Anatomy of a Test Item

1. Anatomy of a Test Item

2. Instructional Process

3. Two Ways to Build Your Item Bank: • Write them yourself • Harvest and Convert Anatomy of a Test Item

4. Developing Your Own Test Items Anatomy of a Test Item

5. Guidelines for Writing Test Items: • Select the cognitive ability to be tested: knowledge, synthesis, judgment. • Select the cognitive task to be tested. • Have a clear understanding of what the SPI is asking students to do or know. • If the item calls for an evaluation or judgment, be sure to provide the authority or source of the judgment. • Items should be written to assess knowledge of meaningful facts and concepts, not trivial information. Anatomy of a Test Item

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8. Common Pitfalls: • Writing the stem before determining the testing point • Lack of one clearly best answer • Adding unnecessary or misleading information • Testing more than one point • Including unintentional clues to the correct answer • Using .What would you do?. or .What do you believe?. as these statements can not be tested • Avoid the use of gender pronouns • Using flawed question formats . negative question, true/false, none of the above, all of the above Anatomy of a Test Item

9. Which is not a HHS evaluation system domain? • Planning • Environment • Parental Involvement • Instruction Stem Distractors Correct Answer Anatomy of a Test Item

10. The Stem: • The stem should be clear and concise, and should measure only one grade level expectation at a time. The options should all be plausible and should have only ONE correct answer. • The stem should be clear enough to provide the examinee with sufficient information to anticipate the type of answer before looking at the responses. • Include in the stem all words that would otherwise have to be repeated in each of the responses. Anatomy of a Test Item

11. Distractors: • Distractors should be grammatically consistent with the item stem, and all responses should be parallel. • Only list plausible distractors, even if the number of options per question changes • Write the options so they are homogeneous in content • Use answers given in previous open-ended exams to provide realistic distractors Anatomy of a Test Item

12. Use a Question Format Experts encourage multiple-choice items to be prepared as questions (rather than incomplete statements) Incomplete Statement Format: • The capital of California is in Direct Question Format: • In which of the following cities is the capital of California? Anatomy of a Test Item

13. Emphasize Higher-Level Thinking • Use memory-plus application questions. These questions require students to recall principles, rules or facts in a real life context. • The key to preparing memory-plus application questions is to place the concept in a life situation or context that requires the student to first recall the facts and then apply or transfer the application of those facts into a situation. • Seek support from others who have experience writing higher-level thinking multiple-choice questions. Anatomy of a Test Item

14. Emphasize Higher-Level Thinking Anatomy of a Test Item

15. Keep Option Lengths Similar • Avoid making your correct answer the long or short answer • Balance the Placement of the Correct Answer • Correct answers are usually the second and third option • Be Grammatically Correct • Use simple, precise and unambiguous wording • Students will be more likely to select the correct answer by finding the grammatically correct option • Avoid Clues to the Correct Answer • Avoid answering one question in the test by giving the answer somewhere else in the test Anatomy of a Test Item

16. Emphasize Higher-Level Thinking • Use memory-plus application questions. These questions require students to recall principles, rules or facts in a real life context. • The key to preparing memory-plus application questions is to place the concept in a life situation or context that requires the student to first recall the facts and then apply or transfer the application of those facts into a situation. • Seek support from others who have experience writing higher-level thinking multiple-choice questions. Anatomy of a Test Item

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18. Have the test reviewed by someone who can find mistakes, clues, grammar and punctuation problems before you administer the exam to students • Avoid extremes – never, always, only • Avoid nonsense words and unreasonable statements Avoid Negative Questions • 31 of 35 testing experts recommend avoiding negative questions • Students may be able to find an incorrect answer without knowing the correct answer Use Only One Correct Option (Or be sure the best option is clearly the best option) • The item should include one and only one correct or clearly best answer • With one correct answer, alternatives should be mutually exclusive and not overlapping Anatomy of a Test Item

19. Give Clear Instructions Such as: Questions 1 - 10 are multiple-choice questions designed to assess your ability to remember or recall basic and foundational pieces of knowledge related to this course. Please read each question carefully before reading the answer options. When you have a clear idea of the question, find your answer and mark your selection on the answer sheet. Please do not make any marks on this exam. Anatomy of a Test Item

20. Use Only a Single, Clearly-Defined Problem and Include the Main Idea in the Question • Students must know what the problem is without having to read the response options Example: A student was looking at different kinds of cells through a microscope. He noticed that plant cells and animal cells have many structures in common, but the cells are also very different. Which of the following statements identifies one of the differences between plant cells and animal cells? • Plant cells have cell walls but animal cells do not. • Plant cells have cell membranes but animal cells do not. • Plant cells have ribosomes but animal cells do not. • Plant cells have vacuoles but animal cells do not. Avoid the “All the Above,” “None of the Above” Option. • Students merely need to recognize two correct options to get the answer correct and you will never know if the students know the correct answer. Don’t Use MC Questions When Other Item Types Are More Appropriate • limited distractors or assessing problem-solving and creativity Anatomy of a Test Item

21. Examples: Which word equation best represents the process of photosynthesis • glucose --> alcohol + carbon dioxide • *carbon dioxide + water --> glucose + oxygen + water • maltose + water --> glucose + glucose • glucose + oxygen --> carbon dioxide + water of water plus six molecules of oxygen The length of one year is the time it takes • the moon to complete its phases • Earth to complete 12 rotations around its axis • Earth to complete one revolution around the sun • the moon to complete one revolution around Earth Anatomy of a Test Item

22. Examples: Which is true regarding the Evaluation System’s scoring percentages? • 45% Qualitative Component • *35% Student Growth Component • 20% Other Achievement Measure Anatomy of a Test Item

23. The diagram below shows fossils in different rock layers. • Which of these statements about the age of these fossils is most likely correct? • Fossil 1 and 3 are the same age. • Fossil 2 is older than Fossil 3. • Fossils 2 and 4 are the same age. • Fossil 4 is younger than Fossil 3. Anatomy of a Test Item

24. Examples: Which word equation best represents the process of photosynthesis • glucose --> alcohol + maple syurp • *carbon dioxide + water --> glucose + oxygen + water • maltose + water --> glucose + glucose • glucose + oxygen --> carbon dioxide + water of water plus six molecules of oxygen The length of one year is the time it takes • the moon to complete its phases • Earth to complete 12 rotations around its axis • Earth to complete one revolution around the sun • the moon to complete one revolution around Earth Anatomy of a Test Item

25. What is an area on the earth’s surface that has a single common feature? • a atmosphere • a compound • a region • a plain Anatomy of a Test Item

26. The study of the earth and its people. • geology • geography • biology • anthropology Which is correct regarding the MAHS Evaluation System’s grading scale? • A three (3) represents performance “Significantly Below Expectation.” • A one (1) represents performance “At Expectation.” • A five (5) represents performance “Significantly Above Expectation.” • All are correct. Which is not a MAHS evaluation system domain? • Planning • Environment • Parental Involvement • Instruction Anatomy of a Test Item

27. The initial goal of the Effective Schools Research was to • *Examine whether school resources were associated with student outcomes. • To find schools that were successful • Determine the level of income inequality in schools • Determine the reasons why schools in poor urban areas we so successful. What disciplinary actions will be taken against staff or teacher for using profanity towards a student? • Will get a raise • Three-day suspension without pay • Termination • Corporal Punishment Which is a direct quote from the MAHS Student Code of Conduct? • The educator shall not engage in verbal and/or physical mistreatment of a student. • The educator shall not knowingly treat a student in a manner that adversely affects the student’s learning, physical health, mental or emotional health or safety. • The educator shall not deliberately or knowingly misrepresent facts regarding a student. • All are direct quotes from MAHS Teacher’s Code of Conduct. Anatomy of a Test Item

28. Harvesting Test Items • Find test items that aligned or almost align with your performance indicators • Use the content of the items to construct questions that align with your test items • Use graphics and passages already provided

29. Which of these has the most complex system of government? • a city • a village • a nomadic group • a farming community • What geographical feature usually determined where early civilizations grew? • oceans • mountains • rivers • Deserts • Cheryl was watching television with her friends. An advertisement came on that stated, “Four out of five people use Sensations Toothpaste”. Cheryl had never used this toothpaste before, but she thought it would be wise to try it. • 23.The underlined sections is an example of __________. • a testimonial • bandwagon • glittering generalities • transfer Anatomy of a Test Item

30. Which of these has the most complex system of government? • a city • a village • a nomadic group • a farming community • What geographical feature usually determined where early civilizations grew? • oceans • mountains • rivers • Deserts • How should the following sentence be written? • A. “Come to London, and God will show us who is the true and rightful king,” he decreed. • “come to London, and God will show us who is the true and rightful king.” he decreed. • Come to London, and God will show us who is the true and rightful king. “he decreed.” • Come to London, and God will show us who is the true and rightful king?” he decreed. Anatomy of a Test Item

31. Which of the following statements from the passage is a fact? • Only Arthur was able to free the sword. • So began a long and splendid reign filled with wonderful deeds and exploits,… • …he knew that he would have him as a friend and counselor… • So he laid the wondrous sword from the stone across his outstretched hands… Anatomy of a Test Item

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