Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
REGION I
SCHOOLS DIVISION OFFICE I PANGASINAN
CALASIAO COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Calasiao, Pangasinan 2418
 OUTLINE
 Introduction
 Defining a Test
 Purpose of Testing
 Different Types of Test
 Steps in Test Construction
 Designing a Table of Specifications

English and Filipino Departments’ LAC Session on Test Preparation and Administration
Building 2 Room 2 ● November 23, 2017
 Arnel O. Rivera, Test Construction: The Art of Effective Evaluation
http://www.slideshare.net/ArnelSSI

English and Filipino Departments’ LAC Session on Test Preparation and Administration
Building 2 Room 2 ● November 23, 2017
 Our students were
trained
to memorize information.
After they have
memorized
Arnel O. Rivera, Test Construction: The Art of Effective Evaluation
http://www.slideshare.net/ArnelSSI

facts, then what?

English and Filipino Departments’ LAC Session on Test Preparation and Administration
Building 2 Room 2 ● November 23, 2017
 Defining a Test
“A test is defined as a series of questions,
problems, or physical responses designed
to determine knowledge, intelligence, or
ability”
- http://www.thefreedictionary.com/test

“A test is a sample of behavior, products,

answers or performances from a particular
domain.”
- Carrington, 1994
English and Filipino Departments’ LAC Session on Test Preparation and Administration
Building 2 Room 2 ● November 23, 2017
 Defining a Test
“A test is a systematic method of eliciting
performance which is intended to be the
basis for some sort of decision making.”
- Hughes, 1989

“A test will predict performance levels, and

the learner will somehow reconstruct its
parts in meaningful situations when
necessary.”
- McCann, 2000
English and Filipino Departments’ LAC Session on Test Preparation and Administration
Building 2 Room 2 ● November 23, 2017
 Defining a Test

A teacher-made test is the major basis in

evaluating the progress or performance
of the students in the classroom.
Therefore, as teachers, let us provide
our students with the best evaluation.

English and Filipino Departments’ LAC Session on Test Preparation and Administration
Building 2 Room 2 ● November 23, 2017
 The evaluation of pupils’
progress is a major aspect of
the teacher’s job.“
Evaluating Educational Outcome (Oriondo & Antonio)

Arnel O. Rivera, Test Construction: The Art of Effective Evaluation

http://www.slideshare.net/ArnelSSI

English and Filipino Departments’ LAC Session on Test Preparation and Administration
Building 2 Room 2 ● November 23, 2017
 Purpose of Testing
 To provide a learning experience for students
and record for assigning grades
 To motivate students to learn and serve as a
guide for further study
 To assess how well students are achieving
the stated goals of the lesson
 To provide teachers with an opportunity to
reinforce the objectives and highlight what is
important for students to remember

English and Filipino Departments’ LAC Session on Test Preparation and Administration
Building 2 Room 2 ● November 23, 2017
 Common observation of
students on test questions

Hindi kasama sa lessons.

Masyadong mahaba ang question at
mga pagpipilian.
Hindi maayos ang layout ng test,
putol-putol ang mga sentence.
Nakakalito ang mga tanong. Minsan
wala sa pagpipiliaan ang sagot.
Arnel O. Rivera, Test Construction: The Art of Effective Evaluation
http://www.slideshare.net/ArnelSSI

English and Filipino Departments’ LAC Session on Test Preparation and Administration
Building 2 Room 2 ● November 23, 2017
 Possible reasons for faulty
test questions

 Questions are copied verbatim from

the book or other resources
 Not consulting the course outline
 Much consideration is given to
reduce printing cost
 No TOS or TOS was made after
making the test
Arnel O. Rivera, Test Construction: The Art of Effective Evaluation
http://www.slideshare.net/ArnelSSI

English and Filipino Departments’ LAC Session on Test Preparation and Administration
Building 2 Room 2 ● November 23, 2017
Essay Type
of Test
What is an essay question?
AN ESSAY QUESTION IS "…A TEST ITEM
WHICH REQUIRES A RESPONSE
COMPOSED BY THE EXAMINEE,
USUALLY IN THE FORM OF ONE OR
MORE SENTENCES, OF A NATURE THAT
NO SINGLE RESPONSE OR PATTERN OF
RESPONSES CAN BE LISTED AS
CORRECT, AND THE ACCURACY AND
QUALITY OF WHICH CAN BE JUDGED
SUBJECTIVELY ONLY BY ONE SKILLED
OR INFORMED IN THEStalnaker
SUBJECT."
(1951, p.495)
Two Major Purposes of an Essay

 TO ASSESS STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF SUBJECT-

MATTER CONTENT

 TO ASSESS STUDENTS' WRITING ABILITIES.

BASED ON STALNAKER'S DEFINITION, AN ESSAY
QUESTION SHOULD MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

1.REQUIRES EXAMINEES TO COMPOSE RATHER

THAN SELECT THEIR RESPONSE.
2.ELICITS STUDENT RESPONSES THAT MUST
CONSIST OF ONE OR MORE SENTENCES.
3.NO SINGLE RESPONSE OR SINGLE RESPONSE
PATTERN IS CORRECT.
4.THE ACCURACY AND QUALITY OF STUDENTS’
RESPONSES TO ESSAYS MUST BE JUDGED
SUBJECTIVELY BY A COMPETENT SPECIALIST IN
THE SUBJECT.
Types of Essay Items
 Advantages and
Disadvantages of an Essay
Test

Source:
Clay, Ben (2001). Is This a Trick Question? A Short Guide to Writing Effective Test Questions
Standard Phrases for Writing
Essay Test Items
a. Decision (for or against). Example – In which in your
opinion, can you do better, an oral or a written
examination? Why?
b. Cause or Effect. Example – Why is the application of
salitre in curring food is prohibited?
c. Explanation of the use of exact meaning of some
phrases or statement in a passage. Example – What
does this statement mean “Evaluation is not an end in
itself but a means to an end”.
Standard Phrases for Writing
Essay Test Items
d. Summary of some unit of the test or some articles read. Example –
Summarize in two paragraphs the advantages and disadvantage of
essay test.

e. Analysis. (The word itself is seldom used in the question). Example

– What are the characteristics of Muslims, which make you
understand why Christians do not make friends with them?

f. Statement of relationship. Example – Why is the study of genetics

helpful in studying plan breeding?
Standard Phrases for Writing
Essay Test Items
g. Illustrations and examples of principles in Science construction in
language, etc. Example – From your own experience give three
examples of the use of homemaking in your daily life.

h. Classification . Example – To what class does eggplant belong?

What are other plants having the same classification with eggplant?

i. Application of the rules or principles in new situations. Example –

Why should evaluation be used judiciously?
Standard Phrases for Writing
Essay Test Items

j. Discussion. Example – Explain briefly the four types of validity.

k. Statement of aim. Example – State the principles involved in the

canning of fish.

l. Criticism. As to the adequacy, correctness, or relevance of a pointed

statement or student’s answer to a question on the lesson. Example –
What is wrong with the statement “Practice makes perfect”.
Standard Phrases for Writing
Essay Test Items
m. Outline. Example – Outline the rules in constructing matching type
test.

n. Reorganization of facts. (a good example of review-question to give

training in organization). Example – Discuss the theory-and-practice
scheme approach based upon the book, class discussion, outside
reading and actual practice.

o. Formulation of new questions, problems and questions raised.

Example – What else must be known in order to understand the
matter under consideration?

p. New method or procedure. Example – Formulate a plan for

improving the income-generating project of the school.
Suggestions for writing
essay test items
Prepare essay items that elicit the type of behavior
you want to measure.

Learning Objective: The student will be able to explain

how the normal curve serves as a statistical model.

Undesirable: Describe a normal curve in terms of:

symmetry, modality, kurtosis and skewness.
Desirable: Briefly explain how the normal curve serves as
a statistical model for estimation and hypothesis testing.
Source:
http://citl.illinois.edu/teaching-resources/evaluating-student-performance/writing-good-test-questions/essay-
test-items
Suggestions for writing
essay test items
Phrase each item so that the student's task is clearly
indicated.

Undesirable: Discuss the economic factors which led

to the stock market crash of 1929.

Desirable: Identify the three major economic

conditions which led to the stock market crash of
1929. Discuss briefly each condition in correct
chronological sequence and in one paragraph
indicate how the three factors were interrelated.
Source:
http://citl.illinois.edu/teaching-resources/evaluating-student-performance/writing-good-test-questions/essay-
test-items
Suggestions for writing
essay test items
Indicate for each item a point value or weight and an
estimated time limit for answering.

Undesirable: Compare the writings of Bret Harte and Mark

Twain in terms of settings, depth of characterization, and
dialogue styles of their main characters.

Desirable: Compare the writings of Bret Harte and Mark

Twain in terms of settings, depth of characterization, and
dialogue styles of their main characters. (10 points 20
minutes)
Source:
http://citl.illinois.edu/teaching-resources/evaluating-student-performance/writing-good-test-questions/essay-
test-items
Suggestions for writing
essay test items
Ask questions that will elicit responses on which experts
could agree that one answer is better than another.
 
Avoid giving the student a choice among optional items, as 
this greatly reduces the reliability of the test.
 
It is generally recommended for classroom examinations
to administer several short-answer items rather than only
one or two extended-response items. Doing this prevents
a student's grade being based on his or her performance
on only one item.
Source:
http://citl.illinois.edu/teaching-resources/evaluating-student-performance/writing-good-test-questions/essay-
test-items
Proposed Criteria in
Grading Essay Test
 Ideas (20%)
 Weight of Evidence Presented (40%)
 Correct Usage (20%)
 Logical Conclusions drawn from the 
evidence (20%)
“What makes a test good or
bad?

The most basic and obvious

answer to that question is that
good tests measure what you
want to measure, and bad tests
do not.” Ben Clay (2001)
Kansas Curriculum Center
A good lesson makes a good
question
A good question makes a good
content
A good content makes a good test
A good test makes a good grade
A good grade makes a good student
A good student makes a good
community

Jesus Ochave Ph.D.

VP Research Planning & Development
Philippine Normal University
Table of Specifications

OOPS… DINISCUSS BA
ITO?
English and Filipino Departments’ LAC Session on Test Preparation and Administration
Building 2 Room 2 ● November 23, 2017
“SOMETIMES, WE OVERLOOKED THE BEAUTY AROUND
US FOR THE REASON THAT WE ARE SO BUNDLED UP IN
LIFE. WHAT WE NEED THEN IS TO KEEP UNDER LOCK
AND KEY TO WHIFF THE ROSES AS WELL.”
- HARHAR 

English and Filipino Departments’ LAC Session on Test Preparation and Administration
Building 2 Room 2 ● November 23, 2017
A good lesson makes a good question
A good question makes a good
content
A good content makes a good test
A good test makes a good grade
A good grade makes a good student
A good student makes a good
community

Jesus Ochave Ph.D.

VP Research Planning & Development
English and Filipino Departments’ LAC Session on Test Preparation and Administration
Philippine Normal University
Building 2 Room 2 ● November 23, 2017
English and Filipino Departments’ LAC Session on Test Preparation and Administration
Building 2 Room 2 ● November 23, 2017
 Thank you
and
God bless!
HERNANDO C. ABALOS, JR.
Senior High School Faculty (STEM)
Calasiao Comprehensive National High
School

English and Filipino Departments’ LAC Session on Test Preparation and Administration
Building 2 Room 2 ● November 23, 2017