Chapter 5 Distinguishing and Constructing Various Paper and Pencil
Tests
Lessons:
Lesson 5.1 Planning a Test and Construction of Table of Specifications (TOS)
Lesson 5.2 Constructing Selected Response Type
Lesson 5.3 Constructing Supply Type or Constructed Response Type
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Lesson 5.1 Planning a Test and Construction of Table of Specifications
(TOS)
In this Chapter we are concerned with developing paper-and-pencil 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
(c) matching type.
Constructed-response type of test includes
(a) enumeration,
(b) completion
(c) essays.
The construction of valid test items begins with a Table of Specifications.
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:
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.
Preparing a table of specifications (TOS)
• A Table of Specifications or TOS is 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, (c) item numbers where such an objective is being
tested and (d) number of items and percentage out of the total for that particular
objective.
• 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 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.
• 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.