Introduction

Test construction and evaluation have been under investigation by a large number of
authors for centuries but the interest towards tests has become even more intense in the past
few decades with the drive to reform testing and the consideration of its moral aspect.
Types of tests
A test is defined as a series of questions, problems, or physical responses designed to
determine knowledge, intelligence, or ability. Tests can be classified in different ways
according to various criteria. There is no uniformity in the classifications offered by the
different authors. However, following the classification in, tests can be divided into eight
basic categories:

1. According to the test purpose:

 Proficiency tests (used to measure students’ language abilities regardless of any
training);
 Achievement tests (to measure how much of the language taught during a certain
period of time has been learned);
 Diagnostic tests (to identify students’ strengths and weaknesses and to plan
further teaching);
 Placement tests (to place students in groups in compliance with their language
abilities);

 Aptitude tests (to predict a student’s future success or potential in a language

environment).

2. According to the test timing:

 Limited-time tests;
 Unlimited-time tests.

3. According to the test administration:

 Individual tests;
 Groups tests.

4. According to the answer type:

 Written tests;
 Computer tests;
 Performance tests.

5. According to the decision type:

  Preliminary tests;
 Current tests;
 Final tests;
 Diagnostic tests.

6. According to the item format type:

 Objective tests;
 Test essays.

7. According to the evaluation method:

 Norm-referenced tests;
 Criterion-referenced tests.

8. According to the test quality:

 Standardized tests;
Non-standardized Steps for Test Development
As with the test classification, there is no total agreement of experts about the precise
steps for test construction. Nevertheless, when constructing a test, it is necessary to go
through a number of stages in order to ensure its good quality:

1. Overall plan.
This is a very important preliminary stage, when test authors need to consider in detail
what exactly they wish to measure, which its manifestations are, and which circumstantial
factors could influence the results of the measurement. It is especially important to define
clearly the purpose of the test because that increases the possibility for achieving high
validity. Test authors also need to make a decision about the test format, which would be
most appropriate for their purposes.
In our case, a multiple choice test was selected to measure the extent of grammar and
vocabulary acquisition corresponding to the language level of B1. The reasons for this are
the advantages of multiple choice items both for the teacher and the student. Although
multiple choice tests take longer time to create than open questions, the time needed for
conducting and scoring such items is shorter.

Besides, MCQ tests are objective and, given a key, very easy to mark. Concerning the
student, closed questions such as the multiple choice ones are quicker and easier to do than
open essay-type questions, and within the same amount of time students can complete a
larger number of structured-answer questions than open ones. As a rule multiple choice items
are more reliable than open questions because the reliability of a test is related directly to its
objectivity and the number of items it contains.
The number of options (called distractors) in a test is arbitrary but experts recommend
that all test questions contain the same number of distractors, and they point out that the
quality of the distractors is more important than their number . The standard for teacher-
generated tests is considered to be four- and five- option items. In an attempt to determine
the optimal number of options in MCQs research has been done comparing three-option
MCQs with five-option tests, the results from which show that there is no significant
difference in the reliability and validity of both tests . However, in order to reduce the
possibility of guessing the correct answer in the multiple choice questions, all items in the
test for the students at PU contain four options each.

2. Contentdefinition.
At this stage, test authors have to determine what content is to be tested.
Based on the textbook contents, a list was made of the most important grammatical
structures and tenses and English vocabulary elements practised during the course of study,
which is included in the specification from the next step.

3. Testspecifications.
A test specification represents a plan of the test. It is a detailed, practical document
indicating what the test will contain, and is intended to assist test construction. Test
specifications include the following information:
 The purpose of the test – whether it is a placement, achievement, proficiency, or
diagnostictest.
 The sort of learner who will be taking the test, including their age, sex, level of
proficiency, first language, country of origin, level of education, reasons for
taking the test,etc.;
 The number of sections the test will have, how long they will be and in what
manner they will bedifferentiated;
 What text type should be chosen – written and/or spoken, what should their
sources, topics and degree of authenticity be, how complex the language should
be,etc.;

 What language skills should be tested, are distinctions made between items,
 testing main idea, specific detail, inferences,etc.;

 What language skills should be included – will there be a list of grammatical

structures and lexis,etc.;
 What sort of tasks are required – objectively assessable, integrative, simulated
“authentic”,etc.;
 How many items are required for each section, and what their relative weight will
be – equal weighting or extra weighting for more difficult items;
 What test methods are to be used – multiple choice, gap filling, matching,
transformations, picture descriptions, essay writing,etc.;
 What rubrics are to be used as instructions for students – will there be included
examples to help students know what is expected, and should the assessment
criteria be added to therubric;
 What assessment criteria will be used – how important is accuracy, spelling,
length of written text,etc.

Achievement test

Any test designed to assess the achievement in any subject with regard to a set of
predetermined objectives.

Achievement test is an important tool in school evaluation and has great significance in
measuring instructional progress and progress of the students in the subject area.

Achievement means one’s learning attainments, accomplishments, proficiencies, etc. It is

directly related to the pupil’s growth and development in educational situations.

Tests should give an accurate picture of students’ knowledge and skills in the subject area or
domain being tested. Accurate achievement data are very important for planning curriculum
and instruction and for program evaluation. Test scores that overestimate or underestimate
students’ actual knowledge and skills cannot serve these important purposes.

Definition

 “Any test that measures the attainments and accomplishments of an individual after a
period of training or learning”.
 NM Downie

 ‘The type of ability test that describes what a person has learned to do’

Throndike and Hagen

 “A systematic procedure for determining the amount a student has learned through
instructions”

Groulund

Objectives

 Identify and explain reasons for performing tests.

 Understand testing terminology to communicate clearly with students and colleagues.
 Evaluate a test’s validity and reliability.
 Select appropriate tests.
 Administer test protocols properly and safely.

Functions of test

 It provides basis for promotion to the next grade.

 To find out where each student stands in various academic areas.
 It helps in determination about the placement of the students in a particular section.
 To motivate the students before a new assignment has taken up.
 To know effectively the student is performing in theory as well as in clinical areas.
 To expose pupil’s difficulties which the teacher can help them to solve.

Characteristics

 Validity: refers to the appropriateness of the interpretations made from test scores and
other evaluation results, with regard to a particular use.
 Reliability: refers to the degree of consistency and accuracy with which it measures
what it is intended to measure.
 Usability: tests are usually administered and interpreted by teachers with only a
minimum amount of training in measurement.
Major steps involved in the construction of achievement test

 Planning of test
 Preparation of a design for the test
 Preparation of the blue print
 Writing of items
 Preparation of the scoring key and marking scheme
 Preparation of question wise analysis

Characteristics of a good test

Test preparation activities which promote quality, long-term learning are appropriate, even
essential. Good test-taking skills and appropriate content learning can reduce the likelihood
that extraneous factors will influence students’ test scores. The various characteristics of a
good test are:

 It can be tried out and selected on the basis of its difficulty level and discriminating
power.
 Directly related to the educational objectives.
 It should possess description of measure behavior in realistic and practical terms.
 Contains a sufficient number of test items for each measured behavior; concerned
with important and useful matter; comprehensive, brief, precise and clear.
 It should be divided into different knowledge and skills according to behavior to be
measured.
 Standardized the items and made instructions clear so that different users can utilize
it.
 Rules and norms have to be developed so that various age groups can use at various
levels.
 It provides equivalent and comparable forms of the test.
 A test manual has to be prepared, which can act as a guide for administering and
scoring.

Conclusion
Test Construction superior to percentile ranks for test interpretations but they tend to be not
well understood by many educators and general public. Standardized achievement test
batteries are popular for school use. In these the advantage of unity in plan and
standardization be weighed against a single achievement test. Some of the test batteries used
are briefly described and enlisted in the unit. Standardized achievement tests tend to be
carefully constructed and measure outcomes similar to those measured by academic aptitude
tests. When an academic aptitude-achievement test discrepancy is found, the teacher's task is
determine why the discrepancy exists, and then take appropriate steps to remedy it.
Bibliography
http://www.nsgmed.com/education/achievement-test-definition-objectives-functions-
characteristics/
http://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/7310/1/Unit-13.pdf
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/dc78/2f733b25c9f2e7b5e8e6b2f293ead6d182b7.pdf