Categories: All - grammar - reliability - cheating

by J. Manuel D. 6 years ago

738

Common test techniques

Various testing techniques have unique advantages and disadvantages. Multiple-choice items enable rapid and reliable scoring, testing receptive skills effectively. However, they can facilitate cheating, limit the scope of what can be tested, and introduce issues with guessing.

Common test techniques

Common test techniques

YES/NO and TRUE/FALSE items

Giving reasons will affect validity
Cannot be used in formal exams
Test takers have 50% of success
Can be modified to give reasons
Can be used when assessing

Multiple choice items

Cheating may be facilitated
Backwash may be harmful
Complicated constructioon
Restrics what can be tested
Guessing has an unknowable effect
Only recognises knowledge
Allows the testing of receptive skills
Rapid scoring
Scoring is perfectly reliable

Gap filling items

Does not have high reliability
Does not ask for productive skills
Unclear instructions will lead to failing
Discontinuous items may ask for more than 1 respone
Work well when testing grammar and vocabulary
Work best when the missing words can be found in the text

Short-answer items

Disadvantages
Scoring may take longer
Likely to be subjective
Test takers have to produce language
Responses may take longer
Advantages
Items should be easy to write
Cheating is not likely to happen
It is not restricted by distrators
Guessing will contribute less to test scores