SUGGESTIONS FOR WRITING

TEST ITEMS

Edelyn D. Sabilla
GENERAL SUGGESTIONS
 General Suggestions

1. Use Table of Specifications

(TOS) as a guide to item writing.

2. Construct more items than

needed.
 General Suggestions

3. Write the items ahead of the

testing date.

4. Write each test item at an

appropriate reading level and
difficulty.
 General Suggestions

5. Write each test item in a way

that is does not provide help in
answering other test items.
6. Write each test item so that the
task to be done is clearly defined.
 General Suggestions

7. Write a test item whose answer

is one that would be agreed upon
by the experts.
6. Whenever a test is revised,
recheck its relevance.
SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS
I. Writing True or False Test
1. Avoid broad, trivial statements and
use of negative words, especially
double negatives.

2. Avoid long and complex sentences.

I. Writing True or False Test
3. Avoid multiple facts or including two
ideas in one statement, unless cause
and effect relationship is being
measured.
4. If opinion is used, attribute it to some
source unless the ability to identify
opinion is specifically measured.
I. Writing True or False Test
5. Use proportional number of true
statements and false statements.

6. True statements and false statements

should be approximately equal in
length.
I. Writing True or False Test
Example 1. Do not give a hint (inadvertently)
in the body of the questions.

The Philippines gained its independence in

1898 and therefore celebrated its centennial
year in 2000.
I. Writing True or False Test
Example 2. Avoid using the words “ always”,
“never”, often and other adverbs that tend to
be either always true or always false.

Christmas always falls on a Sunday because

it is Sabbath Day.
I. Writing True or False Test

Example 3. Avoid long sentences as these tends

to be “true”. Keep sentence short.

Tests need to be valid, reliable and useful,

although, it would require a great amount of
time and effort to ensure that the tests possess
these test characteristics.
I. Writing True or False Test
Example 4. Avoid trick statements with some minor
misleading word or spelling anomaly, misplaced
phrases etc. A wise student who does not know
subject matter may detect this strategy and thus get
the answer correctly.

The Principle of our school is Mr. Jose Castro.

II. Writing Matching Type Test
1. Use only homogenous material in a
single matching exercise.

2. Include an unequal number of

responses and premises and instruct the
students that responses may be used
once, more than once, or not at all.
Use a joker or jokers.
II. Writing Matching Type Test
3. Keep the list of items to be matched
brief, and place the shorter responses at
the right.
4. Arrange the list of responses in logical
order.
5. Indicate in the directions the basis for
matching the responses and premises.
II. Writing Matching Type Test
6. Place all the items for one matching
exercise on the same page.

7. Limit a matching exercise to not more

than 10 to 15 items.
II. Writing Matching Type Test
Varieties of Matching Type Test
1. Balanced Variety – the number of items is
equal to the number of options
2. Unbalance Variety – There are unequal
numbers in two columns
- characterized by the use of distracters
which usually leaves a number of unused
options
II. Writing Matching Type Test
Varieties of Matching Type Test
3. Classification Variety –requires the sorting of
words or other types of materials into their
proper categories. The students are asked to
classify each specific word use in the context.
Distracters are seldom used because all terms
are properly classified.
III. Writing Multiple Choice Test
1. The stem of the item should be
meaningful by itself and should
present a definite problem.
2. The item stem should include as
much of the item as possible an
should be free of irrelevant material.
III. Writing Multiple Choice Test
3. Use a negatively stated stem only when
significant learning outcomes require it,
and stress/highlight the negative words
for emphasis.

4. All the alternatives should be

grammatically consistent with the stem
of the item.
III. Writing Multiple Choice Test
5. An item should only contain one
correct or clearly best answer.

6. Items used to measure

understanding should contain some
novelty, but not too much.
III. Writing Multiple Choice Test
7. All distracters should be
plausible/attractive.

8. Verbal associations between the stem

and the correct answer should be
avoided.
III. Writing Multiple Choice Test
9. The relative length of the
alternatives/options should not
provide a clue to the answer.
10. The alternatives should be arranged
logically.
III. Writing Multiple Choice Test
11. The correct answer should appear in
each of the alternative positions and
approximately equal number of
times but in random order.

12. Always have the stem and the

alternatives on the same page.
III. Writing Multiple Choice Test
13. Use of special alternatives such as
none of the above or all of the above
should be done sparingly.

14. Do not use multiple choice items

when other types are more appropriate.
III. Writing Multiple Choice Test
15. Provide at least four (4) options.
III. Writing Multiple Choice Test
Example 1. Do not use unfamiliar words,
terms, and phrases.

What would be the system reliability of a

computer system whose slave and
peripherals are connected in parallel circuits
and each one has a known time to failure
probability of 0.05?
III. Writing Multiple Choice Test
Example 2. Do not use modifiers that are vague
and whose meanings can differ one person to
the next such as much , often, usually etc.

Much of the process of photosynthesis takes

place in the :
a. bark
b. leaf
c. stem
III. Writing Multiple Choice Test
Example 3. Avoid complex or awkward word
arrangements. Also avoid use of negatives in the
stem as this may add unnecessary comprehension
difficulties.

(Poor) As President of the Republic of the Philippines,

Corazon Cojuangco Aquino would stand next to which
President of the Philippines Republic subsequent to 1986
EDSA Revolution?

(Better) Who was the President of the Philippines after

Corazon C. Aquino?
III. Writing Multiple Choice Test
Example 4. Do not use negative or double negatives as
such statements tend to be confusing. It is best to use
simpler sentences rather than sentences that would
require expertise in grammatical constructions.

(Poor) Which of the following will not cause inflation

in the Philippine Economy.

(Best) Which of the following will cause inflation in

the Philippine Economy?
III. Writing Multiple Choice Test
Example 5. Distracters should be equally plausible and
attractive.

The short story: May Day Eve, was written by which

Filipino author?
A. Jose Garcia Villa
B. Nick Jaquin
C. Genoveva Edrosa Matute
D. Robert Frost
E. Edgar Allan Poe
III. Writing Multiple Choice Test
Example 6. The length explicitness, or degree technically
of all alternatives should not be determinants of the
correctness of the answer.
If the three angles of two triangles are congruent, then the triangle
are:
A. congruent whenever one of the side of the triangle
are congruent.
B. similar
C. equiangular and therefore, must also be congruent
D. equilateral if they are equiangular
III. Writing Multiple Choice Test
Example 7. Avoid alternatives that are synonymous with
others or those that include or overlap others.
What cause ice to transform from solid state to liquid
state?
A. change in temperature
B. change in pressure
C. change in the chemical composition
D. change in heat levels
III. Writing Multiple Choice Test
Example 8. Avoid use of unnecessary word or phrases, which
are not relevant to the problem at hand. Such items test the
student’s reading comprehension rather than the knowledge
of the subject matter.

Example: The opposite thirty-degree angle in a right triangle is

equal to half length of the hypotenuse. If the sine of a thirty-
degree is 0.5and its hypotenuse is 5. What is the length of the side
opposite the 30-degree angle?
A. 2.5 C. 5.5
B. 3.5 D. 1.5
III. Writing Multiple Choice Test
Example 9. The difficulty of a multiple choice item may
be controlled by varying the homogeneity or degree of
similarity of responses. The more homogenous, the
more difficult the items.
Less Homogenous More Homogenous
Thailand is located in: Thailand is located next to
A. Southeast Asia A. Laos and Kampuchea
B. Eastern Europe B. India and China
C. South Africa C. Laos and China
D. Central America D. India and Malaya
IV. Writing Supply Type of Test
1. Word the item/s so that the required
answer is both brief and specific.

2. Do not take statements directly from

textbooks.
IV. Writing Supply Type of Test
3. A direct question is generally more
desirable than an incomplete
statement.
4. If the item is to be expressed in
numerical units, indicate the type of
answer wanted.
IV. Writing Supply Type of Test
5. Blanks for answers should be equal in
length and as much as possible at the
end or near the end of the statement.

6. When completion items are to be

used, do not indicate too many blanks.
IV. Writing Supply Type of Test
Example 1. Word the items so that the required
answer is both brief and definite

(Poor) An animal that eats flesh of other animals

is ____.
(Better) An animal that eats flesh of other animals
is classified as ____.
IV. Writing Supply Type of Test
Example 2. Avoid over mutilated items

(Poor) The ___is obtained by dividing ___by ___.

(Better) IQ is obtained by dividing ___ by ___.

IV. Writing Supply Type of Test
Example 3. Do not lift statement directly from the
book. When taken out of the context, textbook
statement ‘s are to general and ambiguous.

(Poor) Chlorine is ____.

(Better) Chlorine belongs to a group of elements which

combined with metal to form salt, it is therefore we
called ___.
IV. Writing Supply Type of Test
Example 4. Where the answer is to be expressed in
numerical units, indicate the type of answer
wanted.

(Poor) If oranges weight 5 2/3 oz each, how much

would be a dozen of oranges weigh?

(Better) If oranges weigh 5 2/3 oz each, how much

would a dozen of oranges weigh? ___lb. ___oz.
V. Writing Essay Type of Test
1. Restrict the use of essay questions to
those learning outcomes that cannot be
satisfactorily measured by objective
items.

2. Construct questions that will call forth

the skills specified in the learning
standards.
V. Writing Essay Type of Test
3. Phrase each question so that so that the
students’ task is clearly defined or
indicated.

4. Avoid the use of optional questions.

V. Writing Essay Type of Test
5. Indicate the approximate time limit or
the number of points for each
question.
6. Prepare an outline of the expected
answer in advance or scoring rubric.
 The Learning Outcomes
Measurable by Essay Type of
Test:
1. Comparison between two or more thing
2. The development and defense of opinion
3. Questions of cause and effect
4. Explanation of meaning
5. Summarizing of information in a designated
area
 The Learning Outcomes
Measurable by Essay Type of
Test:
6. Analysis
7. Knowledge of relationship
8. Illustrations of rules , principles,
procedures and application
9. Application of rules, laws, and principles
to new situations.
 The Learning Outcomes
Measurable by Essay Type of
Test:
10. Criticism of adequacy, relevance, or
correctness of a concept, idea, or
information
11. Formulation of new questions and
problems
12. Reorganization of fact
13. Discriminations between objects,
concepts, or events
14. Inferential thinking
 The Rules which facilitate grading of essay
papers:
1. Phrase the direction in such a way that the
students are guided on the concepts to be
included.
Example:
Write an essay on the topic” Plant
photosynthesis” using the following keywords
and phrases: chlorophyll, sunlight, water,
carbon dioxide, oxygen, by products.
 The Rules which facilitate grading of essay
papers:
2. Inform the students on the criteria to be used for
grading their essays. This rule allows the students to
focus on relevant and substantive materials rather than
on peripheral and unnecessary facts and bits of
information.
Example:
Write an essay on the topic: “Plant Photosynthesis”
following criteria (a) coherence (b) accuracy of the
statement (c) use of the keywords, (d) clarity and e extra
points for innovative presentation of ideas.
 The Rules which facilitate grading of essay
papers:

3. Put a limit on the essay test.

4. Decide on your essay grading system prior to

getting the essays of your students.
 The Rules which facilitate grading of essay
papers:
5. Evaluate all of the students’ answers to one
question before proceeding to the next question.
6. Evaluate answer to essay questions without
knowing the identity of the writer.
7. Whenever possible, have two or more persons
grade each answer.
VI. Writing Identification Type
of Test
1. The definition, description, or explanation
maybe given by means of a phrase or
incomplete statement. If not, indicate a
picture, or diagram.

Examples:
____1. Hero of the battle of Mactan
____2. Longest Filipino Revolt
VI. Writing Identification Type
of Test
2. The statement should be phrased so that there
is only one response.
Examples:
(Poor) ____1. Manuel L. Quezon
____ 2. The City of Baguio

(Better)____1. The First President of the

Philippines
____2. The summer capital of the
Philippines
 Arrangement of Elements
Ordering - measures memory of
relationships and concepts of
organization in many subjects.

It is rearrangement of elements consists of

ordering or assembling items in some
basis.
 Arrangement of Elements
1. Chronological Order
Example: Arrange the following Presidents in chronological order
from most recent to least recent. Write your answer on the spaces
at the right

Garcia 1. ____
Marcos 2.____
Magsaysay 3.____
Macapagal 4.____
Osmena 5.____
Quezon 6.____
Quirino 7.____
Roxas 8.____
 Arrangement of Elements
2. Geographical Order – This is arrangement according to
geographical location.

Example: Arrange the following provinces from north to south. Write your
answer on the spaces at the right
Bulacan 1. __________
Cagayan 2. __________
Nueva Ecija 3. __________
Sorsogon 4. __________
Nueva Viscaya 5. __________
Batangas 6. __________
Isabela 7. __________
Albay 8. __________
Camarines Sur 9. __________
Romblon 10. _________
 Arrangement of Elements
3. Arrangement according to Magnitude – the basis of
this arrangement in size, which may be height,
width, distance, etc

4. Alphabetical Order – Arrangement of words

according to their appearance in the dictionary.

5. Arrangement according to importance, Quality, etc.

Assignment:
1. Following the guidelines we discussed,
construct three (3) test items of each type.
2. Use your assigned major/area of
specialization.