Chapter 3: Objective testing doc

Chapter 3: Objective testing I. Subjective & Objective testing II. Objective tests III. General principles of multiple choice items IV. Important guidelines of multiple choice items V. Components of multiple choice items I. Subjective & Objective testing  Subjective & Objective terms the scoring methods  All tests subjectively constructed by the test writer  Objective tests: only one correct answer. + scored mechanically by computer + responsible for testing a large number of candidates  Reading, vocabulary & grammar objective methods  Writing & speaking  subjective methods  Objective tests  requiring more careful preparation  Pro. Duong Thieu Tong: + reliability of obj. tests: test writers + reliability of subj. tests: test markers Some criticism (1) Obj. tests: simpler to answer than subj. tests + the degree of difficulty determined by the test constructors + no indication that all objective tests - easy + carefully selected and constructed & rewritten where necessary + setting the pass-mark or the cutting - off point depending on the tester’s subjective judgment or on a particular external situation + pre-tested before being administrated on a wider basis (2) the multiple choice type encourages guessing + four or five alternatives for each item  sufficient to reduce the possibility of guessing + In reality, candidates rarely make wild guess; most base their guessing on partial knowledge Prof. Duong Thieu Tong  If Sts don’t prepare well for the test & the tests are difficult unable to make guess  long tests unable to guess correctly  reliability: 0 candidates guess easily  reliability: high Sts’ guessing (+ score)  educational experts in the modern time: prevention of guessing & correction for guessing  Obj. tests: gram., voc.& phonology  A poor objective test: poor written items, irrelevant areas or skills (as they are testable), not communicative skills  Objective tests cannot - test students’ ability to communicate - evaluate their actual performance  A good classroom test: objective & subjective items III. General principles of multiple choice items  One of the most widely useful types of items  The most time-consuming item to construct  Not testing language as communication  A useful means of teaching & testing various learning situation (esp. gram & vocabulary not ability to use the language)  Measuring Sts’ ability to recognize correct grammatical forms helping both T &Ss to identify areas of difficulty The number of options - public tests: 5 options - classroom tests (esp. grammar) : 4 options - vocabulary & reading : 5 options The number of options varying - the level of difficulty - the language areas being tested - the purpose of the test Multiple choice items - long enough reliable assessment - short enough practicable . Chapter 3: Objective testing I. Subjective & Objective testing II. Objective tests III. General principles of multiple choice items IV items I. Subjective & Objective testing  Subjective & Objective terms the scoring methods  All tests subjectively constructed by the test writer  Objective tests: only one correct. computer + responsible for testing a large number of candidates  Reading, vocabulary & grammar objective methods  Writing & speaking  subjective methods  Objective tests  requiring