Module 3.

Development of Classroom Assessment for

Measuring Knowledge and Learning

II. Development of Classroom Assessment

Learning Objectives
At the end of this session, the students are expected to:
a. Identify the different teacher – made tests, their advantages and
disadvantages; and
b. Formulate their own sample questions.

Introduction
Every classroom teacher is interested to know how far and wide he/she can
facilitate, orient and guide his/her students with the knowledge, ideas, abilities, skills, and
attitudes that he/she wishes to build up to achieve his/her teaching objectives and make
his/her students responsive to the changing needs of the society. He/she is in the best
position to ascertain the strength and weaknesses and the needs of his/her students, and
the goals he/she wants to achieve.
The classroom teacher usually gives the following types of test (item formats) in
the classroom: Multiple Choice, true or false, matching type, completion, cloze, and
essay.
A. Multiple Choice
The multiple-choice type of test is a form of assessment in which students
are asked to select the correct or best answer out of the choices from a list. In this
kind of test, an item consists of two parts: the stem and a set of options (or
alternatives). It requires the students to select from the options that will make the
stem complete and correct. All incorrect or less appropriate responses are called
distracters or foils.
Examples
Direct Question
Who is the President of the Philippines after EDSA I?

Incomplete Statement
The President of the Philippines after EDSA I is
a. President Gloria Arroyo
b. President Corazon Aquino
c. President Joseph Estrada
d. President Fidel Ramos
Mathematical equation
In the equation 2𝑥 + 3 = 4, solve for x.
a. 4
b. 10
c. 0.5
d. 1.5
e. 8

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 I. Advantages of the Multiple – Choice Test
a. It has great versatility in measuring objectives from the level of rote memorization
to the most complex level.
b. It often requires less time to administer than tests requiring written responses.
c. Because this style of test does not require a teacher to interpret the answers, test
– takes are graded purely on the selection, thus creating a lower likelihood of
teacher bias in the results.
d. Because student writing is minimized, the teacher can cover a substantial
amount of course material in a relatively short time.
e. Scoring is objective since only little interpretation is needed to count the number
of correct responses.
f. Teachers can construct options that require students to discriminate among them.
These items vary in the degree of correctness.
g. The effects of guessing are largely reduced since there are more options.
h. Items are more amenable to item analysis.

II. Disadvantages of the Multiple – Choice Test

a. This type of test is more time consuming in terms of looking for options that are
plausible.
b. Multiple choice tests are ambiguous.
c. In a multiple-choice test, a student who is incapable of answering a particular
question can simply select a random answer and still have a chance of receiving
a mark of it.
d. Test – naïve students complain of more than one defensible correct answer.

III. Suggestions for Writing Multiple – Choice Tests

1. The stem should introduce what is expected.
2. Avoid repetition of words in the options.
3. When the incomplete statement format is used, the options should come at the
end of the statement.
4. Avoid specific determiners.
5. Use vocabulary suited on the maturity of the students. Consider the example
for Grade 4 pupils:
Poor Example
The foremost contribution of Magellan to civilization is that he was the person to
a. Circumnavigate the world
b. Discover the Atlantic Ocean
c. Land on American Soil
d. Look for the fountain of youth.
Improved
Magellan was the person to
a. Go around the world
b. Discover the Atlantic Ocean
c. Land on American Soil
d. Look for the fountain of youth.

6. Stems and options should be stated positively whenever possible.

7. Options should be plausible and homogeneous.
8. Items should have a defensible correct or best option.
9. Avoid items that measure opinions.
10. Vary the placement of correct options.
11. Avoid overlapping options. A multiple-choice test should only have one correct
option. Avoid having options like:
a. Lady b. Lass c. Woman d. girl

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 12. Use “none of the above” as an option only if there is an absolute right answer.
13. Avoid asking students for trivial information.
Example
The first woman President of the Philippines is
a. Pres. Corazon A. Aquino
b. Pres. Corazon B. Aquino
c. Pres. Corazon C. Aquino
d. Pres. Corazon D. Aquino
14. Arrange options in a logical order.
15. The stem should be clear and grammatically correct and should contain
elements common in each option.
16. Use four or five options.

IV. Types of Multiple-Choice Tests

a. Stimulus Material – Stem – Options

Example 1
For item 1 – 2:

The papers, of course, had been full of tragedy – glaring headlines,

sandwiched biographies of every member of the household and the usual
familiar tag about the police having no clue. Nothing was spared. The war
was momentarily inactive and the newspapers seized with avidity on this
crime in fashionable life: “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” was the topic of
the moment.
- From “The Mysterious Affair at Styles by
Agatha Christie

1. Why are the newspapers making The Mysterious Affair at Styles their lead
story?
a. They are bored with regular news.
b. The Cavendishes were fashionable.
c. The war is over.
2. How would one describe the newspapers’ coverage of the crime?
a. Silly
b. Humorous
c. Thorough
b. Stem – options

Example 2

Which of the following serves as an example of formative assessments?

a. Diagnostic test
b. Entrance test
c. Periodical test
d. Short quizzes
c. Negative Stem
Example 3
The following are examples of an adjective EXCEPT
a. albeit
b. august
c. gargantuan
d. titanic

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d. Best answer
Example 4
Since there is no clear – cut or well defined policies on observing privacy in all
instances, the teacher is simply required to be
a. anonymous
b. carefree
c. secretive
d. sensitive
e. Contained Options
Example 5
Identify the error in the sentence.
My parents was in Manila to assist my sister enroll in College. No error
a b c d e
f. Correct Answer

Example 6

What is the summer capital city of the Philippines?

a. Baguio City
b. Cebu City
c. Davao City
d. Olongapo City

B. Binary Item Test (True or False)

I. Advantages of the True or False Test

1. Item Sampling
2. Ease of Construction
3. Ease of Scoring
II. Disadvantages of the True or False Test
1. Emphasis on Rote Memorization
2. Likelihood of Guessing

III. Pointers on Writing True or False

1. Avoid writing a very long statement.
2. Avoid trivial questions.
3. It should contain only one idea in each item except for statement showing the
relationship between cause and effect.
4. It can be used for establishing cause and effect.
5. Avoid using opinion-based statement, it it cannot be avoided the statement
should be attributed to somebody.
6. Avoid using negative or double negatives.
7. Avoid specific determiner such as “some”, “always”, “all”, “none” for they tend to
appear in the statement that are false.
8. Avoid specific determiner such as “some” “sometimes,” and “may” that tend to
appear in the statement that are true.
9. The number of true items must be the same with the number of false items.
10. Avoid grammatical clues that lead to a correct answer such as the article (a, an,
the).
11. Avoid statement directly taken from the textbook.
12. Avoid arranging the statement in a logical order such as (TTTTT-FFFFF,
TFTFTFTF, TTFFTTFFTT)
13. Directions should indicate where or how the students should mark their answer .

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 C. Matching – Type Test
Matching Type Test has two column, the column A which contains the description
and must be place at the left side while column B contains options and placed at the right
side.

I. Guidelines in constructing Matching Type of Test

1. The description and options must be short and homogenous.
2. The description must be written at the left side and marked it with Column A
and the options must be written at the right side and marked it with Column B
to save time for the examinees.
3. There should be more options than descriptions or indicate in the directions
that each option may be used more than once to decrease the chance of
guessing.
4. Matching directions should specify the basis for matching.
5. Avoid too many correct answers.
6. When using names, always include the complete name (first and surname) to
avoid ambiguities.
7. Use numbers for the descriptions and letters for the options to avoid confusions
to the students that have a reading problem.
8. Arrange the options into a chronological order or alphabetical order.
9. The descriptions and options must be written in the same page.
10. A minimum of three items and a maximum of seven items for elementary level
and a maximum of seventeen items for secondary and tertiary levels.

II. Advantages
1. It is simple to construct and score.
2. It reduces the effects of guessing.

III. Disadvantages
1. It tends to ask students to associate trivial information.
2. In case of commercial answer sheets, matching items can accommodate no
more than five options.

D. Completion Test
I. Advantages
1. Construction of completion test is relatively easy.
2. Guessing is eliminated.
3. Item sampling is improved.
II. Disadvantages of the Completion Test
1. Complete tests are difficult.
2. It measures rote memory.
III. Pointers on Writing Completion and Short Item Tests
1. The item should require a single word answer.
2. Be sure that the language used in the statement is precise and accurate in
relation to the subject matter being tested.
3. Be sure to omit only key words.
4. Do not leave the blank at the beginning or within the statement.
5. Use direct question rather than incomplete statement.
6. Be sure to indicate the units in which the statement requires numerical
answers.
7. Be sure the answer of the student is required to produce is factually correct.

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 E. Essay Test

Reference

• Reganit, A. , Elicay, R. , Laguerte, C. (2011). Assessment of Student Learning 1

(Cognitive Learning).

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