Reliability
Reliability coefficients are like validity coefficients. They allow as comparing the reliability of
different tests. The ideal reliability coefficients of 1 is one which would give precisely the
same results for a particular set of candidates regardless of when it happened to be
administered.
In fact, reliability coefficient that is to be sough will depend on other considerations, most
particularly the importance of decisions that are to be taken on the basis of the test.
If a test is not reliable then we know that the actual scores of many individuals are likely to be
quite different from their true scores. This means that we can place a little reliance on those
scores. Even where reliability is quite high, the standard error of measurements serves to
remind us that in the case of some individuals there is quite possibly a large discrepancy
between decisions on the basis of the test scores of candidates whose actual score place
them close to the cut-off point. We should at least consider the possibility of gathering
further relevant information.
In order to make your test reliable, we consider these factors :
1. Take enough samples of behavior
2. Do not allow candidates too much freedom
3. Write unambiguous items
4. Provide clear and explicit instructions
5. Ensure that test are well laid out and perfectly legible
6. Candidates should be familiar with format and testing techniques
7. Provide uniform and non-distracting conditions of administration
8. Use items that permit scoring which is as objectives as possible
9. Make comparisons between candidates as direct as possible
10. Provide a detailed scoring key
11. Trains scorers
12. Agree acceptable respons and appropriate score at outset of scoring
13. Identify candidates by number not name
14. Employ multiple, independent scoring
In connection with validity and reliability, we could argue that to be valid a test must provide
consistently accurate measurements. A reliable test, however, may not be valid at all. In our
efforts to make test reliable, we must be wary of reducing their validity. If we are interested
in candidate’s abilty to structure a composition, then it would be hard to justify providing
them with the structure in order to increase reliability. There always be some tension
between reliability and validity. The tester has to balance gains in one against losses in the
other.
Practically
In assessment Practicality refers to the economy of time, effort and money in testing. In other
words, a test should be easy to design, easy to administer, easy to mark, and easy to interpret
the results (Bachman and Palmer, 1996).
A. Practicality
An effective test is practical. This means that it
•Is not excessively expensive.
•Stays within appropriate time constraints.
•Is relatively easy to administer.
•Has a scoring/evaluation procedure that is specific and time-efficient.
kalau menurutku untuk dimasukkan di ppt :
a concept of aunthenicity is a little slippery to define, especially within the art and science of
evaluating and designing test.
-atau-
Bachman and Palmer (1996) define authenticity as the degree of correspondence of the
characteristics of a given language test task to the features of a target language task, and then
suggest an agenda for identifying those target language task and for transforming them into
valid test items.