WRITING TEST QUESTIONS

TYPES OF CLASSROOM TEST

MATCHINGMost often used to measure the lower levels of the cognitive domain.

MULTIPLE CHOICEThe most popular, flexible, versatile and useful of all types of test because it is the most adaptable for measurement of all levels of the cognitive skills.

Types of Classroom Test (cont’)

SHORT ANSWERThis test evaluates retention of specific points, demands accurate information and measures higher levels of cognitive skills. minimizes guessing since there are no choices given.

TRUE/FALSEApplicable to a wide range of subject matter and adaptable for use in situations where the measurement of acquisition of factual/non-interpretive information is desired.

Avoid replication of the textbook.

Encourages simply memorization and repetition of the textbook passages.

Guidelines in constructing tests - multiple choice, true/false, matching, and short answer questions.

GUIDELINE REASON

Avoid confusing students with too many negatives in a question.

Rarely tests content knowledge.

Avoid using incomplete sentences.

Provides grammatical clues to the correct answer.

GUIDELINE REASONAvoid using “All of the above (AOTA)” and “None of the above (NOTA)” as a choice.

Students are rewarded for incomplete or negative learning.

Write all answer choices to be approximately the same length.

Correct answers are often the longest.

Adjust the level of the question to the level of thinking required to answer it.

You can measure higher order thinking skills by the way you word a question.

Proofread all items before copying the test.

Typographical errors are more often made in incorrect answers and may be apparent to test wise students.

PROCEDURE IN WRITING TEST QUESTIONS:

1. Determine the total number of items to be included in the test.2. Select the course objectives to be included in the test.3. Determine the number of questions for each course objective.4. Establish a table that lists the levels and the course objectives to be tested.5. Determine the number of question at each level.6. Decide on the number of questions to be asked according to the content area or objective.

Bloom’s Taxonomy• 1950s- developed by Benjamin Bloom

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy

• 1990s- Lorin Anderson (former student of Bloom) revisited the taxonomy

• Evaluation

• Synthesis

• Analysis

• Application

• Comprehension

• Knowledge

• Creating

• Evaluating

• Analyzing

• Applying

• Understanding

• Remembering

(by Lorin Anderson)New Terms

(by Benjamin Bloom)Original Terms

LEVELS OF QUESTIONS

• Lower level questions are those at the remembering, understanding and lower level application levels of the taxonomy.

• Higher level questions are those requiring complex application, analysis, evaluation or creation skills.

BLOOM’S REVISED TAXONOMY

RememberingRemembering

 UnderstandingUnderstanding

 ApplyingApplying

 AnalyzingAnalyzing

EvaluatingEvaluating

CreatingCreating

PYRAMID

RememberingThe learner is able to recall, restate and remember

specific information from long-term memory.– Requires recall of information previously learned.– Requires no understanding or judgment.– Good for testing factual information.

Sample key words – Recognizing, Listing, Describing, Identifying, Retrieving, Naming, Locating, Finding, …

Item types: MC, T/F, Matching, Short Answer

  Can you recall information?

 

Remembering: sample key words• List• Memorize• Relate• Show• Locate• Distinguish• Give example• Reproduce• Quote• Repeat• Label• Recall• Know• Group• Read• Write• Outline

• Listen• Group• Choose• Recite• Review• Quote• Record• Match• Select• Underline• Cite• Sort

Recall or recognition of

specific information

UnderstandingThe learner grasps the meaning of information by

interpreting and translating what has been learned.

• Requires student to understand the information and utilize it in a specified situation.

Sample key words: Interpreting, Exemplifying, Summarizing, Inferring, Paraphrasing, Classifying, Comparing, Explaining, …

Item types: MC, T/F, Matching, Short Answer

  Can you explain ideas or concepts?

Understanding: sample key words

• Restate

• Identify

• Discuss

• Retell

• Research

• Annotate

• Translate

• Give examples of

• Paraphrase

• Reorganize

• Associate

• Describe• Report• Recognise• Review• Observe• Outline• Account for• Interpret• Give main idea• Estimate• Define

Understanding of given

information

Applying The learner makes use of information in a context

different from the one in which it was learned.• Requires students to understand the information and

apply their knowledge in a new situation.

Sample key words: Implementing, Carrying out, Using, Executing

Item types: MC, Short Answer, Essay 

Can you use the information in another

familiar situation?

Applying: sample key words• Translate

• Manipulate

• Exhibit

• Illustrate

• Calculate

• Interpret

• Make

• Practice

• Apply

• Operate

• Interview

• Paint• Change• Compute• Sequence• Show• Solve• Collect• Demonstrate• Dramatize• Construct• Use• Adapt• Draw

Using strategies, concepts, principles and theories in new

situations

AnalyzingThe learner breaks learned information into its parts

to best understand that information. • Requires student to break down information to obtain the

meaning of the material or demonstrate how it is organized or structured.

• Requires the student to analyze the situation, interpret data, set goals, and determine actions.Sample key words: Comparing, Organizing, Deconstructing,

Attributing, Outlining, Finding, Structuring, Integrating

Item types: MC, Short Answer, Problems, Essay

 Can you break information into parts to explore understandings and relationships?

Analyzing: sample key words

• Distinguish• Question• Appraise• Experiment• Inspect• Examine• Probe• Separate• Inquire• Arrange• Investigate• Sift• Research• Calculate• Criticize

• Compare• Contrast• Survey• Detect• Group• Order• Sequence• Test• Debate• Analyze• Diagram• Relate• Dissect• Categorize• Discriminate

Breaking information down into its component

elements

EvaluatingThe learner makes decisions based on in-depth

reflection, criticism and assessment. • Requires judgment based standards and specific criteria.

Sample key words: Checking,

Hypothesizing, Critiquing,

Experimenting, Judging, Testing,

Detecting, Monitoring

Item types: MC, Essay

  Can you justify a decision or course of action?

Evaluating: sample key words• Judge• Rate• Validate• Predict• Assess• Score• Revise• Infer• Determine• Prioritize• Tell why• Compare• Evaluate• Defend• Select• Measure

• Choose• Conclude• Deduce• Debate• Justify• Recommend• Discriminate• Appraise• Value• Probe• Argue• Decide• Criticize• Rank• Reject

Judging the value of ideas, materials and

methods by developing and applying standards

and criteria.

CreatingThe learner creates new ideas and information

using what has been previously learned. • Requires taking previously learned information and

putting the elements together to create something new

Sample key words: Designing,

Constructing, Planning, Producing,

Inventing, Devising, Making

Item types: MC, Essay

 Can you generate new products, ideas, or ways of viewing things?

Creating: sample key words• Compose• Assemble• Organize• Invent• Compile• Forecast• Devise• Propose• Construct• Plan• Prepare• Develop• Originate• Imagine

• Formulate

• Improve

• Act

• Predict

• Produce

• Blend

• Set up

• Devise

• Compile

• Generate

Putting together ideas or elements to develop

a original idea or engage in creative

thinking.

Questions for Remembering• What happened after...?• How many...?• What is...?• Who was it that...?• Can you name ...?• Find the definition of…• Describe what happened after…• Who spoke to...?• Which is true or false...?

Questions for Understanding• Can you explain why…?• Can you write in your own words? • How would you explain…?• Can you write a brief outline...?• What do you think could have happened next...?• Who do you think...?• What was the main idea...?• Can you clarify…?• Can you illustrate…?• Does everyone act in the way that …….. does?

Questions for Applying

• Do you know of another instance where…?

• Can you group by characteristics such as…?

• Which factors would you change if…?

• What questions would you ask of…?

• From the information given, can you develop a set of instructions about…?

Question for Analyzing

• Which events could not have happened?• If. ..happened, what might the ending have been?• How is...similar to...?• What do you see as other possible outcomes?• Why did...changes occur?• Can you explain what must have happened when...?• What are some or the problems of...?• Can you distinguish between...?• What were some of the motives behind..?• What was the turning point?• What was the problem with...?

)

Questions for Evaluating• Is there a better solution to...?

• Judge the value of... What do you think about...?

• Can you defend your position about...?

• Do you think...is a good or bad thing?

• How would you have handled...?

• What changes to.. would you recommend?

• Do you believe...? How would you feel if. ..?

• How effective are. ..?

• What are the consequences..?

• What influence will....have on our lives?

• What are the pros and cons of....?

• Why is ....of value?

• What are the alternatives?

• Who will gain & who will loose? 

Questions for Creating• Can you design a...to...?• Can you see a possible solution to...?• If you had access to all resources, how would you

deal with...?• Why don't you devise your own way to...?• What would happen if ...?• How many ways can you...?• Can you create new and unusual uses for...?• Can you develop a proposal which would...?