CONSTRUCTION OF

WRITTEN TEST
Prepared by: Mr. Juanito J. Valles, Sr.
College Instructor
Valenzuela City Polytechnic College
GENERAL GUIDELINES IN CHOOSING
THE APPROPRIATE TEST FORMAT
´ What are the objectives or desired learning outcomes of the
subject/unit/lesson assessed?
´ What level of thinking is to be assessed? (i.e., remembering, understanding,
applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating)? Does the cognitive level of
the test question match your instructional objectives or Desired Learning
Outcomes (DLOs). It is important that all levels of cognitive behavior are
represented.
´ Is the test matched or aligned with the course’s DLOs and the course
contents or learning activities?
´ Are the test items realistic to the students?
WHAT ARE THE MAJOR CATEGORIES
AND FORMATS OF TRADITIONAL TESTS?

´ For the purposes of classroom assessment, traditional tests fall into

two general categories. 1) Selected-response type, in which
learners are tasked to select the correct response from the given
options. 2) Constructed-response type, in which the learners are
tasked their own answers.
WHAT ARE THE MAJOR CATEGORIES
AND FORMATS OF TRADITIONAL TESTS?

´ SELECTED RESPONSE TESTS – require learners to choose the correct

answer or best alternative from several choices. While they can
cover a wide range of learning materials very efficiently and
measure a variety of learning outcomes, they are limited when
assessing learning outcomes that involve more complex and higher
level thinking skills.
SELECTED-RESPONSE TYPE

´ Multiple choice – one correct or best alternative(correct answer), and

three or more incorrect or inferior alternatives (distractors) are provided.
´ True-false or Alternative response Test – consists of two sets of items of a
statement and deciding if the statement is true (accurate/correct) or false
(inaccurate/incorrect).
´ Matching-Type Test – consists of two sets of items to be matched with each
other based on a specified attribute.
CONSTRUCTED-RESPONSE TESTS
´ ESSAY TEST - consists of problems/questions that require learners to
compose or contruct written responses, usually long ones with several
paragraphs.
´ PROBLEM SOLVING TEST – consists of problems/questions that require
learners to solve problems in quantitative or non-quantitative settings using
knowledge and skills in mathematical concepts and procedures, and/or
other higher-order cognitive skills (e.g., reasoning, analysis, critical thinking,
and skills).
´ SHORT ANSWER TEST – consists of open-ended questions or incomplete
sentences that require learners to create and answer of each items, which
is typically a single word or short phrase. This includes:
Completion – consists of incomplete statements that require learners to fill
in the blanks.
Identification – consists of statements that require learners to identify or
recall terms
Enumeration – requires learners to list down all possible answers to the
question.
What are the general guidelines in writing multiple-
choice test items?
´ Writing multiple-choice items requires content mastery,
writing skills, and time. Only good and effective items should
be included in the test.

´ Poorly-written test items could be confusing and frustrating

to learners and yield test scores that are not appropriate to
evaluate their learning and achievement.
The following are the general guidelines in writing
good multiple-choice items. They are classified in
terms of content, stem, and options.
Content:
´ 1. Write items that reflect only one specific content and cognitive processing
skills.
´ Faulty: Which of the following is a type of statistical procedure used to test a
hypothesis regarding significant relationship between variables, particularly in
terms of the extent and direction of association?
A. ANCOVA B. ANOVA
C. Correlation D. t-test
´ Good: Which of the following is an inferential statistical procedure used to test a
hypothesis regarding significant differences between two qualitative variables?
A. ANCOVA B. ANOVA
C. Chi-Square D. Mann-Whitney Test
Do not lift and use statements from the textbook or
other learning materials as test questions.

Keep the vocabulary simple and understandable

based on the level of learners/examinees.
Edit and proofread the items for grammatical and
spelling before administering them to the
learners.
Stem
Write the directions in the stem in a clear and
understandable manner.

´ Faulty: Read each question and indicate your answer by shading the circle
corresponding to your answer.
´ Good: This test consists of two parts. Part A is a reading comprehension test, and Part B is
a grammar/language test. Each question is a multiple-choice test item with five (5) options.
You are to answer each question but will not be penalized for a wrong answer or for
guessing. You can go back and review your answers during the time allotted.
Write stems that are consistent in form and structure,
that is, present all items either in question form or in
descriptive or declarative form

´Faulty: (1) Who was the Philippine president during Martial

taw?
(2) The first president of the Commonwealth of the
Philippines. Was

´Good: (1) Who was the Philippine president during Martial

Law?
(2) Who was the first president of the
Commonwealth of the Philippines?
Word the stem positively and avoid double negatives,
such as NOT and EXCEPT in a stem. If a negative word
is necessary, underline or capitalize the words for
emphasis.
´Faulty: Which of the following is not a measure of
variability?
´Good: Which of the following is NOT a measure of
variability?
Refrain from making the stem too wordy or containing
too much information unless the problem/question
requires the facts presented to solve the problem.

´Faulty: What does DNA stand for, and what is the organic
chemical of complex molecular structure found in all cells
and viruses and codes genetic information for the
transmission of inherited traits?
´Good: As a chemical compound, what does DNA stand for?
Options
Provide three (3) to five (5) options per item, with only one
being the correct or best answer/alternative.
Write options that are parallel or similar in form and
length to avoid giving clues about the correct answer.
Faulty: What is an ecosystem?
1. Faulty: What is an ecosystem?
A. It is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their
environment that interact as a system. These biotic and abiotic components are linked
together through nutrient cycles and energy flows.
B. It is a place on Earth's surface where life dwells.
C. It is an area that one or more individual organisms defend against competition from other
organisms.
D. It is the biotic and abiotic surroundings of an organism or population.
E. It is the largest division of the Earth's surface filled with living organisms.
´ Good: What is an ecosystem?
A. It is a place on the Earth's surface where life dwells.
B. It is the biotic and abiotic surroundings of an organism or population.
C. Itis the largest division of the Earth's surface filled with living organisms.
D. It is a large community of living and non-living organisms in a particular area.
E. It is an area that one or more individual organisms defend against competition
from other organisms.
Place options in a logical order (e.g., alphabetical,
from shortest to longest).
´ Faulty: Which experimental gas law describes how the pressure of a gas tends to increase
as the volume of the container decreases? (i.e., "The absolute pressure exerted by a given
mass of an ideal gas is inversely proportional to the volume it occupies.")
A. Boyle's Law D. Avogadro's Law
B. Charles Law E. Faraday's Law
E. Beer Lambert Law

Good: Which experimental gas law that describes how the pressure of gas tends to increase as the
volume of the container decreases? (i.e., "The absolute pressure exerted by a given mass of an
ideal gas is inversely proportional to the volume it occupies.")
A. Avogadro's Law
B. Beer Lambert Law
C. Boyle's Law
D. Charles Law
E. Faraday's Law
Place correct response randomly to avoid a
discernable pattern of correct answers.
Use None-of-the-above carefully and only when
there is one absolutely correct answer, such as in
spelling or math items.
Faulty:
Which of the following is a nonparametric statistic?
A. ANCOVA
B. ANOVA
C. Correlation
D. t-test
E. None of the Above
Good: Which of the following is a nonparametric statistic?
A. ANCOVA
B. ANOVA
C. Correlation
D. Mann-Whitney U
E. t-test
Avoid All of the Above as an option, especially if it is
intended to be the correct
´ Faulty: Who among the following has become the President of Philippine
Senate?
A. Ferdinand Marcos
B. Manuel Quezon
C. Quintin Paredes
D. Manuel Roxas
E. All of the Above
Good: Who was the first ever President of the Philippine Senate?
A. Eulogio Rodriguez
B. Ferdinand Marcos
C. Manuel Quezon
D. Manuel Roxas
E. Quintin Paredes
Make all options realistic and reasonable.
What are the general guidelines in writing matching-
type items?
´ The matching test item format requires learners to match a word, sentence, or phrase in
one column (ie., premise) to a corresponding word, sentence, or phrase in a second
column (i.e., response).
´ It is most. appropriate when you need to measure the learners' ability to identify the
relationship or association between similar items.
´ They work best when the course content has many parallel concepts.
´ While matching-type test format is generally used for simple recall of information, you
can find ways to make it applicable or useful in assessing higher level of thinking such as
applying and analyzing.
The following are the general guidelines in writing
good and effective matching-type tests:
Clearly state in the directions the basis for
matching the stimuli with the responses.

´ Fault: Directions: Match the following.

´ Good: Directions: Column I is a list of countries while Column II presents the
continent where these countries are located. Write the letter of the continent
corresponding to the country on the line provided in Column I.
Item #1's instruction is less preferred
Ensure that the stimuli are longer and the responses
are shorter.

For each item, include only topics that are related

with one another and share the same foundation of
information.

Make the response options short, homogeneous,

and arranged in logical order.

Include response options that are reasonable and

realistic and similar in length and grammatical form.
Provide more response options than the
number of stimuli.
What are the general guidelines in writing true
or false items?

´ True or false items are used to measure learners' ability to identify whether a
statement or proposition is correct/true or incorrect/false.
´ They are best used when learners' ability to judge or evaluate is one of the desired
learning outcomes of the course.
´ There are different variations of the true or false items. These include the
following:
1. T-F Correction or Modified True-or-False Question. In this format, the statement
is presented with a key word or phrase that is underlined, and the learner has to
supply the correct word or phrase.
2. e.g., Multiple-Choice Test is authentic.
3. Yes-No Variation. In this format, the learner has to choose yes or no, rather than
true or false.
e.g.,
The following are kinds of test. Circle Yes if it is an authentic test and No if not.
Multiple Choice Test yes no
Debates yes no
End-of-the Term Project yes no
True or False Test yes no
´ A-B Variation. In this format, the learner has to choose A or B, rather than true of false
e.g., Indicate which of the following are traditional or authentic tests by circling A if it
is a traditional test and B if it is authentic.
Traditional Authentic
Multiple Choice Test A B
Debates A B
End-of-the-term Project A B
True or False A B
Because true or false test items are prone to guessing, as learners are tasked to choose
between two options, utmost care should be exercised in writing true or false items. The
following are the general guidelines in writing true or false items:
1. Include statements that are completely true or completely false
Faulty: The presidential system of government, where the president is only the head of state
or government, is adopted by the United States,
Chile, Panama, and South Korea
Good: The presidential system, where the president in only the head of state or government,
is adopted by Chile.
2. Use simple and easy to understand statements

3. Refrain from using negatives – especially double negatives

Faulty: There is nothing illegal about buying goods through the internet.
Good: It is legal to buy things or goods through the internet.
4. Avoid using absolutes such as “always” and “never”

5. Express a single idea in each test item

6. Avoid the use of unfamiliar words or vocabulary.

7. Avoid lifting statements from the textbook and other learning materials.
General Guidelines in writing short-answer test
items
´ A short-answer test item requires the learner to answer a question or to finish an
incomplete statement by filling in the blank with the correct word or phrase.

´ It is most appropriate when you only intend to assess learners’ lower-level thinking.
Guidelines in writing good fill-in-the-blank
or completion test items
1. Omit only significant words from the sttaements.
2. Do not omit too many words from the statement such as the intended meaning
is lost.
3. Avoid obvious clues to the correct response.
Ex. Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in 1972. Who was the president
during that period?
4. Be sure that there is only one correct response. Avoid grammatical clues to the
correct response.
5. Avoid grammatical clues to the correct response.
6. If possible, put the blank at the end of a statement rather than at the beginning.
Guidelines in writing essay tests

´ Clearly define the intended learning outcome to be assessed by the essay

test.
´ Refrain from using essay test for intended learning outcomes that are
better assessed by other kinds of assessment.
´ Clearly define and situate the task within a problem.
´ Present tasks that are fair, reasonable, and realistic to the students.
´ Be specific in the prompts about the time allotment and criteria for judging
the response.
Guidelines in constructing good
problem-solving test items
´ Identify and explain the problem clearly.
´ Specify in the directions the bases for grading students answer/procedures