the chemical composition
d. Change in heat levels

The options "a" and "d" are essentially the same. Thus, a student who spots
these identical choices would right away narrow down the field of choices to a, b, and c.
The last distracter would play no significant role in increasing the value of the item.
If this happens then the item has two answers, which is not acceptable.

11) Avoid presenting sequenced items in the same order as in the text.

12) Avoid use of assumed qualifiers that many examinees may not be aware of.

13) Avoid use of unnecessary words or phrases which are not relevant to the
problem at hand (unless such discriminating ability is the primary intent of the
evaluation). The item's value is particularly damaged if the unnecessary material is
designed to distract or mislead. Such items test the student's reading comprehension
rather than knowledge of the subject matter.

Example:

The side opposite the thirty degree angle in a right triangle is equal to half the length of
the hypotenuse. If the sine of a 30-degree is 0.5 and its hypotenuse is 5, what is the
length of the side opposite the 30-degree angle?

a. 2.5

b. 3.5

c. 5.5

d. 1.5

The sine of a 30-degree angle is really quite unnecessary since the first sentence already
gives the method for finding the length of the side opposite the thirty-degree angle. This is
a case of a teacher who wants to make sure that no student in his class gets the wrong
answer!

Learning Materials for ASSESS 1 – Assessment of Learning 1

14) Avoid use of non-relevant sources of difficulty such as requiring a complex
calculation when only knowledge of a principle is being tested.

Note in the previous example, knowledge of the sine of the 30-degree angle
would have led some students to use the sine formula for calculation even if a simpler
approach would have sufficed.

15) Pack the question in the stem. Here is an example of a question which has
no question. Avoid it by all means.

Example:

The Roman Empire .

a. had no central government

b. had no definite territory

с. had no heroes

d. had no common religion

16) Use the "None of the above" option only when the keyed answer is totally
correct. When choice of the "best" response is intended, "none of the above" is not
appropriate, since the implication has already been made that the correct response may
be partially inaccurate.

17) Note that use of "all of the above" may allow credit for partial knowledge. In
a multiple option item, (allowing only one option choice) if a student only knew that two
(2) options were correct, he could then deduce the correctness of "all of the above." This
assumes you are allowed only one correct choice.

18) Better still use "none of the above" and "all of the above" sparingly but best
not to use them at all.

19) Having compound response choices may purposefully increase difficulty of

an item. The difficulty in a multiple choice item may be controlled by varying the
homogeneity or degree of similarity of responses. The more homogeneous, the more
difficult the item because they all look like the correct answer.

Example:

(Less Homogeneous) Thailand is located in:

a. Southeast Asia
b. Eastern Europe
c. South America
d. East Africa
e. Central America

(More Homogeneous) Thailand is located next to:

a. Laos and Kampuchea

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b. India and China
c. China and Malaya
d. Laos and China
e. India and Malaya

5.3.3 Matching Type

The matching type items may be considered modified multiple choice type items where
the choices progressively reduce as one successfully matches the items on the left with
the items on the right.

Guidelines for Constructing Matching Type of Test

Here are some guidelines to observe in the formulation of good matching type of test.
1. Match homogeneous not heterogeneous items.
The items to match must be homogeneous. If you want your students to match
authors with their literary works, in one column will be authors and in the second column
must be literary works. Don't insert nationality for instance with names of authors. That
will not be a good item since it is obviously wrong.
Example of homogeneous items. The items are all about the Filipino heroes, nothing
more. Match the items in Column A with the items in Column B.

Perfect Matching Type Example:

Match the items in column A with the items in column B.
A B
1. First President of the Republic a. Magellan
2. National Hero b. Mabini
3. Discovered the Philippines c. Rizal
4. Brain of Katipunan d. Lapu-Lapu
5. The great painter e. Aguinaldo
6. Defended Limasawa island f. Juan Luna
g. Antonio Luna

2. The stem (longer in construction than the options) must be in the first column
while the options (usually shorter) must be in the second column.
3. The options must be more in number than the stems to prevent the student
from arriving at the answer by mere process of elimination.
4. To help the examinee find the answer easier, arrange the options
alphabetically or chronologically, whichever is applicable.
5. Like any other test, the direction of the test must be given. The examinees
must know exactly what to do.

Matching type items, unfortunately, often test lower order thinking skills (knowledge level)
and are unable to test higher order thinking skills such as application and judgement
skills. Another type of a matching type of test is the imperfect type.

Below is an example of an imperfect matching type of test. Imperfect because an answer

may be repeated and so like an unfaithful husband or wife can pair with one other than
his/her lawful wife, husband.

Learning Materials for ASSESS 1 – Assessment of Learning 1

In Column 1 are works and writings in American literature and in Column 2 are their
authors. Write the letter of the author which corresponds to his work on the blank
provided before each author. In some cases, an answer may be repeated.

Imperfect Matching Type of Test

Column A Column B
1. The Alhambra A. Cooper
2. The Pioneers B. Dana
3. The Guardian Angel C. Emerson
4. Two Years Before the Mast D. Holmes
5. Moby Dick E. Irving
6. The World in a Man of War F. James
7. The Last of the Mohicans G. Melville
8. The American Scholar H. Mark Twains (Clemens)
9. The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table I. Wharton
10. Tom Sawyer

If you intend to make use of this imperfect type of matching test, make sure you indicate
so in the "Direction" to caution the students who usually think that an answer may not be
repeated.

5.4 Constructing Supply Type or Constructed- Response

Type
Another useful device for testing lower order thinking skills is the supply type of tests.
Like the multiple choice test, the items in this kind of test consist of a stem and a blank
where the students would write the correct answer.
Example: The study of life and living organisms is called .

Supply type tests depend heavily on the way the stems are constructed. These
tests allow for one and only one answer and, hence, often test only the students' recall of
knowledge.

5.4.1 Completion Type of Test

It is, however, possible to construct supply type of tests that will test higher order
thinking as the following example shows:
Example: Write an appropriate synonym for each of the following. Each blank
corresponds to a letter: Metamorphose: _ _ _ _ _ _
Flourish: _ _ _ _ _ _

The appropriate synonym for the first is CHANGE with six (6) letters while the
appropriate synonym for the second is GROW with four (4) letters. Notice that these
questions require not only mere recall of words but also understanding of these words.
Another example of a completion type of text that measures higher order thinking
skill is given below:

Learning Materials for ASSESS 1 – Assessment of Learning 1

 Example: Write G if the item on the left is greater than the item on the right; L if the
item on the left is less than the item on the right; E if the item on the left equals the item
on the right and D if the relationship cannot be determined.

A B
1. Square root of 9 a. -3
2. Square of 25 b. 615
3. 36 inches c. 3 meters
4. 4 feet d. 48 inches
5. 1 kilogram e. I pound

Guidelines for the Formulation of a Completion Type of Test

The following guidelines can help you formulate a pe of test, the fill-in-the blank type.
completion

1. Avoid over mutilated sentences like this test item. Give enough clue to the
student.

The produced by the to change the process is called and is used by the
green to change the and into . This process is called
.

2. Avoid open-ended item. There should be only one acceptable answer. This item is
open-ended, hence no good test item.

Ernest Hemingway wrote .

3. The blank should be at the end or near the end of the sentence. The question must first
be asked before an answer is expected. Like the matching type of test, the stem (where
the question is packed) must be in the first column.

4. Ask question on more significant item not on trivial matter.

Jose Rizal was born on June , 1861.

There are other more significant items to ask other than specific birthdates.

5. The length of the blanks must not suggest the answer. So better to make the blanks
uniform in size.

A part of speech that names persons, places or things is . A word used to

connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause is called
.

5.4.2 Essays
Essays, classified as non-objective tests, allow for the assessment of higher order
thinking skills. Such tests require students to organize their thoughts on a subject matter
in coherent sentences in order to inform an audience. In essay tests, students are required

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to write one or more paragraphs on a specific topic. Essay questions can be used to
measure attainment of a variety of objectives.

1. Comparing

 Describe the similarities and differences between...

 Compare the following methods for

2. Relating cause-and- effect

 What are the major causes of …

 What would be the most likely effects of ...

3. Justifying

 Which of the following alternatives would you favor and why?

 Explain why you agree or disagree with the following statement.

4. Summarizing
 State the points included in …
 Briefly summarize the contents of 5. Generalizing

5. Formulate several valid generalizations from the following data.

 State a set of principles that can explain the following events.

6. Inferring
 In the light of the facts presented, what is most likely to happen when...
 How would Senator X be most likely to react to the bomb explosion after the bar
examination last September?

7. Classifying
 Group the following items according to…
 What do the following items have in common?

8. Applying
 Using the principles of as guide, describe how you would solve the following
problem situation. - Describe a situation that illustrates the principle of .

9. Analyzing

 Describe the reasoning errors in the following paragraphs.

 List and describe the main characteristics of ...

10. Evaluating
 Describe the strengths and weaknesses of the following…
 Using the criteria developed in class, write an evaluation of ...

11. Creating

 Make up a story describing what would happen if ...

 Design a plan to prove that Write a well-organized report that shows…

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 5.4.2.1 Types of Essay
Restricted Essay- It is also referred to as short focused response.

Examples are asking students to "write an example," "list three reasons" or "compare and
contrast two techniques."
Sample Short Response Question
(10th Grade Reading)
How are the scrub jay and the mockingbird
different? Support your answer with details and
information from the article.

Non-restricted /Extended Essay- Extended responses can be much longer and complex
than short responses, but students are encouraged to remain focused and organized.
Sample Extended Response Question
(5th Grade Science)
Robert is designing a demonstration to display at his school's science fair. He will show
how changing the position of a fulcrum on a lever changes the amount of force needed
to lift an object. To do this, Robert will use a piece of wood for a lever and a block of
wood to act as a fulcrum. He plans to move the fulcrum to different places on the lever
to see how its placement affects the force needed to lift an object.
Part - A Identify at least two other actions that would make Robert's demonstration
better.
Part B Explain why each action would improve the demonstration.
(Source: https://fcit.usf.edu/assessment/constructed/constructb.html)

Note that all these involve the higher-level skills mentioned Bloom's Taxonomy.

Guidelines for the Formulation and Scoring of Essay Tests

Rule 1: Phrase the direction in such a way that students are guided on the
key concepts to be included. Specify how the students should respond.

Example: Using details and information from the article (Hundred Islands), summarize
the main points of the article. For a complete and correct response, consider these
points:
• its history (10 pts)
• its interesting features (10 pts)
• why it is a landmark (5 pts)

Non-example: Using details and information from the article (Hundred Islands)
summarize the main points of the article.
Source: https:/fcit.usf.edu/assessment/constructed/constructb.html

Rule 2: Inform the students on the criteria to be used for grading their
essays. This rule allows the students to focus on relevant and substantive materials
rather than on peripheral and unnecessary facts and bits of information.

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Example: Write an essay on the topic: “Plant Photosynthesis" using the keywords
indicated. You will be graded according to the following criteria: (a) coherence, (b)
accuracy of statements, (c) use of keywords, (d) clarity and (e) extra points for
innovative presentation of ideas.

Rule 3: Put a time limit on the essay test.

Rule 4: Decide on your essay grading system prior to getting the essays of
your students.

Rule 5: Evaluate all of the students' answers to one question before

proceeding to the next question.

Scoring or grading essay tests question by question, rather than student by

student, makes it possible to maintain a more uniform standard for judging the
answers to each question. This procedure also helps offset the halo effect in grading.
When all of the answers on one paper are read together, the grader's impression of
the paper as a whole is apt to influence the grades he assigns to the individual
answers. Grading question by question, of course, prevents the formation of this
overall impression of a student's paper. Each answer is more apt to be judged on its
own merits when it is read and compared with other answers to the same question,
than when it is read and compared with other answers by the same student.

Rule 6: Evaluate answers to essay questions without knowing the identity of the
writer.
This is another attempt to control personal bias during scoring. Answers to
essay questions should be evaluated in terms of what is written, not in terms of what is
known about the writers from other contacts with them. The best way to prevent our prior
knowledge from influencing our judgment is to evaluate each answer without knowing the
identity of the writer. This can be done by having the students write their names on the
back of the paper or by using code numbers in place of names.

Rule 7: Whenever possible, have two or more persons grade each answer.
The best way to check on the reliability of the scoring of essay answers is to
obtain two or more independent judgments. Although this may not be a feasible practice
for routine classroom testing, it might be done periodically with a fellow teacher (one who
is equally competent in the area). Obtaining two or more independent ratings becomes
especially vital where the results are to be used for important and irreversible decisions,
such as in the selection of students for further training or for special awards Here the
pooled ratings of several competent persons may be needed to attain level of reliability
that is commensurate with the significance of the decision being made.

Some teachers use the cumulative criteria i.e. adding the weights given to
each criterion, as basis for grading while others use the reverse. In the latter method,
each student begins with a score of 100. Points are then deducted every time a
teacher encounters a mistake or when a criterion is missed by the student in his
essay. Rule 8: Do not provide optional questions. It is difficult to construct questions
of equal difficulty and so teacher cannot have valid comparison of students'
achievement. Rule 9: Provide information about the value/weight of the question and
how it will be scored. Rule 10: Emphasize higher level thinking skills.

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Example:
Scientists have found that oceans can influence the temperature of nearby
landmasses. Coastal landmasses tend to have more moderate temperatures in
summer and winter than inland landmasses of the same latitude.

Non Example:
Considering the influence of ocean temperatures, explain why inland temperatures
vary in summer and winter to a greater degree than coastal temperatures. List three
coastal land masses.

MENTAL EXERCISES:

5.1. Planning a Test and Constructing a Table of Specifications

(ToS)

Objective:
Construct a Table of Specifications (ToS) for the selected grading period. The ToS will
align the test content with the learning competencies outlined in the K-12 English
Curriculum for a specific grade level.

Directions:
1. Organize students into four groups (A, B, C, D). Each group will do the
task.
2. Select a Grade Level and Quarter:
Choose one grade level between Grades 7 to 10, and select the quarter
(e.g., 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th quarter) for which you will create the test. The
test must be based on the competencies of that quarter as outlined in the K
to 12 Curriculum Guide for English.
3. Review the Curriculum Guide:
Refer to the K-12 English Curriculum Guide for the selected grade level and
quarter. Identify the learning competencies, content standards, and

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 performance standards that will be assessed during this period. This will
form the foundation for constructing your test.
4. Identify Learning Competencies to be Assessed:
Carefully list down all the essential learning competencies that students
must achieve during the quarter. These competencies will guide the
content of your test and its alignment with the curriculum.
5. Classify Learning Competencies by Cognitive Level:
Organize the learning competencies according to the cognitive domains
they address, following Bloom's Revised Taxonomy:
o Remembering/Recalling: Recalling facts, terms, or basic concepts.
o Understanding: Explaining ideas or concepts.
o Applying: Using information in new situations.
o Analyzing: Breaking down information into parts.
o Evaluating: Justifying a decision or course of action.
o Creating: Producing new or original work.
Determine which level each competency falls under to ensure a variety of
cognitive processes are assessed.
6. Distribute Items Based on Competency and Cognitive Level:
For each competency, decide the number of test items to allocate. Ensure a
balance between different cognitive levels. The distribution of items should
reflect the importance and time spent on each competency during the
quarter.
7. Construct the Table of Specifications (ToS):
Using the data gathered, create the ToS (base from the prototype
provided), which should include:
Level: Cognitive level (Remembering, Understanding, Applying, etc.)
Objective: Specific learning objectives for that cognitive level.
Item Numbers: Number of test items for each objective.
Total Number of Items: Total number of test items.
Percentage Distribution: Percentage of total test items allocated
to each objective.

5.2. Types of Paper-and-Pencil Test

5.3. Constructing Selected-Response Type

Constructing Selected-Response Type: Write-Pair-Share-Critique

Activity (Multiple-Choice and Matching-Type Based on TOS)

Objective:
To collaboratively construct and refine multiple-choice and matching-type test items
that are aligned with the Table of Specifications (TOS), covering various learning
objectives and cognitive levels.
Instructions:
Phase 1: Individual Construction Based on the TOS
1. Each student constructs two test items:
o One multiple-choice item:
 The item should align with a specific learning objective and
cognitive level as outlined in the TOS.
 Include a clear stem and four answer choices: one correct
answer and three distractors.

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 o One matching-type test item:
 Create a list of premises (terms, definitions, or concepts) and
a corresponding list of responses (descriptions or definitions).
 Ensure that the matching items also align with the TOS and
focus on an appropriate cognitive level.
Phase 2: Group Collaboration
2. Organize students into four groups (A, B, C, D) to facilitate sharing and
critiquing of both multiple-choice and matching-type test items.
Phase 3: Write-Pair-Share-Critique Activity
3. Group A shares their multiple-choice test item with Group B.
o Group B critiques the multiple-choice item based on the following
criteria:
 Alignment with the TOS: Does the item reflect the intended
learning objective and cognitive level (e.g., knowledge,
comprehension, application)?
 Stem clarity: Is the question or problem clearly stated?
 Quality of distractors: Are the distractors plausible and free
from clues?
 Difficulty level: Is the item appropriately challenging for the
cognitive level targeted in the TOS?
4. Group A shares their matching-type test item with Group B.
o Group B critiques the matching-type item by focusing on:
 Content alignment: Are the premises and responses related
to the learning objectives in the TOS?
 Clarity: Are the items easy to understand and match correctly?
 Balanced difficulty: Is the matching exercise appropriately
challenging?
5. Group C shares their multiple-choice and matching-type items with
Group D, who provides feedback based on the same criteria.
Phase 4: Revision Based on Feedback
6. Each group revises their multiple-choice and matching-type test items
based on the feedback they received, ensuring:
o Alignment with the TOS (learning objective and cognitive level).
o Improved clarity, coherence, and quality of distractors for the
multiple-choice item.
o Appropriateness and balance in the premises and responses for the
matching-type item.
Phase 5: Final Review and Consultation
7. If groups cannot reach consensus on how to improve their items, they
should consult the teacher for further guidance on the TOS and the
construction of the test items.
Phase 6: Completion and Submission
8. After making final revisions, each group submits:
o One multiple-choice item.
o One matching-type item.
o Ensure that both items meet the following requirements:
 Clear alignment with the learning objectives and cognitive
levels outlined in the TOS.
 High-quality distractors and clear stems for multiple-choice
items.

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  Balanced, relevant premises and responses for the
matching-type item.

5.4. Constructing Supply Type or Constructed-Response Type

5.4.1 SUPPLY TYPE – FILL-IN-THE-BLANK

Objective: To collaboratively create 10 supply-type test items (fill-in-the-blank) that
align with a Table of Specifications (TOS) designed by each group, ensuring alignment
with learning objectives and cognitive levels.

1. Construct 10 Fill-in-the-Blank Items:

 Based on the TOS developed, each group constructs 10 fill-in-the-blank
items.
 Ensure that each item:
o Aligns with one of the learning objectives specified in the TOS.
o Targets the appropriate cognitive level.
o Is clear and unambiguous, with a single correct answer.
2. Share and Critique:
 Groups exchange their 10 fill-in-the-blank items with another group for
review.
 Provide feedback on:
o Alignment: Do the items align with the TOS and learning objectives?
o Clarity: Are the items clear and free from ambiguity?
o Relevance: Do the items effectively cover the content areas
specified in the TOS?
3. Revise Based on Feedback:
 Each group revises their items based on the feedback received, focusing on
improving alignment, clarity, and relevance.

5.4.1 CONSTRUCTED TYPE – ESSAY

Objective: To collaboratively create 10 constructed-response test items (such as essay

questions) that align with a Table of Specifications (TOS) designed by each group,
ensuring alignment with learning objectives and cognitive levels.
1. Construct 10 Essay Questions:
 Based on the TOS developed, each group constructs 10 essay questions.
 Ensure that each question:
o Aligns with one of the learning objectives specified in the TOS.
o Targets the appropriate cognitive level (e.g., analysis, synthesis,
evaluation).
o Includes clear and specific prompts that guide students in formulating
comprehensive responses.
2. Share and Critique:
 Groups exchange their 10 essay questions with another group for review.
 Provide feedback on:
o Alignment: Do the questions align with the learning objectives and
cognitive levels specified in the TOS?

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 Clarity: Are the questions clear and specific enough to elicit detailed
o
responses?
o Relevance: Do the questions effectively cover the content areas
specified in the TOS?
3. Revise Based on Feedback:
 Each group revises their essay questions based on the feedback received,
focusing on improving alignment, clarity, and relevance.
Note: When developing the supply and constructed response types of tests, please
ensure adherence to the established guidelines for test construction and your ToS. This
includes clearly defining the objectives of the test, aligning questions with those
objectives, and maintaining clarity and consistency in question format and language.
Properly follow these guidelines to ensure that the tests are both effective and fair. The
sharing and presentation will be done on the third week of September 2024.

Learning Materials for ASSESS 1 – Assessment of Learning 1