Edu411 Unit 5

UNIT 5
ACHIEVEMENT TEST FORMATS
5.0 Overview
Achievement test used for assessment of student learning outcomes are presented as
objective and essay test formats. In the school system, achievement test format are constituted
for a specific class / level and based on what is taught. Writing good objective and essay test
items requires laid down guidelines without which the appropriateness and the consistency of the
test cannot be assured. This unit presents the types of objective and essay tests format, their
characteristics, and described the guideline for constructing them. Practical test is also covered in
this unit.
5.1 Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit, the student should be able to:
1. Describe different types of objective test and essay test

2. State the characteristics of objective test and essay test
3. Describe the guidelines in constructing objective and essay test types
4. Define the concept of practical test
5. Explain how to design a simple practical test in your subject area
5.2 Types of Objective Tests

Objectives test consist of items which require the student to supply the short expected
answer to the question or to select the expected answer(s) from groups of alternatives or options
given. Every objective item has an acceptable correct answer and is not open to several
interpretations. It derives its name from the system of scoring such that the scorer’s personal
characteristics do not influence the marking because a standard key or answer is provided. It is a
test that enables the teacher to construct a large number of items which may cover the entire
course or subject content.
5.2.1 Types of Objective Test
The types of objectives test are presented in the chart below:-
Objective Tests
Supply Item Test Select Item Test
Direct Question Completion

Type Type Multiple
Alternative Matching
Response Item Choice
Type Type Type
Figure 5.1: Flow chart showing types of objectives test items
1. Supply Item
Supply item type requires the student to supply the correct short answer DIRECT
QUESTION or to supply a short answer or insert a missing word(s) to an incomplete statement
COMPLETION TYPE (this is similar to fill in a blank). In writing the supply type, the
following guidelines should be considered:
i. For the direct type, a question mark must be at the end.
b. For the completion type, the blank should be at the end of the incomplete statement.
c. Avoid multiple blanks in the statement
Examples of Direct Question
1. Nigeria gained political independence in the year? (1960)
2. What is the eight month of the year called? (August)
Examples of Completion Type

1. Nigeria became independence in the year _______
2. The eight month of the year is _________
2. Selection Item Type
Selection type items requires students to select from a limited number of alternatives or
options. The different types are: alternative response type, matching items and multiple-
choice items.
- Alternative – Response Type

This type of item requires the student to choose the correct response from two supplied
option. Which are usually true/ false, right/wrong, yes/ no, agreed/ disagree, correct/ incorrect,
affirm/ disaffirm. They measure learning outcomes that are simple, have ability to identify
correctness of statements of facts and principles, definition of terms which are completely true
or false.
Examples
1. The sun rises from the East (T/F)
2. Can a goat fly? (Yes/ No).
- Matching Item Type

Matching items are designed to test knowledge of the relationship between items of
information, objects, people, tools etc. in this type, two columns of related materials are
presented and the student is required to match or pair each item in one column with an associated
item in the other column. In writing the matching items type, the following guidelines should be
considered:
1. Place the stimulus and response options in a clear, logical order.
2. keep the list of items to be matched brief and place the stimulus on the left and the
responses on the right
3. Use homogenous materials in a single exercise
4. Include an unequal number of stimulus (statement) and responses (options)
5. Keep the entire items on the same page
6. Clearly specify the basis for matching
Example – On the following list, link each country to its capital
Column A (Countries) Column B (Capital)
Ghana Freetown
Egypt Abuja
Sierra Leone Accra
Liberia Cairo
Tripoli
Monrovia
- Multiple Choice Items

This type requires the student to select the best answer from a list of four or five possible
options. Here, the problems is stated in the form of an incomplete statement or questions and
some options are given for the students to choose the best of them or correct answer. Multiple
choice items type is very effective in assessing the to recall information, to elicit understanding
of content and higher level thought processes. The multiple choice questions has some
components, which are:
Stem – Incomplete statement or question
Option – Responses
Key – Correct answer (option)
Distracter – Incorrect options
Item – Stem and all its options.
In writing the multiple choice items, the following guidelines should be considered:
 Avoid content that has potential for bias and focus on single problem per item.
 Write items in line with instructional objectives.
 Avoid determiners such as ‘always’ or ‘never’ and avoid using the phrase such as ‘all of
the above’ or none of the above’
 State stem of items in either question or complete form.
 Word stem of the items positively and avoid verbosity in the stem.
 Keep the vocabulary consistent with examinees level.
 Ensure there is only one correct option with plausible distracters
 Avoid clues to answer through use of faulty grammatical construction.
Example
Which of the following is the symbol for sodium?
(a) K
(b) Sd
(c) Na
(d) Pb
(e) Si
5.2.2 Characteristics of Objective Tests
a. Learning Outcomes Measured: Objective tests measure knowledge level of facts efficiently.
However some like the multiple choice can also measure other level of basic skills as well as
complex level thought processes.
b. Preparation of Question – Objective test is time consuming and difficult when preparing the
items due to the fact that a large number of items are required for the test.
c. Sampling of Course Content: It requires an extensive sampling of course content because a
large number of items which may cover the entire course or subject content are needed for the
test.
d. Scoring - Its scoring is easy, quick and consistent because a standard key or answer is
provided which is used by all scorers and as such the cannot be influence by scorers’ personal
bias.
e. Influence on Learning – Objective test encourages students to develop a comprehensive
knowledge of content and in both basic and complex outcomes.
f. Reliability - When objective test is well constituted, obtaining high reliability is possible.
Activity 5.1
1. What is alternative response type and matching type objective test? Give examples
2. Identify the part of multiple choice objective test.
3. Which of the objective test item types would you recommend for use as a secondary
teacher? Justify your answer with one good reason
5.3 Type of Essay Test
Essay test is a test that is designed to give a student the opportunity to express freely the depth of
knowledge he / she has acquired in a lesson/ course. It also gives the student an opportunity to
show how well he /she can integrate and organize materials. In essay test, the range of responses
from the students vary considerably as such scores awarded by equally competent scorers vary.
This why it is often referred to as subjective
5.3.1 Types of Essay Test
1. Extended-Response Type: - The extended response type has questions that give a wide range
of freedom to students for response in their own words. They encourage creativity, originality
and divergent thinking by allowing students to respond in their own unique ways.
Examples
a. Write an essay on the organization of African Unity.

b. Describe your visit to a Zoo.
2. Restricted – Response Type: - This type has questions that limit the scope of the response.
The answer given by the students are to some extent controlled and limited both in the content
and form. They have less value for measuring originality, integration and organizational ideas.
Examples
- Write a paragraph of five sentences for going to school.

- Explain two types of validity.
5.3.2 Guidelines for Constructing Essay Test Types
a. Define the intended learning outcomes the student is expected to exhibit before writing the
item.
b. Formulate questions that are direct and specific.
c. Ensure reasonable coverage of the course objectives of many questions are to be used for the
test.
d. Questions should be worded with clear meaning
e. The questions should be design to follow test specification along the students’ level
f. Questions with special points should be subdivided.
5.3.3 Characteristics of Essay Test
a. Learning Outcome Measured – Essay test is efficient in measuring both basic and
complex level thought processes.
b. Preparation of Questions – Preparing essay questions are relatively essay since only
few questions are needed for a test.
c. Sampling of Course Content – Only limited content can be sampled with essay test
since small number of questions are required for the test.
d. Scoring – Scoring of essay test is slow, difficulty and subjective.
e. Influence on Learner – It encourages student to express ideas effectively and to
concentrate on large unit of subject matter.
f. Reliability – Reliability is typically low due to the inconsistent scoring.
Activity 5.2
i. What is an Essay test?

ii. Outline the guidelines for the construction of Essay tests.
iii. Describe four characteristics of Essay test.
Unit 5.4 Practical Test

A practical test is a test that assesses practical skills and techniques in laboratory, clinical
and field settings, which are usually administered individually or in a small group. They are
performance tests that measure motor and manipulative skills. They are important in assessing
competency based courses such as:
- Typing
- Physical Education
- Home Economics
- Computer Science
- Agricultural Science
- Engineering
- Medicine
- Fine Art
- Music
- Theatre Arts etc
Practical tests measure the process or procedure a student adopts in completing a task and
the tangible outcome that results from completing the process.
5.4.1 Guidelines for Designing a Simple Practical Test

The following guidelines can be used to design and score a single practical test as
suggested by Carrey (ND).
(a) Define and analyze the expected performance (that is, operationalize the skills to be
measured and list their component in observable terms and sequence.
(b) Provide the relevant materials and equipment, laboratory, studio or field setting for use in
demonstrating skills.
(c) Develop and evaluate form the assessing process and products
(d) Observe and rate individual student’s performance
(e) Do a formative evaluation of students’ performance and identify areas that require
additional instruction.
(f) Do a summative evaluation of the products, where applicable.
(g) Summarise students’ score for final grading.

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UNIT 5

ACHIEVEMENT TEST FORMATS

5.1 Learning Outcomes

At the end of this unit, the student should be able to:

1. Describe different types of objective test and essay test

5.2 Types of Objective Tests

Supply Item Test Select Item Test

Direct Question Completion

Figure 5.1: Flow chart showing types of objectives test items

Examples of Completion Type

- Alternative – Response Type

- Matching Item Type

- Multiple Choice Items

5.2.2 Characteristics of Objective Tests

5.3.1 Types of Essay Test

a. Write an essay on the organization of African Unity.

- Write a paragraph of five sentences for going to school.

5.3.2 Guidelines for Constructing Essay Test Types

5.3.3 Characteristics of Essay Test

i. What is an Essay test?

Unit 5.4 Practical Test

5.4.1 Guidelines for Designing a Simple Practical Test

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