Computer Science Objective Tests

October 27, 1999

Version: Provisional
What are objective tests?
Objective tests as we use them are multiple choice: uestions are presente! alon" with a number
o# options, or choices, #or $ou to choose #rom% Onl$ one o# these options is the correct answer%
There is no subjective ju!"ement e&ercise! b$ the e&aminer when assessin" the mar' "iven #or
the answers in an objective test% The answers are either ri"ht or
wron"% There are several #ormats #or objective tests but $ou will be "iven onl$ tests o# the multiple
choice t$pe%
Contrast this with tra!itional subjective tests% T$picall$ subjective tests are compose! o# several
multipart uestions, a selection o# which must be attempte! b$
$ou, the test can!i!ate% These tests usuall$ reuire $ou to !o a #air amount o# writin"%
There are several advantages and disadvantages to subjective
tests:
(isa!vanta"es
(epen!ence on presentation%
)# $ou have ba! han!writin" the e&aminer ma$ be unable*unwillin" to stru""le in
or!er to un!erstan! $our answer%
Conversel$, $ou ma$ present a well lai! out an! planne! answer that contains a
lot o# +wa##le+ or ha,$ 'nowle!"e, $et receives a "oo! mar'%
-acilit$ in writin"%
+Those who write #luentl$, spee!il$ an! whose #low o# thou"ht comes easil$, have
an a!vanta"e over those who thin' more slowl$ .but possibl$ more
!eepl$/ an! those who write with less #acilit$ .but possibl$ with better ualit$
content/%+
p%29, +Objective Testin" in 0!ucation an! Trainin"+, 1% 2onne$ 3ust
4uestion evasion%
)# there are several uestions in a subjective test, onl$ some o# which must be
answere!, then it is possible #or the can!i!ate to avoi! uestions in areas o#
the curriculum in which the$ are wea'%
)t also #ollows that as can!i!ates are #ree to choose a subset o# the test
uestions, it becomes !i##icult to compare can!i!ates as the$ are e##ectivel$
ta'in" !i##erent tests%
4uestion Spottin"%
5 "oo! strate"$ #or preparin" to ta'e a subjective test is to loo' at past papers%
Can!i!ates soon spot recurrin" uestions on speci#ic topic areas so that it
becomes possible to onl$ revise some o# the s$llabus an! still obtain a respectable
"ra!e%
Variation in mar'in"%
This is possibl$ the "reatest !isa!vanta"e to a subjective test: inconsistenc$ in
subjective assessment%
3esearch6 has shown that e&perience! e&aminers awar! wi!el$ var$in" mar's
not onl$ on the same piece o# wor' mar'e! b$ other e&aminers, but on their
own mar'e! scripts re7mar'e! a#ter a passa"e o# time%
6 +5n 0&amination o# 0&aminations+, 8arto" an! 3ho!es
Advantages
9nli'e objective tests, subjective tests can !emonstrate the can!i!ates abilit$ to
marshall material an! present it in a lo"ical or!er%
Subjective tests allow a can!i!ate to e&press ori"inalit$ o# thou"ht%
Subjective tests allow the can!i!ate to !emonstrate their abilit$ to !evelop an
ar"ument%
)n a!!ition, subjective tests allow the e&aminer to assess the can!i!ate:s ualit$
o# written e&pression%
Summary
One the criticisms ma!e o# objective tests is is the assertion that the$ simpl$ test $our abilit$ in
#actual, or memor$ recall% 8owever $ou will be as'e! to answer
multiple choice uestions coverin" all the material in the s$llabus an! coverin" the whole ran"e o#
intellectual s'ills% To 'now more about this $ou shoul! consult
2loom:s Ta&onom$%
Objective tests have man$ more in!ivi!ual uestions than a subjective test% This means that the
whole o# the course s$llabus will be covere! an! $ou, an! we, will
'now i# $ou or the class as a whole are havin" an$ !i##iculties in an$ particular topics covere! b$
the course%
Objective Testing: Bloom's taxonomy
)n his boo', Ta&onom$ o# 0!ucational Objectives Pro#essor 2loom !erive! a list
o# intellectual s'ills that coul! be assesse! b$ care#ull$ constructe! uestions%

;nowle!"e
3ecall the #acts an! concepts%
Comprehension
9n!erstan! what the #acts an! concepts mean%
5pplication
5ppl$ the un!erstan!in" o# #acts an! concepts in a "iven situation%
5nal$sis
0&tract #rom a conte&t the #acts $ou nee! to 'now%
S$nthesis
Combine #acts an! concepts $ou un!erstan! to achieve a speci#ie!
"oal%
0valuation
5ssess a situation where 'nowle!"e is partial an! ambiuous%