Republic Act of the Philippines

MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
Fatima, General Santos City

Module 1: Overview and Basic Concepts on Assessment and Testing

Lesson 4: Checklist for Writing Tests
Cindy Mae A. Maulana
OBJECTIVES:
To define what is matching type and true or false test;
To define what is matching type and true or false test;
True or False
True-false questions are typically used to measure the ability to identify whether
statements of fact are correct. The questions are usually a declarative statement that
the student must judge as true or false.
Possible options are agree or disagree, yes or no and fact or opinion.
Advantages of the True or False Test
1. Item Sampling
The true or false (T-F) test can help ensure an adequate sample of items when a
great deal of subject matter must be covered.
2. Ease of Construction
Teachers can construct items of this type by lifting statements from the book and
rewording some of them to make false items.
3. Ease of Scoring
Scoring is relatively mechanical as the student has to only agree or disagree with the
item.
Disadvantages of the True or False
1. Emphasis on Rote Memorization
Modern educational practices tend to lessen the emphasis on rote memorization
except in gaining pre-requisite knowledge for more complex skills.
2. Dependence on Absolute Judgment
The T-F test presumes a dichotomous world, where things are either a falsity or
truth and the possibility of intermediate values are not easily admitted.

3. Likelihood of Guessing
This type of test allows a high degree of guessing.
Pointers on Writing True or False Items
1.Construct items that measure important objectives.
2.Avoid using specific determiners.
3.Avoid using trick questions.
4.Limit each statement to the point that is being tested.
5.Avoid excess use of negative words and phrases.
6.Approximately half of the statements should be false.
7.Avoid qualitative terms like best, some, and several
Modification of True or False Tests
1.Corrections for Guessing.
Students can be penalized for guessing since guessing does not reflect learning or
true performance.
2. Arguments Against Corrections for Guessing.
3. Reducing the Effects of Guessing Using Other Ways.
Types of True or False Tests
1.Simple True or False
2.Modified True and False
3. True or False with Correction
4.Cluster True or False
5.True or False with Options
6.Fact or Opinion
7.Identifying Inconsistencies in a Paragraph.
Example:
Write TRUE, if the statement is true; False if it is false.
1. Lapu-lapu was the first Asian repulse European colonizes in Asia.
2. Magellans expedition to the Philippines led to the first circumnavigation of the globe.
3. The early Filipinos were uncivilized before the Spanish conquest of the archipelago
4. The Arabs introduced Islam in Southern Philippines.
Matching Type
measures the ability to identify the relationship between a set of similar items, each of
which has two components, such as words and their definitions, symbols and their
meanings, dates and events, causes and effects, people and their accomplishments,
problems and solutions, etc.

Advantages of the Matching Type

1. The matching-type test is simple to construct and score.
2. It reduces the effects of guessing, although the chance of guessing increases as the
student progresses in answering items.
Disadvantages of the Matching Type Test
1. May limit assessment to lower levels of understanding.
2.May overestimate learning due to the influence of guessing.
Rules for Constructing Matching Type
Rule 1: Check your objectives to make sure this type of question is appropriate.
Rule 2: Give clear directions or instructions.
Rule 3: Use numbers to identify items in column A, capital letters to identify response in
column B or vice versa.
Rule4: Include more responses than premises or allow responses to be used more than
once or vice versa.
Rule 5: Arrange items in column B in logical order or vice versa.
Rule 6: Put the items with more words in column A.
Rule 7: Keep the two sets of items homogeneous.
Rule 8: Avoid using pattern in the correct answers.
Types of Matching-Type Tests
1.Perfect Matching
2. Imperfect matching
MATCHING TYPE EXAMPLE
A List of numbered items are related to a list of lettered choices.
Example:
Match the country in column 1 with its capital city in Column 2. Write letters only.
COLUMN 1
__1. PHILIPPINES
__2. JAPAN
__3.UNITED STATES
__4. GREAT BRITAIN
__5. ISRAEL

COLUMN2
A. WASHINGTON D.C
B. JEDDAH
C. JERUSALEM
d. MANILA
E. TOKYO
F. NEW YORK