advantages of essay test items

Your Article Library

Essay test: types, advantages and limitations | statistics.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

After reading this article you will learn about:- 1. Introduction to Essay Test 2. Types of Essay Test 3. Advantages 4. Limitations 5. Suggestions.

Introduction to Essay Test:

The essay tests are still commonly used tools of evaluation, despite the increasingly wider applicability of the short answer and objective type questions.

There are certain outcomes of learning (e.g., organising, summarising, integrating ideas and expressing in one’s own way) which cannot be satisfactorily measured through objective type tests. The importance of essay tests lies in the measurement of such instructional outcomes.

An essay test may give full freedom to the students to write any number of pages. The required response may vary in length. An essay type question requires the pupil to plan his own answer and to explain it in his own words. The pupil exercises considerable freedom to select, organise and present his ideas. Essay type tests provide a better indication of pupil’s real achievement in learning. The answers provide a clue to nature and quality of the pupil’s thought process.

That is, we can assess how the pupil presents his ideas (whether his manner of presentation is coherent, logical and systematic) and how he concludes. In other words, the answer of the pupil reveals the structure, dynamics and functioning of pupil’s mental life.

The essay questions are generally thought to be the traditional type of questions which demand lengthy answers. They are not amenable to objective scoring as they give scope for halo-effect, inter-examiner variability and intra-examiner variability in scoring.

Types of Essay Test:

There can be many types of essay tests:

Some of these are given below with examples from different subjects:

1. Selective Recall.

e.g. What was the religious policy of Akbar?

2. Evaluative Recall.

e.g. Why did the First War of Independence in 1857 fail?

3. Comparison of two things—on a single designated basis.

e.g. Compare the contributions made by Dalton and Bohr to Atomic theory.

4. Comparison of two things—in general.

e.g. Compare Early Vedic Age with the Later Vedic Age.

5. Decision—for or against.

e.g. Which type of examination do you think is more reliable? Oral or Written. Why?

6. Causes or effects.

e.g. Discuss the effects of environmental pollution on our lives.

7. Explanation of the use or exact meaning of some phrase in a passage or a sentence.

e.g., Joint Stock Company is an artificial person. Explain ‘artificial person’ bringing out the concepts of Joint Stock Company.

8. Summary of some unit of the text or of some article.

9. Analysis

e.g. What was the role played by Mahatma Gandhi in India’s freedom struggle?

10. Statement of relationship.

e.g. Why is knowledge of Botany helpful in studying agriculture?

11. Illustration or examples (your own) of principles in science, language, etc.

e.g. Illustrate the correct use of subject-verb position in an interrogative sentence.

12. Classification.

e.g. Classify the following into Physical change and Chemical change with explanation. Water changes to vapour; Sulphuric Acid and Sodium Hydroxide react to produce Sodium Sulphate and Water; Rusting of Iron; Melting of Ice.

13. Application of rules or principles in given situations.

e.g. If you sat halfway between the middle and one end of a sea-saw, would a person sitting on the other end have to be heavier or lighter than you in order to make the sea-saw balance in the middle. Why?

14. Discussion.

e.g. Partnership is a relationship between persons who have agreed to share the profits of a business carried on by all or any of them acting for all. Discuss the essentials of partnership on the basis of this partnership.

15. Criticism—as to the adequacy, correctness, or relevance—of a printed statement or a classmate’s answer to a question on the lesson.

e.g. What is the wrong with the following statement?

The Prime Minister is the sovereign Head of State in India.

16. Outline.

e.g. Outline the steps required in computing the compound interest if the principal amount, rate of interest and time period are given as P, R and T respectively.

17. Reorganization of facts.

e.g. The student is asked to interview some persons and find out their opinion on the role of UN in world peace. In the light of data thus collected he/she can reorganise what is given in the text book.

18. Formulation of questions-problems and questions raised.

e.g. After reading a lesson the pupils are asked to raise related problems- questions.

19. New methods of procedure

e.g. Can you solve this mathematical problem by using another method?

Advantages of the Essay Tests:

1. It is relatively easier to prepare and administer a six-question extended- response essay test than to prepare and administer a comparable 60-item multiple-choice test items.

2. It is the only means that can assess an examinee’s ability to organise and present his ideas in a logical and coherent fashion.

3. It can be successfully employed for practically all the school subjects.

4. Some of the objectives such as ability to organise idea effectively, ability to criticise or justify a statement, ability to interpret, etc., can be best measured by this type of test.

5. Logical thinking and critical reasoning, systematic presentation, etc. can be best developed by this type of test.

6. It helps to induce good study habits such as making outlines and summaries, organising the arguments for and against, etc.

7. The students can show their initiative, the originality of their thought and the fertility of their imagination as they are permitted freedom of response.

8. The responses of the students need not be completely right or wrong. All degrees of comprehensiveness and accuracy are possible.

9. It largely eliminates guessing.

10. They are valuable in testing the functional knowledge and power of expression of the pupil.

Limitations of Essay Tests:

1. One of the serious limitations of the essay tests is that these tests do not give scope for larger sampling of the content. You cannot sample the course content so well with six lengthy essay questions as you can with 60 multiple-choice test items.

2. Such tests encourage selective reading and emphasise cramming.

3. Moreover, scoring may be affected by spelling, good handwriting, coloured ink, neatness, grammar, length of the answer, etc.

4. The long-answer type questions are less valid and less reliable, and as such they have little predictive value.

5. It requires an excessive time on the part of students to write; while assessing, reading essays is very time-consuming and laborious.

6. It can be assessed only by a teacher or competent professionals.

7. Improper and ambiguous wording handicaps both the students and valuers.

8. Mood of the examiner affects the scoring of answer scripts.

9. There is halo effect-biased judgement by previous impressions.

10. The scores may be affected by his personal bias or partiality for a particular point of view, his way of understanding the question, his weightage to different aspect of the answer, favouritism and nepotism, etc.

Thus, the potential disadvantages of essay type questions are :

(i) Poor predictive validity,

(ii) Limited content sampling,

(iii) Scores unreliability, and

(iv) Scoring constraints.

Suggestions for Improving Essay Tests:

The teacher can sometimes, through essay tests, gain improved insight into a student’s abilities, difficulties and ways of thinking and thus have a basis for guiding his/her learning.

(A) White Framing Questions:

1. Give adequate time and thought to the preparation of essay questions, so that they can be re-examined, revised and edited before they are used. This would increase the validity of the test.

2. The item should be so written that it will elicit the type of behaviour the teacher wants to measure. If one is interested in measuring understanding, he should not ask a question that will elicit an opinion; e.g.,

“What do you think of Buddhism in comparison to Jainism?”

3. Use words which themselves give directions e.g. define, illustrate, outline, select, classify, summarise, etc., instead of discuss, comment, explain, etc.

4. Give specific directions to students to elicit the desired response.

5. Indicate clearly the value of the question and the time suggested for answering it.

6. Do not provide optional questions in an essay test because—

(i) It is difficult to construct questions of equal difficulty;

(ii) Students do not have the ability to select those questions which they will answer best;

(iii) A good student may be penalised because he is challenged by the more difficult and complex questions.

7. Prepare and use a relatively large number of questions requiring short answers rather than just a few questions involving long answers.

8. Do not start essay questions with such words as list, who, what, whether. If we begin the questions with such words, they are likely to be short-answer question and not essay questions, as we have defined the term.

9. Adapt the length of the response and complexity of the question and answer to the maturity level of the students.

10. The wording of the questions should be clear and unambiguous.

11. It should be a power test rather than a speed test. Allow a liberal time limit so that the essay test does not become a test of speed in writing.

12. Supply the necessary training to the students in writing essay tests.

13. Questions should be graded from simple to complex so that all the testees can answer atleast a few questions.

14. Essay questions should provide value points and marking schemes.

(B) While Scoring Questions:

1. Prepare a marking scheme, suggesting the best possible answer and the weightage given to the various points of this model answer. Decide in advance which factors will be considered in evaluating an essay response.

2. While assessing the essay response, one must:

a. Use appropriate methods to minimise bias;

b. Pay attention only to the significant and relevant aspects of the answer;

c. Be careful not to let personal idiosyncrasies affect assessment;

d. Apply a uniform standard to all the papers.

3. The examinee’s identity should be concealed from the scorer. By this we can avoid the “halo effect” or “biasness” which may affect the scoring.

4. Check your marking scheme against actual responses.

5. Once the assessment has begun, the standard should not be changed, nor should it vary from paper to paper or reader to reader. Be consistent in your assessment.

6. Grade only one question at a time for all papers. This will help you in minimising the halo effect in becoming thoroughly familiar with just one set of scoring criteria and in concentrating completely on them.

7. The mechanics of expression (legibility, spelling, punctuation, grammar) should be judged separately from what the student writes, i.e. the subject matter content.

8. If possible, have two independent readings of the test and use the average as the final score.

Merits and Demerits of Objective Type Test
Types of Recall Type Test: Simple and Completion | Objective Test

Educational Statistics , Evaluation Tools , Essay Test

Comments are closed.

Illinois Online
Illinois Remote

New Freshmen
New International Students
Info about COMPOSITION
Info about MATH
Info about SCIENCE
LOTE for Non-Native Speakers
Log-in Instructions
ALEKS PPL Math Placement Exam
Advanced Placement (AP) Credit
What is IB?
Advanced Level (A-Levels) Credit
Departmental Proficiency Exams
Departmental Proficiency Exams in LOTE ("Languages Other Than English")
Testing in Less Commonly Studied Languages
FAQ on placement testing
FAQ on proficiency testing
Legislation FAQ
2024 Cutoff Scores Math
2024 Cutoff Scores Chemistry
2024 Cutoff Scores IMR-Biology
2024 Cutoff Scores MCB
2024 Cutoff Scores Physics
2024 Cutoff Scores Rhetoric
2024 Cutoff Scores ESL
2024 Cutoff Scores Chinese
2024 Cutoff Scores French
2024 Cutoff Scores German
2024 Cutoff Scores Latin
2024 Cutoff Scores Spanish
2024 Advanced Placement Program
2024 International Baccalaureate Program
2024 Advanced Level Exams
2023 Cutoff Scores Math
2023 Cutoff Scores Chemistry
2023 Cutoff Scores IMR-Biology
2023 Cutoff Scores MCB
2023 Cutoff Scores Physics
2023 Cutoff Scores Rhetoric
2023 Cutoff Scores ESL
2023 Cutoff Scores Chinese
2023 Cutoff Scores French
2023 Cutoff Scores German
2023 Cutoff Scores Latin
2023 Cutoff Scores Spanish
2023 Advanced Placement Program
2023 International Baccalaureate Program
2023 Advanced Level Exams
2022 Cutoff Scores Math
2022 Cutoff Scores Chemistry
2022 Cutoff Scores IMR-Biology
2022 Cutoff Scores MCB
2022 Cutoff Scores Physics
2022 Cutoff Scores Rhetoric
2022 Cutoff Scores ESL
2022 Cutoff Scores Chinese
2022 Cutoff Scores French
2022 Cutoff Scores German
2022 Cutoff Scores Latin
2022 Cutoff Scores Spanish
2022 Advanced Placement Program
2022 International Baccalaureate Program
2022 Advanced Level Exams
2021 Cutoff Scores Math
2021 Cutoff Scores Chemistry
2021 Cutoff Scores IMR-Biology
2021 Cutoff Scores MCB
2021 Cutoff Scores Physics
2021 Cutoff Scores Rhetoric
2021 Cutoff Scores ESL
2021 Cutoff Scores Chinese
2021 Cutoff Scores French
2021 Cutoff Scores German
2021 Cutoff Scores Latin
2021 Cutoff Scores Spanish
2021 Advanced Placement Program
2021 International Baccalaureate Program
2021 Advanced Level Exams
2020 Cutoff Scores Math
2020 Cutoff Scores Chemistry
2020 Cutoff Scores MCB
2020 Cutoff Scores Physics
2020 Cutoff Scores Rhetoric
2020 Cutoff Scores ESL
2020 Cutoff Scores Chinese
2020 Cutoff Scores French
2020 Cutoff Scores German
2020 Cutoff Scores Latin
2020 Cutoff Scores Spanish
2020 Advanced Placement Program
2020 International Baccalaureate Program
2020 Advanced Level Exams
2019 Cutoff Scores Math
2019 Cutoff Scores Chemistry
2019 Cutoff Scores MCB
2019 Cutoff Scores Physics
2019 Cutoff Scores Rhetoric
2019 Cutoff Scores Chinese
2019 Cutoff Scores ESL
2019 Cutoff Scores French
2019 Cutoff Scores German
2019 Cutoff Scores Latin
2019 Cutoff Scores Spanish
2019 Advanced Placement Program
2019 International Baccalaureate Program
2019 Advanced Level Exams
2018 Cutoff Scores Math
2018 Cutoff Scores Chemistry
2018 Cutoff Scores MCB
2018 Cutoff Scores Physics
2018 Cutoff Scores Rhetoric
2018 Cutoff Scores ESL
2018 Cutoff Scores French
2018 Cutoff Scores German
2018 Cutoff Scores Latin
2018 Cutoff Scores Spanish
2018 Advanced Placement Program
2018 International Baccalaureate Program
2018 Advanced Level Exams
2017 Cutoff Scores Math
2017 Cutoff Scores Chemistry
2017 Cutoff Scores MCB
2017 Cutoff Scores Physics
2017 Cutoff Scores Rhetoric
2017 Cutoff Scores ESL
2017 Cutoff Scores French
2017 Cutoff Scores German
2017 Cutoff Scores Latin
2017 Cutoff Scores Spanish
2017 Advanced Placement Program
2017 International Baccalaureate Program
2017 Advanced Level Exams
2016 Cutoff Scores Math
2016 Cutoff Scores Chemistry
2016 Cutoff Scores Physics
2016 Cutoff Scores Rhetoric
2016 Cutoff Scores ESL
2016 Cutoff Scores French
2016 Cutoff Scores German
2016 Cutoff Scores Latin
2016 Cutoff Scores Spanish
2016 Advanced Placement Program
2016 International Baccalaureate Program
2016 Advanced Level Exams
2015 Fall Cutoff Scores Math
2016 Spring Cutoff Scores Math
2015 Cutoff Scores Chemistry
2015 Cutoff Scores Physics
2015 Cutoff Scores Rhetoric
2015 Cutoff Scores ESL
2015 Cutoff Scores French
2015 Cutoff Scores German
2015 Cutoff Scores Latin
2015 Cutoff Scores Spanish
2015 Advanced Placement Program
2015 International Baccalaureate (IB) Program
2015 Advanced Level Exams
2014 Cutoff Scores Math
2014 Cutoff Scores Chemistry
2014 Cutoff Scores Physics
2014 Cutoff Scores Rhetoric
2014 Cutoff Scores ESL
2014 Cutoff Scores French
2014 Cutoff Scores German
2014 Cutoff Scores Latin
2014 Cutoff Scores Spanish
2014 Advanced Placement (AP) Program
2014 International Baccalaureate (IB) Program
2014 Advanced Level Examinations (A Levels)
2013 Cutoff Scores Math
2013 Cutoff Scores Chemistry
2013 Cutoff Scores Physics
2013 Cutoff Scores Rhetoric
2013 Cutoff Scores ESL
2013 Cutoff Scores French
2013 Cutoff Scores German
2013 Cutoff Scores Latin
2013 Cutoff Scores Spanish
2013 Advanced Placement (AP) Program
2013 International Baccalaureate (IB) Program
2013 Advanced Level Exams (A Levels)
2012 Cutoff Scores Math
2012 Cutoff Scores Chemistry
2012 Cutoff Scores Physics
2012 Cutoff Scores Rhetoric
2012 Cutoff Scores ESL
2012 Cutoff Scores French
2012 Cutoff Scores German
2012 Cutoff Scores Latin
2012 Cutoff Scores Spanish
2012 Advanced Placement (AP) Program
2012 International Baccalaureate (IB) Program
2012 Advanced Level Exams (A Levels)
2011 Cutoff Scores Math
2011 Cutoff Scores Chemistry
2011 Cutoff Scores Physics
2011 Cutoff Scores Rhetoric
2011 Cutoff Scores French
2011 Cutoff Scores German
2011 Cutoff Scores Latin
2011 Cutoff Scores Spanish
2011 Advanced Placement (AP) Program
2011 International Baccalaureate (IB) Program
2010 Cutoff Scores Math
2010 Cutoff Scores Chemistry
2010 Cutoff Scores Rhetoric
2010 Cutoff Scores French
2010 Cutoff Scores German
2010 Cutoff Scores Latin
2010 Cutoff Scores Spanish
2010 Advanced Placement (AP) Program
2010 International Baccalaureate (IB) Program
2009 Cutoff Scores Math
2009 Cutoff Scores Chemistry
2009 Cutoff Scores Rhetoric
2009 Cutoff Scores French
2009 Cutoff Scores German
2009 Cutoff Scores Latin
2009 Cutoff Scores Spanish
2009 Advanced Placement (AP) Program
2009 International Baccalaureate (IB) Program
2008 Cutoff Scores Math
2008 Cutoff Scores Chemistry
2008 Cutoff Scores Rhetoric
2008 Cutoff Scores French
2008 Cutoff Scores German
2008 Cutoff Scores Latin
2008 Cutoff Scores Spanish
2008 Advanced Placement (AP) Program
2008 International Baccalaureate (IB) Program
Log in & Interpret Student Profiles
Mobius View
Classroom Test Analysis: The Total Report
Item Analysis
Error Report
Omitted or Multiple Correct Answers
QUEST Analysis
Assigning Course Grades

Improving Your Test Questions

ICES Online
Myths & Misperceptions
Longitudinal Profiles
List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students
Focus Groups
IEF Question Bank

For questions or information:

Choosing between Objective and Subjective Test Items

Multiple-Choice Test Items

True-false test items, matching test items, completion test items, essay test items, problem solving test items, performance test items.

Two Methods for Assessing Test Item Quality
Assistance Offered by The Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL)
References for Further Reading

I. Choosing Between Objective and Subjective Test Items

There are two general categories of test items: (1) objective items which require students to select the correct response from several alternatives or to supply a word or short phrase to answer a question or complete a statement; and (2) subjective or essay items which permit the student to organize and present an original answer. Objective items include multiple-choice, true-false, matching and completion, while subjective items include short-answer essay, extended-response essay, problem solving and performance test items. For some instructional purposes one or the other item types may prove more efficient and appropriate. To begin out discussion of the relative merits of each type of test item, test your knowledge of these two item types by answering the following questions.

Quiz Answers

1 Sax, G., & Collet, L. S. (1968). An empirical comparison of the effects of recall and multiple-choice tests on student achievement. J ournal of Educational Measurement, 5 (2), 169–173. doi:10.1111/j.1745-3984.1968.tb00622.x

Paterson, D. G. (1926). Do new and old type examinations measure different mental functions? School and Society, 24 , 246–248.

When to Use Essay or Objective Tests

Essay tests are especially appropriate when:

the group to be tested is small and the test is not to be reused.
you wish to encourage and reward the development of student skill in writing.
you are more interested in exploring the student's attitudes than in measuring his/her achievement.
you are more confident of your ability as a critical and fair reader than as an imaginative writer of good objective test items.

Objective tests are especially appropriate when:

the group to be tested is large and the test may be reused.
highly reliable test scores must be obtained as efficiently as possible.
impartiality of evaluation, absolute fairness, and freedom from possible test scoring influences (e.g., fatigue, lack of anonymity) are essential.
you are more confident of your ability to express objective test items clearly than of your ability to judge essay test answers correctly.
there is more pressure for speedy reporting of scores than for speedy test preparation.

Either essay or objective tests can be used to:

measure almost any important educational achievement a written test can measure.
test understanding and ability to apply principles.
test ability to think critically.
test ability to solve problems.
test ability to select relevant facts and principles and to integrate them toward the solution of complex problems.

In addition to the preceding suggestions, it is important to realize that certain item types are better suited than others for measuring particular learning objectives. For example, learning objectives requiring the student to demonstrate or to show , may be better measured by performance test items, whereas objectives requiring the student to explain or to describe may be better measured by essay test items. The matching of learning objective expectations with certain item types can help you select an appropriate kind of test item for your classroom exam as well as provide a higher degree of test validity (i.e., testing what is supposed to be tested). To further illustrate, several sample learning objectives and appropriate test items are provided on the following page.

After you have decided to use either an objective, essay or both objective and essay exam, the next step is to select the kind(s) of objective or essay item that you wish to include on the exam. To help you make such a choice, the different kinds of objective and essay items are presented in the following section. The various kinds of items are briefly described and compared to one another in terms of their advantages and limitations for use. Also presented is a set of general suggestions for the construction of each item variation.

II. Suggestions for Using and Writing Test Items

The multiple-choice item consists of two parts: (a) the stem, which identifies the question or problem and (b) the response alternatives. Students are asked to select the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. For example:

Sample Multiple-Choice Item

*correct response

Advantages in Using Multiple-Choice Items

Multiple-choice items can provide...

versatility in measuring all levels of cognitive ability.
highly reliable test scores.
scoring efficiency and accuracy.
objective measurement of student achievement or ability.
a wide sampling of content or objectives.
a reduced guessing factor when compared to true-false items.
different response alternatives which can provide diagnostic feedback.

Limitations in Using Multiple-Choice Items

Multiple-choice items...

are difficult and time consuming to construct.
lead an instructor to favor simple recall of facts.
place a high degree of dependence on the student's reading ability and instructor's writing ability.

Suggestions For Writing Multiple-Choice Test Items

Item alternatives.

13. Use at least four alternatives for each item to lower the probability of getting the item correct by guessing.

14. Randomly distribute the correct response among the alternative positions throughout the test having approximately the same proportion of alternatives a, b, c, d and e as the correct response.

15. Use the alternatives "none of the above" and "all of the above" sparingly. When used, such alternatives should occasionally be used as the correct response.

A true-false item can be written in one of three forms: simple, complex, or compound. Answers can consist of only two choices (simple), more than two choices (complex), or two choices plus a conditional completion response (compound). An example of each type of true-false item follows:

Sample True-False Item: Simple

Sample true-false item: complex, sample true-false item: compound, advantages in using true-false items.

True-False items can provide...

the widest sampling of content or objectives per unit of testing time.
an objective measurement of student achievement or ability.

Limitations In Using True-False Items

True-false items...

incorporate an extremely high guessing factor. For simple true-false items, each student has a 50/50 chance of correctly answering the item without any knowledge of the item's content.
can often lead an instructor to write ambiguous statements due to the difficulty of writing statements which are unequivocally true or false.
do not discriminate between students of varying ability as well as other item types.
can often include more irrelevant clues than do other item types.
can often lead an instructor to favor testing of trivial knowledge.

Suggestions For Writing True-False Test Items

In general, matching items consist of a column of stimuli presented on the left side of the exam page and a column of responses placed on the right side of the page. Students are required to match the response associated with a given stimulus. For example:

Sample Matching Test Item

Advantages in using matching items.

Matching items...

require short periods of reading and response time, allowing you to cover more content.
provide objective measurement of student achievement or ability.
provide highly reliable test scores.
provide scoring efficiency and accuracy.

Limitations in Using Matching Items

have difficulty measuring learning objectives requiring more than simple recall of information.
are difficult to construct due to the problem of selecting a common set of stimuli and responses.

Suggestions for Writing Matching Test Items

5. Keep matching items brief, limiting the list of stimuli to under 10.

6. Include more responses than stimuli to help prevent answering through the process of elimination.

7. When possible, reduce the amount of reading time by including only short phrases or single words in the response list.

The completion item requires the student to answer a question or to finish an incomplete statement by filling in a blank with the correct word or phrase. For example,

Sample Completion Item

According to Freud, personality is made up of three major systems, the _________, the ________ and the ________.

Advantages in Using Completion Items

Completion items...

can provide a wide sampling of content.
can efficiently measure lower levels of cognitive ability.
can minimize guessing as compared to multiple-choice or true-false items.
can usually provide an objective measure of student achievement or ability.

Limitations of Using Completion Items

are difficult to construct so that the desired response is clearly indicated.
are more time consuming to score when compared to multiple-choice or true-false items.
are more difficult to score since more than one answer may have to be considered correct if the item was not properly prepared.

Suggestions for Writing Completion Test Items

7. Avoid lifting statements directly from the text, lecture or other sources.

8. Limit the required response to a single word or phrase.

The essay test is probably the most popular of all types of teacher-made tests. In general, a classroom essay test consists of a small number of questions to which the student is expected to demonstrate his/her ability to (a) recall factual knowledge, (b) organize this knowledge and (c) present the knowledge in a logical, integrated answer to the question. An essay test item can be classified as either an extended-response essay item or a short-answer essay item. The latter calls for a more restricted or limited answer in terms of form or scope. An example of each type of essay item follows.

Sample Extended-Response Essay Item

Explain the difference between the S-R (Stimulus-Response) and the S-O-R (Stimulus-Organism-Response) theories of personality. Include in your answer (a) brief descriptions of both theories, (b) supporters of both theories and (c) research methods used to study each of the two theories. (10 pts. 20 minutes)

Sample Short-Answer Essay Item

Identify research methods used to study the S-R (Stimulus-Response) and S-O-R (Stimulus-Organism-Response) theories of personality. (5 pts. 10 minutes)

Advantages In Using Essay Items

Essay items...

are easier and less time consuming to construct than are most other item types.
provide a means for testing student's ability to compose an answer and present it in a logical manner.
can efficiently measure higher order cognitive objectives (e.g., analysis, synthesis, evaluation).

Limitations In Using Essay Items

cannot measure a large amount of content or objectives.
generally provide low test and test scorer reliability.
require an extensive amount of instructor's time to read and grade.
generally do not provide an objective measure of student achievement or ability (subject to bias on the part of the grader).

Suggestions for Writing Essay Test Items

4. Ask questions that will elicit responses on which experts could agree that one answer is better than another.

5. Avoid giving the student a choice among optional items as this greatly reduces the reliability of the test.

6. It is generally recommended for classroom examinations to administer several short-answer items rather than only one or two extended-response items.

Suggestions for Scoring Essay Items

Examples essay item and grading models.

"Americans are a mixed-up people with no sense of ethical values. Everyone knows that baseball is far less necessary than food and steel, yet they pay ball players a lot more than farmers and steelworkers."

WHY? Use 3-4 sentences to indicate how an economist would explain the above situation.

Analytical Scoring

Global quality.

Assign scores or grades on the overall quality of the written response as compared to an ideal answer. Or, compare the overall quality of a response to other student responses by sorting the papers into three stacks:

Read and sort each stack again divide into three more stacks

In total, nine discriminations can be used to assign test grades in this manner. The number of stacks or discriminations can vary to meet your needs.

Try not to allow factors which are irrelevant to the learning outcomes being measured affect your grading (i.e., handwriting, spelling, neatness).
Read and grade all class answers to one item before going on to the next item.
Read and grade the answers without looking at the students' names to avoid possible preferential treatment.
Occasionally shuffle papers during the reading of answers to help avoid any systematic order effects (i.e., Sally's "B" work always followed Jim's "A" work thus it looked more like "C" work).
When possible, ask another instructor to read and grade your students' responses.

Another form of a subjective test item is the problem solving or computational exam question. Such items present the student with a problem situation or task and require a demonstration of work procedures and a correct solution, or just a correct solution. This kind of test item is classified as a subjective type of item due to the procedures used to score item responses. Instructors can assign full or partial credit to either correct or incorrect solutions depending on the quality and kind of work procedures presented. An example of a problem solving test item follows.

Example Problem Solving Test Item

It was calculated that 75 men could complete a strip on a new highway in 70 days. When work was scheduled to commence, it was found necessary to send 25 men on another road project. How many days longer will it take to complete the strip? Show your work for full or partial credit.

Advantages In Using Problem Solving Items

Problem solving items...

minimize guessing by requiring the students to provide an original response rather than to select from several alternatives.
are easier to construct than are multiple-choice or matching items.
can most appropriately measure learning objectives which focus on the ability to apply skills or knowledge in the solution of problems.
can measure an extensive amount of content or objectives.

Limitations in Using Problem Solving Items

require an extensive amount of instructor time to read and grade.
generally do not provide an objective measure of student achievement or ability (subject to bias on the part of the grader when partial credit is given).

Suggestions For Writing Problem Solving Test Items

6. Ask questions that elicit responses on which experts could agree that one solution and one or more work procedures are better than others.

7. Work through each problem before classroom administration to double-check accuracy.

A performance test item is designed to assess the ability of a student to perform correctly in a simulated situation (i.e., a situation in which the student will be ultimately expected to apply his/her learning). The concept of simulation is central in performance testing; a performance test will simulate to some degree a real life situation to accomplish the assessment. In theory, a performance test could be constructed for any skill and real life situation. In practice, most performance tests have been developed for the assessment of vocational, managerial, administrative, leadership, communication, interpersonal and physical education skills in various simulated situations. An illustrative example of a performance test item is provided below.

Sample Performance Test Item

Assume that some of the instructional objectives of an urban planning course include the development of the student's ability to effectively use the principles covered in the course in various "real life" situations common for an urban planning professional. A performance test item could measure this development by presenting the student with a specific situation which represents a "real life" situation. For example,

An urban planning board makes a last minute request for the professional to act as consultant and critique a written proposal which is to be considered in a board meeting that very evening. The professional arrives before the meeting and has one hour to analyze the written proposal and prepare his critique. The critique presentation is then made verbally during the board meeting; reactions of members of the board or the audience include requests for explanation of specific points or informed attacks on the positions taken by the professional.

The performance test designed to simulate this situation would require that the student to be tested role play the professional's part, while students or faculty act the other roles in the situation. Various aspects of the "professional's" performance would then be observed and rated by several judges with the necessary background. The ratings could then be used both to provide the student with a diagnosis of his/her strengths and weaknesses and to contribute to an overall summary evaluation of the student's abilities.

Advantages In Using Performance Test Items

Performance test items...

can most appropriately measure learning objectives which focus on the ability of the students to apply skills or knowledge in real life situations.
usually provide a degree of test validity not possible with standard paper and pencil test items.
are useful for measuring learning objectives in the psychomotor domain.

Limitations In Using Performance Test Items

are difficult and time consuming to construct.
are primarily used for testing students individually and not for testing groups. Consequently, they are relatively costly, time consuming, and inconvenient forms of testing.
generally do not provide an objective measure of student achievement or ability (subject to bias on the part of the observer/grader).

Suggestions For Writing Performance Test Items

Prepare items that elicit the type of behavior you want to measure.
Clearly identify and explain the simulated situation to the student.
Make the simulated situation as "life-like" as possible.
Provide directions which clearly inform the students of the type of response called for.
When appropriate, clearly state time and activity limitations in the directions.
Adequately train the observer(s)/scorer(s) to ensure that they are fair in scoring the appropriate behaviors.

III. TWO METHODS FOR ASSESSING TEST ITEM QUALITY

This section presents two methods for collecting feedback on the quality of your test items. The two methods include using self-review checklists and student evaluation of test item quality. You can use the information gathered from either method to identify strengths and weaknesses in your item writing.

Checklist for Evaluating Test Items

EVALUATE YOUR TEST ITEMS BY CHECKING THE SUGGESTIONS WHICH YOU FEEL YOU HAVE FOLLOWED.

Grading Essay Test Items

Student evaluation of test item quality , using ices questionnaire items to assess your test item quality .

The following set of ICES (Instructor and Course Evaluation System) questionnaire items can be used to assess the quality of your test items. The items are presented with their original ICES catalogue number. You are encouraged to include one or more of the items on the ICES evaluation form in order to collect student opinion of your item writing quality.

IV. ASSISTANCE OFFERED BY THE CENTER FOR INNOVATION IN TEACHING AND LEARNING (CITL)

The information on this page is intended for self-instruction. However, CITL staff members will consult with faculty who wish to analyze and improve their test item writing. The staff can also consult with faculty about other instructional problems. Instructors wishing to acquire CITL assistance can contact [email protected] .

V. REFERENCES FOR FURTHER READING

Ebel, R. L. (1965). Measuring educational achievement . Prentice-Hall. Ebel, R. L. (1972). Essentials of educational measurement . Prentice-Hall. Gronlund, N. E. (1976). Measurement and evaluation in teaching (3rd ed.). Macmillan. Mehrens W. A. & Lehmann I. J. (1973). Measurement and evaluation in education and psychology . Holt, Rinehart & Winston. Nelson, C. H. (1970). Measurement and evaluation in the classroom . Macmillan. Payne, D. A. (1974). The assessment of learning: Cognitive and affective . D.C. Heath & Co. Scannell, D. P., & Tracy D. B. (1975). Testing and measurement in the classroom . Houghton Mifflin. Thorndike, R. L. (1971). Educational measurement (2nd ed.). American Council on Education.

Center for Innovation in Teaching & Learning

249 Armory Building 505 East Armory Avenue Champaign, IL 61820

217 333-1462

Email: [email protected]

Office of the Provost

Creating and Scoring Essay Tests

FatCamera / Getty Images

Tips & Strategies
An Introduction to Teaching
Policies & Discipline
Community Involvement
School Administration
Technology in the Classroom
Teaching Adult Learners
Issues In Education
Teaching Resources
Becoming A Teacher
Assessments & Tests
Elementary Education
Secondary Education
Special Education
Homeschooling
M.Ed., Curriculum and Instruction, University of Florida
B.A., History, University of Florida

Essay tests are useful for teachers when they want students to select, organize, analyze, synthesize, and/or evaluate information. In other words, they rely on the upper levels of Bloom's Taxonomy . There are two types of essay questions: restricted and extended response.

Restricted Response - These essay questions limit what the student will discuss in the essay based on the wording of the question. For example, "State the main differences between John Adams' and Thomas Jefferson's beliefs about federalism," is a restricted response. What the student is to write about has been expressed to them within the question.
Extended Response - These allow students to select what they wish to include in order to answer the question. For example, "In Of Mice and Men , was George's killing of Lennie justified? Explain your answer." The student is given the overall topic, but they are free to use their own judgment and integrate outside information to help support their opinion.

Student Skills Required for Essay Tests

Before expecting students to perform well on either type of essay question, we must make sure that they have the required skills to excel. Following are four skills that students should have learned and practiced before taking essay exams:

The ability to select appropriate material from the information learned in order to best answer the question.
The ability to organize that material in an effective manner.
The ability to show how ideas relate and interact in a specific context.
The ability to write effectively in both sentences and paragraphs.

Constructing an Effective Essay Question

Following are a few tips to help in the construction of effective essay questions:

Begin with the lesson objectives in mind. Make sure to know what you wish the student to show by answering the essay question.
Decide if your goal requires a restricted or extended response. In general, if you wish to see if the student can synthesize and organize the information that they learned, then restricted response is the way to go. However, if you wish them to judge or evaluate something using the information taught during class, then you will want to use the extended response.
If you are including more than one essay, be cognizant of time constraints. You do not want to punish students because they ran out of time on the test.
Write the question in a novel or interesting manner to help motivate the student.
State the number of points that the essay is worth. You can also provide them with a time guideline to help them as they work through the exam.
If your essay item is part of a larger objective test, make sure that it is the last item on the exam.

Scoring the Essay Item

One of the downfalls of essay tests is that they lack in reliability. Even when teachers grade essays with a well-constructed rubric, subjective decisions are made. Therefore, it is important to try and be as reliable as possible when scoring your essay items. Here are a few tips to help improve reliability in grading:

Determine whether you will use a holistic or analytic scoring system before you write your rubric . With the holistic grading system, you evaluate the answer as a whole, rating papers against each other. With the analytic system, you list specific pieces of information and award points for their inclusion.
Prepare the essay rubric in advance. Determine what you are looking for and how many points you will be assigning for each aspect of the question.
Avoid looking at names. Some teachers have students put numbers on their essays to try and help with this.
Score one item at a time. This helps ensure that you use the same thinking and standards for all students.
Avoid interruptions when scoring a specific question. Again, consistency will be increased if you grade the same item on all the papers in one sitting.
If an important decision like an award or scholarship is based on the score for the essay, obtain two or more independent readers.
Beware of negative influences that can affect essay scoring. These include handwriting and writing style bias, the length of the response, and the inclusion of irrelevant material.
Review papers that are on the borderline a second time before assigning a final grade.
Utilizing Extended Response Items to Enhance Student Learning
How to Create a Rubric in 6 Steps
Study for an Essay Test
Top 10 Tips for Passing the AP US History Exam
ACT Format: What to Expect on the Exam
10 Common Test Mistakes
Tips to Create Effective Matching Questions for Assessments
GMAT Exam Structure, Timing, and Scoring
Self Assessment and Writing a Graduate Admissions Essay
Holistic Grading (Composition)
The Computer-Based GED Test
UC Personal Statement Prompt #1
SAT Sections, Sample Questions and Strategies
Tips to Cut Writing Assignment Grading Time
Ideal College Application Essay Length
How To Study for Biology Exams

Educational Assessment

Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Types of Test Questions

October 23, 2018
Maryellen Weimer, PhD

It’s good to regularly review the advantages and disadvantages of the most commonly used test questions and the test banks that now frequently provide them.

Multiple-choice questions

Quick and easy to score, by hand or electronically
Can be written so that they test a wide range of higher-order thinking skills
Can cover lots of content areas on a single exam and still be answered in a class period

Disadvantages

Often test literacy skills: “if the student reads the question carefully, the answer is easy to recognize even if the student knows little about the subject” (p. 194)
Provide unprepared students the opportunity to guess, and with guesses that are right, they get credit for things they don’t know
Expose students to misinformation that can influence subsequent thinking about the content
Take time and skill to construct (especially good questions)

True-false questions

Quick and easy to score
Considered to be “one of the most unreliable forms of assessment” (p. 195)
Often written so that most of the statement is true save one small, often trivial bit of information that then makes the whole statement untrue
Encourage guessing, and reward for correct guesses

Short-answer questions

Quick and easy to grade
Quick and easy to write
Encourage students to memorize terms and details, so that their understanding of the content remains superficial

Essay questions

Offer students an opportunity to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and abilities in a variety of ways
Can be used to develop student writing skills, particularly the ability to formulate arguments supported with reasoning and evidence
Require extensive time to grade
Encourage use of subjective criteria when assessing answers
If used in class, necessitate quick composition without time for planning or revision, which can result in poor-quality writing

Questions provided by test banks

Save instructors the time and energy involved in writing test questions
Use the terms and methods that are used in the book
Rarely involve analysis, synthesis, application, or evaluation (cross-discipline research documents that approximately 85 percent of the questions in test banks test recall)
Limit the scope of the exam to text content; if used extensively, may lead students to conclude that the material covered in class is unimportant and irrelevant

We tend to think that these are the only test question options, but there are some interesting variations. The article that promoted this review proposes one: Start with a question, and revise it until it can be answered with one word or a short phrase. Do not list any answer options for that single question, but attach to the exam an alphabetized list of answers. Students select answers from that list. Some of the answers provided may be used more than once, some may not be used, and there are more answers listed than questions. It’s a ratcheted-up version of matching. The approach makes the test more challenging and decreases the chance of getting an answer correct by guessing.

Remember, students do need to be introduced to any new or altered question format before they encounter it on an exam.

Editor’s note: The list of advantages and disadvantages comes in part from the article referenced here. It also cites research evidence relevant to some of these advantages and disadvantages.

Reference: McAllister, D., and Guidice, R.M. (2012). This is only a test: A machine-graded improvement to the multiple-choice and true-false examination. Teaching in Higher Education, 17 (2), 193-207.

Stay Updated with Faculty Focus!

Get exclusive access to programs, reports, podcast episodes, articles, and more!

Opens in a new tab

Welcome Back

Username or Email

Remember Me

Already a subscriber? log in here.

Page Content
Sidebar Content
Main Navigation
Quick links

All TIP Sheets
Taking Lecture Notes
Study Tips for Biology Classes
How to Study for Tests
Working Successfully with a Study Group
Avoiding Test Anxiety
Multiple Choice and Other Objective Tests

Essay Tests

Take-Home and Open-Book Tests
Plan Ahead: Studying for Finals

TIP Sheet HOW TO TAKE ESSAY TESTS

There are basically two types of exams:

Objective - requires answers of a word or short phrase, or the selection of an answer from several available choices that are provided on the test . Essay - requires answers to be written out at some length. The student functions as the source of information.

An essay exam requires you to see the significance and meaning of what you know. It tests your knowledge and understanding of the subject and your skill in reading and writing. To be successful on an essay exam, you must:

Prove immediately that you know the material.
Make your meaning unmistakably clear.
Employ a reasonable organization and show sufficient thought development.
Make every word count.
Be specific.
Use your own voice and style.

When you are writing an essay as part of an exam, all this must be done within what amounts to a first draft written in a very limited amount of time. As with all writing, if you think of your essay as being produced in three stages, you can tackle the test in an organized fashion. The three stages are pre-writing, writing, and revision. Suggestions for each of these stages follow.

The last section addresses preparation for essay exams. PRE-WRITING

Your first impulse in a writing exam is probably to read the question and start writing immediately, especially when you see those seconds ticking away on the clock. RESIST THAT IMPULSE! You can't successfully address the subject until you know precisely what you're required to do, you understand and have thought about the subject, and you are organized in how you approach the specific points you wish to make in your answer. 1. Understanding what to do:

When you get your copy of the exam, read through to make sure you understand what is expected of you. FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS EXACTLY!
Underline or circle key words that direct the approach your answer should take. Some of the most common key words are:

Agree/Disagree : State your position and support it with facts Comment or Evaluate: State your position and support it with facts, discussing the issue and its merits. Analyze : Break down into all the parts or divisions looking at the relationships between them. Compare/Contrast : Show differences and similarities. Describe/Discuss : Examine in detail. Explain : Tell why something is as it is. Illustrate : Give examples and relate them to the statement in question. Prove/Defend : Demonstrate why something is true. Interpret : Explain the significance or meaning of something. List/State : Make a list of points or facts. Summarize : Hit the high points.

2. Understanding the subject

When you are confident that you understand the instructions, direct your attention to the topic.
Collect your ideas.
Formulate a thesis. Make sure it is a strong, concise statement that specifically addresses the question.
Think of as many specific details and facts as you can that support the thesis.

3. Getting organized

Jot your ideas down on paper, in very brief format.
Evaluate your ideas in light of the question. Ask yourself repeatedly: "Does this apply to the question I'm supposed to answer?" Select only those ideas most relevant to your purpose.
Number your ideas in order of appropriate sequence (first step to last step, most important to least important, etc.)

1. Remember your thesis. Now stick to it, referring back to it periodically throughout your essay. This gives your essay unity and coherence, and helps insure that you are not digressing. 2. Write in an orderly fashion. If you suddenly think of a new point, jot it down in a margin or on scratch paper until you find an appropriate place for it. Don't just put it into the middle of what you were writing. 3. Avoid:

Repeating, in other words, what you have already said.
Digressing into material that does not answer the question.
Language that is too broad or general. Be specific.
Bluffing. This far too common practice of using elegant but empty language to conceal ignorance or lack of effort rarely works, and often irritates the reader(s).
Write as legibly as you can. If you want, write on every other line so you have room to add later. When you want to cross something off, simply draw a straight line through it. This is much better than scribbling out an entire passage.
If you run out of time, simply write "Ran out of time" at the close of the essay. This is much better than adding a hurriedly tacked on, and possibly incoherent, conclusion.

Essay examinations are difficult because of the time pressures, yet you should always try to leave a few minutes at the end to proofread your essay. 1. Ask yourself, before you hand in the essay:

Did I provide the information requested? That is, did I "explain" or "define" as the directions asked?
Is the answer simply, clearly, and logically organized?
Do I stick to my thesis statement? Is there unnecessary information in here?
Did I proofread to check content and/or mechanical errors?

2. Proofreading:

Gives you a chance to catch and correct errors in content.
Gives you a chance to correct your mechanical errors.
Allows you to add material that may have occurred to you after writing the essay.

3. You should proofread for:

Complete sentences (watch for fragments, comma-splices, and run-ons).
Words omitted, or one word used when you meant another.
Logical transitions between sentences and paragraphs.
Unnecessary repetition of words or ideas.
Spelling errors.

3. Essay type tests depend a great deal on your basic writing skills - organization, punctuation, grammar, and spelling. If your answer is not clearly written, your instructor won't be able to find it! Here are some basic guidelines to keep in mind as you take an essay test:

Read the directions carefully! Read every part of the directions!
Give yourself time to answer each question. Quickly look over the entire exam and budget your time per question accordingly.
Above all, stay calm. You are being asked to show competence, not perfection.
If you are not too sure about one question, leave it and go back.
When given a choice, answer the questions you know best.
State your points and support ideas clearly - don't make the instructor have to look for them.
Go back to check and proofread all of your answers.

PREPARING FOR ESSAY EXAMS

WRITING A SUCCESSFUL ESSAY EXAM BEGINS ON DAY ONE 1. Study regularly as you go along.

Take careful lecture notes.
Read all material when assigned.
Become familiar with vocabulary.
Keep a study list of all main ideas.

2. Final preparation

Review lecture notes and reading material.
Find a classmate or friend willing to talk over key ideas and implications.
Try to anticipate questions . This is very important! Use your lecture notes to zero in on points that the instructor emphasized.
Think through the material and write up the best possible essay questions you can.
Then answer those questions.
Pinpoint key points that you would like to make when answering each question.
Put your answer into outline form or write it out completely.
For each potential test question, use mnemonics or other memory techniques to move the information to your long-term memory for the exam.
Create a list of the clue words for each point you wish to make.
Create a mnemonic device to memorize those points.

3. Come to the exam confident that you have something specific to say on all possible topics. KEY WORDS COMMONLY FOUND ON ESSAY EXAMS

Compare: Look for qualities or characteristics that resemble each other. Emphasize similarities among them, but in some cases also mention differences.

Contrast: Stress the dissimilarities, differences, or unlikenesses of things, qualities, events, or problems.

Criticize: Express your judgement about the merit or truth of the factors or views mentioned. Give the results of your analysis of these factors, discussing their limitations and good points.

Define: Give concise, clear, and authoritative meanings. Don't give details, but make sure to give the limits of the definitions. Show how the thing you are defining differs from things in other classes.

Describe: Recount, characterize, sketch, or relate in sequence or story form.

Diagram: Give a drawing, chart, plan, or graphic answer. Usually you should label a diagram. In some cases, add a brief explanation or description.

Discuss: Examine, analyze carefully, and give reasons pro and con. Be complete, and give details.

Enumerate: Write in list or outline form, giving points concisely one by one.

Evaluate: Carefully appraise the problem, citing both advantages and limitations. Emphasize the appraisal of authorities and, to lesser degree, your personal evaluation.

Explain: Clarify, interpret, and spell out the material you present. Give reasons for differences of opinion or of results, and try to analyze causes.

Illustrate: Use a figure, picture, diagram, or concrete example to explain or clarify a problem.

Interpret: Translate, give examples of, solve, or comment on, a subject, usually giving your judgment about it.

Justify: Prove or give reasons for decisions or conclusions, taking pains to be convincing.

List: As in "enumerate," write an itemized series of concise statements.

Outline: Organize a description under main points and subordinate points, omitting minor details and stressing the arrangement or classification of things.

Prove: Establish that something is true by citing factual evidence or giving clear logical reasons.

Relate: Show how things are related to, or connected with, each other or how one causes another, or is like another.

Review: Examine a subject critically, analyzing and commenting on the important statements to be made about it.

Sketch: means "break down into its component parts."

State: Present the main points in brief, clear sequence, usually omitting details, illustrations, or examples.

Summarize: Give the main points or facts in condensed form, like the summary of a chapter, omitting details and illustrations.

Trace: In narrative form describe progress, development, or historical events from some point of origin.

Identify or characterize: means "distinguish this term, or this person from all others that are similar." Both are clear injunctions to be as specific as possible.

Illustrate or exemplify: means "giving examples," showing thereby, rather than by definition, that you understand the concept. TRANSITIONAL WORDS AND PHRASES

To achieve unity and coherence, writers use transitional words and phrases. Transitional expressions clarify the relationships between clauses, sentences, and paragraphs, helping guide the readers along. The following is a partial list of transitional expressions.

To Add or Show Sequence: again, also, and, and then, besides, equally important, finally, first, further, furthermore, in addition, in the first place, last, moreover, next, second, still, too

To Compare: also, in the same way, likewise, similarly

To Contrast: although, and yet, but, but at the same time, despite, even so, even though, for all that, however, in contrast, in spite of, nevertheless, notwithstanding, on the contrary, on the other hand, regardless, sill, though, whereas, yet

To Give Examples or Intensify: after all, an illustration of, even, for example, for instance, indeed, in fact, it is true, of course, specifically, that is, to illustrate, truly

To Indicate Place: above, adjacent to, below, elsewhere, farther on, here, near, nearby, on the other side, opposite to, there, to the east, to the left

To Indicate Time: after a while, afterward, as long as, as soon as, at last, at length, at that time, before, earlier, formerly, immediately, in the meantime, in the past, lately, later, meanwhile, now, presently, shortly, simultaneously, since, so far, soon, subsequently, then, thereafter, until, until now, when

To Repeat Summarize or Conclude: all in all, altogether, as has been said, in brief, in conclusion in other words, in particular, in short, in simpler terms, in summary, on the whole,that is, therefore, to put it differently, to summarize

To Show Cause or Effect: accordingly, as a result, because, consequently, for this purpose, hence, otherwise, since, then, therefore, thereupon, this, to this end, with this object.

Butte College | 3536 Butte Campus Drive, Oroville CA 95965 | General Information (530) 895-2511

school Campus Bookshelves
menu_book Bookshelves
perm_media Learning Objects
login Login
how_to_reg Request Instructor Account
hub Instructor Commons
Download Page (PDF)
Download Full Book (PDF)
Periodic Table
Physics Constants
Scientific Calculator
Reference & Cite
Tools expand_more
Readability

selected template will load here

This action is not available.

11.9: Constructed Response Items

Last updated
Save as PDF
Page ID 11643

Kelvin Seifert & Rosemary Sutton
University of Manitoba & Cleveland State University via Global Text Project

Formal assessment also includes constructed response items in which students are asked to recall information and create an answer— not just recognize if the answer is correct— so guessing is reduced. Constructed response items can be used to assess a wide variety of kinds of knowledge and two major kinds are discussed: completion or short answer (also called short response) and extended response .

Completion and short answer

Completion and short answer items can be answered in a word, phrase, number, or symbol. These types of items are essentially the same only varying in whether the problem is presented as a statement or a question (Linn & Miller 2005). For example:

Exercise \(\PageIndex{1}\)

Completion: The first traffic light in the US was invented by

Short Answer: Who invented the first traffic light in the US?

These items are often used in mathematics tests, e.g.

Exercise \(\PageIndex{2}\)

If x = 6, what does x(x-i) =

A major advantage of these items is they that they are easy to construct. However, apart from their use in mathematics they are unsuitable for measuring complex learning outcomes and are often difficult to score. Completion and short answer tests are sometimes called objective tests as the intent is that there is only one correct answer and so there is no variability in scoring but unless the question is phrased very carefully, there are frequently a variety of correct answers. For example, consider the item Where was President Lincoln born?

The teacher may expect the answer "in a log cabin" but other correct answers are also "on Sinking Spring Farm", 'in Hardin County" or "in Kentucky". Common errors in these items are summarized in Table \(\PageIndex{1}\).

Table \(\PageIndex{1}\) : Common errors in constructed response items

Extended response

Extended response items are used in many content areas and answers may vary in length from a paragraph to several pages. Questions that require longer responses are often called essay questions. Extended response items have several advantages and the most important is their adaptability for measuring complex learning outcomes— particularly integration and application. These items also require that students write and therefore provide teachers a way to assess writing skills. A commonly cited advantage to these items is their ease in construction; however, carefully worded items that are related to learning outcomes and assess complex learning are hard to devise (Linn & Miller, 2005). Well-constructed items phrase the question so the task of the student is clear. Often this involves providing hints or planning notes. In the first example below the actual question is clear not only because of the wording but because of the format (i.e. it is placed in a box). In the second and third examples planning notes are provided:

Example \(\PageIndex{1}\): Third grade mathematics

The owner of a bookstore gave 14 books to the school. The principal will give an equal number of books to each of three classrooms and the remaining books to the school library. How many books could the principal give to each student and the school?

Show all your work on the space below and on the next page. Explain in words how you found the answer. Tell why you took the steps you did to solve the problem.

From Illinois Standards Achievement Test, 2006; ( www.isbe.state.il.us/assessment/isat.htm ')

Example \(\PageIndex{2}\): Fifth grade science: The grass is always greener

Jose and Maria noticed three different types of soil, black soil, sand, and clay, were found in their neighborhood. They decided to investigate the question, "How does the type of soil (black soil, sand, and clay) under grass sod affect the height of grass?"

Plan an investigation that could answer their new question.

In your plan, be sure to include:

Prediction of the outcome of the investigation
Materials needed to do the investigation
Procedure that includes:
one variable kept the same (controlled)
one variable changed (manipulated)
any variables being measure and recorded

• how often measurements are taken and recorded (From Washington State 2004 assessment of student learning )

Exercise \(\PageIndex{3}\): Grades 9-11 English

Writing prompt

Some people think that schools should teach students how to cook. Other people think that cooking is something that ought to be taught in the home. What do you think? Explain why you think as you do.

Planning notes

Choose One:

I think schools should teach students how to cook
I think cooking should 1 be taught in the home

I think cooking should be taught in _________ because________ (school) or (the home)

(From Illinois Measure of Annual Growth in English www.isbe.state.il.us/assessment/image.htm dead link found in the Internet Archive)

A major disadvantage of extended response items is the difficulty in reliable scoring. Not only do various teachers score the same response differently but also the same teacher may score the identical response differently on various occasions (Linn & Miller 2005). A variety of steps can be taken to improve the reliability and validity of scoring. First, teachers should begin by writing an outline of a model answer. This helps make it clear what students are expected to include. Second, a sample of the answers should be read. This assists in determining what the students can do and if there are any common misconceptions arising from the question. Third, teachers have to decide what to do about irrelevant information that is included (e.g. is it ignored or are students penalized) and how to evaluate mechanical errors such as grammar and spelling. Then, a point scoring or a scoring rubric should be used.

In point scoring components of the answer are assigned points. For example, if students were asked:

Exercise \(\PageIndex{4}\)

What are the nature, symptoms, and risk factors of hyperthermia?

Point Scoring Guide:

Definition (natures) 2 pts
Symptoms (1 pt for each) 5 pts
Risk Factors (1 point for each) 5 pts
Writing 3 pts

This provides some guidance for evaluation and helps consistency but point scoring systems often lead the teacher to focus on facts (e.g. naming risk factors) rather than higher level thinking that may undermine the validity of the assessment if the teachers' purposes include higher level thinking. A better approach is to use a scoring rubric that describes the quality of the answer or performance at each level.

Scoring rubrics

Scoring rubrics can be holistic or analytical . In holistic scoring rubrics, general descriptions of performance are made and a single overall score is obtained. An example from grade 2 language arts in Los Angeles Unified School District classifies responses into four levels: not proficient, partially proficient, proficient and advanced is on Table \(\PageIndex{1}\).

Table \(\PageIndex{2}\) : Example of holistic scoring rubric: English language arts grade 2

Assignment. Write about an interesting, fun, or exciting story you have read in class this year. Some of the things you could write about are:

What happened in the story (the plot or events)
Where the events took place (the setting)
People, animals, or things in the story ( the characters)

In your writing make sure you use facts and details from the story to describe everything clearly.

After you write about the story, explain what makes the story interesting, fun or exciting.

Analytical rubrics provide descriptions of levels of student performance on a variety of characteristics. For example, six characteristics used for assessing writing developed by the Education Northwest are:

• ideas and content • organization • voice • word choice • sentence fluency • conventions

Descriptions of high, medium, and low responses for each characteristic are available from Education Northwest

Holistic rubrics have the advantages that they can be developed more quickly than analytical rubrics. They are also faster to use as there is only one dimension to examine. However, they do not provide students feedback about which aspects of the response are strong and which aspects need improvement (Linn & Miller, 2005). This means they are less useful for assessment for learning. An important use of rubrics is to use them as teaching tools and provide them to students before the assessment so they know what knowledge and skills are expected.

Teachers can use scoring rubrics as part of instruction by giving students the rubric during instruction, providing several responses, and analyzing these responses in terms of the rubric. For example, use of accurate terminology is one dimension of the science rubric in Table 40. An elementary science teacher could discuss why it is important for scientists to use accurate terminology, give examples of inaccurate and accurate terminology, provide that component of the scoring rubric to students, distribute some examples of student responses (maybe from former students), and then discuss how these responses would be classified according to the rubric. This strategy of assessment for learning should be more effective if the teacher (a) emphasizes to students why using accurate terminology is important when learning science rather than how to get a good grade on the test (we provide more details about this in the section on motivation later in this chapter); (b) provides an exemplary response so students can see a model; and (c) emphasizes that the goal is student improvement on this skill not ranking students.

Table \(\PageIndex{3}\) Example of a scoring rubric, Science

*On the High School Assessment, the application of a concept to a practical problem or real-world situation will be scored when it is required in the response and requested in the item stem.

Performance assessments

Typically in performance assessments students complete a specific task while teachers observe the process or procedure (e.g. data collection in an experiment) as well as the product (e.g. completed report) (Popham, 2005; Stiggens, 2005). The tasks that students complete in performance assessments are not simple— in contrast to selected response items— and include the following:

playing a musical instrument
athletic skills
artistic creation
conversing in a foreign language
engaging in a debate about political issues
conducting an experiment in science
repairing a machine
writing a term paper
using interaction skills to play together

These examples all involve complex skills but illustrate that the term performance assessment is used in a variety of ways. For example, the teacher may not observe all of the process (e.g. she sees a draft paper but the final product is written during out-of-school hours) and essay tests are typically classified as performance assessments (Airasian, 2000). In addition, in some performance assessments there may be no clear product (e.g. the performance maybe group interaction skills).

Two related terms, alternative assessment and authentic assessment are sometimes used instead of performance assessment but they have different meanings (Linn & Miller, 2005). Alternative assessment refers to tasks that are not pencil-and-paper and while many performance assessments are not pencil-and paper tasks some are (e.g. writing a term paper, essay tests). Authentic assessment is used to describe tasks that students do that are similar to those in the "real world". Classroom tasks vary in level of authenticity (Popham, 2005). For example, a Japanese language class taught in a high school in Chicago conversing in Japanese in Tokyo is highly authentic— but only possible in a study abroad program or trip to Japan. Conversing in Japanese with native Japanese speakers in Chicago is also highly authentic, and conversing with the teacher in Japanese during class is moderately authentic. Much less authentic is a matching test on English and Japanese words. In a language arts class, writing a letter (to an editor) or a memo to the principal is highly authentic as letters and memos are common work products. However, writing a five-paragraph paper is not as authentic as such papers are not used in the world of work. However, a five paragraph paper is a complex task and would typically be classified as a performance assessment.

Advantages and disadvantages

There are several advantages of performance assessments (Linn & Miller 2005). First, the focus is on complex learning outcomes that often cannot be measured by other methods. Second, performance assessments typically assess process or procedure as well as the product. For example, the teacher can observe if the students are repairing the machine using the appropriate tools and procedures as well as whether the machine functions properly after the repairs. Third, well designed performance assessments communicate the instructional goals and meaningful learning clearly to students. For example, if the topic in a fifth grade art class is one-point perspective the performance assessment could be drawing a city scene that illustrates one point perspective. (www.sanford-artedventures.com) . This assessment is meaningful and clearly communicates the learning goal. This performance assessment is a good instructional activity and has good content validity— common with well designed performance assessments (Linn & Miller 2005).

One major disadvantage with performance assessments is that they are typically very time consuming for students and teachers. This means that fewer assessments can be gathered so if they are not carefully devised fewer learning goals will be assessed— which can reduce content validity. State curriculum guidelines can be helpful in determining what should be included in a performance assessment. For example, Eric, a dance teacher in a high school in Tennessee learns that the state standards indicate that dance students at the highest level should be able to do demonstrate consistency and clarity in performing technical skills by:

performing complex movement combinations to music in a variety of meters and styles
performing combinations and variations in a broad dynamic range
demonstrating improvement in performing movement combinations through self-evaluation
critiquing a live or taped dance production based on given criteria
( https://www.tn.gov/education/instruction/academic-standards/arts-education.html )

Eric devises the following performance task for his eleventh grade modern dance class .

In groups 0/4-6 students will perform a dance at least 5 minutes in length. The dance selected should be multifaceted so that all the dancers can demonstrate technical skills, complex movements, and a dynamic range (Items 1-2). Students will videotape their rehearsals and document how they improved through self evaluation (Item 3). Each group will view and critique the final performance of one other group in class (Item 4). Eric would need to scaffold most steps in this performance assessment. The groups probably would need guidance in selecting a dance that allowed all the dancers to demonstrate the appropriate skills; critiquing their own performances constructively; working effectively as a team, and applying criteria to evaluate a dance.

Another disadvantage of performance assessments is they are hard to assess reliably which can lead to inaccuracy and unfair evaluation. As with any constructed response assessment, scoring rubrics are very important. An example of holistic and analytic scoring rubrics designed to assess a completed product are in Table \(\PageIndex{2}\) and Table \(\PageIndex{3}\). A rubric designed to assess the process of group interactions is in Table \(\PageIndex{4}\).

Table \(\PageIndex{4}\) : Example of group interaction rubric

This rubric was devised for middle grade science but could be used in other subject areas when assessing group process. In some performance assessments several scoring rubrics should be used. In the dance performance example above Eric should have scoring rubrics for the performance skills, the improvement based on self evaluation, the team work, and the critique of the other group. Obviously, devising a good performance assessment is complex and Linn and Miller (2005) recommend that teachers should:

• Create performance assessments that require students to use complex cognitive skills. Sometimes teachers devise assessments that are interesting and that the students enjoy but do not require students to use higher level cognitive skills that lead to significant learning. Focusing on high level skills and learning outcomes is particularly important because performance assessments are typically so time consuming.

• Ensure that the task is clear to the students. Performance assessments typically require multiple steps so students need to have the necessary prerequisite skills and knowledge as well as clear directions. Careful scaffolding is important for successful performance assessments.

• Specify expectations of the performance clearly by providing students scoring rubrics during the instruction. This not only helps students understand what it expected but it also guarantees that teachers are clear about what they expect. Thinking this through while planning the performance assessment can be difficult for teachers but is crucial as it typically leads to revisions of the actual assessment and directions provided to students.

• Reduce the importance of unessential skills in completing the task. What skills are essential depends on the purpose of the task. For example, for a science report, is the use of publishing software essential? If the purpose of the assessment is for students to demonstrate the process of the scientific method including writing a report, then the format of the report may not be significant. However, if the purpose includes integrating two subject areas, science and technology, then the use of publishing software is important. Because performance assessments take time it is tempting to include multiple skills without carefully considering if all the skills are essential to the learning goals.

How to write good Essay Questions

Essay questions - you either love them or you hate them. There is no in between! These require written responses, which can consist of a few short paragraphs to thousands of words.

Also known as: long answer, open ended, subjective

Use Essay Questions to Assess:

Comprehension of material learned
Writing skills
User's ability to organize facts and ideas
Problem Solving

Question Usage Ideas:

Gain Feedback
Gather information
Comparison of two items

Advantages of Essay Questions:

Test takers can elaborate and provide detailed answers
Test takers are not able to guess and select an answer
Can review individualized responses from each user
Can be used for all types of subjects
Takes less time to create questions

Disadvantages of Essay Questions:

Takes longer to grade on paper
Graded manually online
Take longer to answer
Can be graded unfairly
Questions can be read differently resulting in not being able to answer correctly
Will not cover as much varied content in a Test as other question types
A user's writing skills could affect what they are trying to express

Tips for creating Essay Questions

Only add a few essay questions per Test
Keep essay questions per Test specific to one or two topics
Ask the question in your own words
Leave opinions at home when grading
Inform users ahead of time of how grading will be completed
Provide customized feedback per student
Make the question clear
Use directives such as “Compare”, “Identify”, “Explain”, “Describe”, “Define”
Show the points an essay questions is worth.
Provide instructions on how in depth and detailed you want in an answer.

Become a ClassMarker Guru: Pro Tips

Essay Question Features in ClassMarker.com

You're a Pro if You Know:

After grading essay Questions, Test scores will be automatically adjusted
You can add custom feedback for both correct/incorrect answers
How to give individualized feedback per essay question per user
Essay Questions are manually graded

What are The Advantages of Essay Test

Back to: Measurement and Evaluation in Education B.ed Notes, M.A Notes, IGNOU Notes and Graduation Notes

A six-question extended answer essay exam is far easier to prepare and deliver than an equivalent 60-item multiple choice test.
It is the only method for evaluating an examinee’s ability to arrange and communicate his thoughts logically and clearly, as well as ineffective language.
It can be used successfully in almost all educational disciplines.
This sort of exam can evaluate some of the objectives, such as the capacity to arrange ideas effectively, the ability to criticise or support a statement, the ability to interpret, and so on.
This form of the test may best improve logical thinking and critical reasoning, systematic presentation, and so on.
It encourages healthy study habits such as drafting outlines and summaries, arranging arguments for and against, and so on.
Because they have the flexibility to respond, the student may demonstrate initiative, originality of thought, and the fertility of their imagination.
Students’ responses do not have to be correct or incorrect. There are several levels of comprehensiveness and accuracy available.
It virtually eliminates the guesswork.

IMAGES

Essay type test
Types of Essay Items
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Essay Type Questions
Essay Items Test
Explain the advantages of essay test
Essay type test

VIDEO

Essay Test 2 Discussion OCS 2023 Live Class
Scoring the tests Objective Type and Essay Type by Sir Tariq Ghayyur
Essay on Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media
Opinion Essay/IELTS Writing Task 2/ IELTS Academic/ Essay Structure/ Essay Templates
Essay
10 lines essay on Advantages of mobile phone/Mobile phone Advantages essay/Advantages mobile phone

COMMENTS

17.6: What are the benefits of essay tests?
A) They allow for better expression. B) There is little probability for randomness. C) The time taken is less overall. D) A & B. 3)What is NOT a benefit of essay assessment for the teacher. A)They help the instructor better understand the subject. B)They remove some the work required for multiple choice.
Essay Test: Types, Advantages and Limitations
Advantages of the Essay Tests: 1. It is relatively easier to prepare and administer a six-question extended- response essay test than to prepare and administer a comparable 60-item multiple-choice test items. 2. It is the only means that can assess an examinee's ability to organise and present his ideas in a logical and coherent fashion. 3.
17.1: Should I give a multiple-choice test, an essay test, or something
Advantages and disadvantages of essay tests. Essay tests have started to become more dominant because of the results that come along with it. Essay format questions contain a level of information quality that exceeds that of multiple-choice (Swartz, 2006).
Essay Type Test: Advantages, Disadvantages, Limitations
The essay-type tests are less objective and so they lack validity. 2. Cramming Habit. Essay type of test increases the child's cramming habit capacity. 3. Lack Of Relaibility. These tests lack the dependability of essay-type tests is low as compared to various multiple-choice questions or objective-type questions. 4.
PDF Essay Items
Essay items have their advantages and disadvantages—let's review them. And, you can find a summary of these in Table 7.1. 124—— Part III ♦ The Tao and How of Testing TABLE 7.1 The Advantages and Disadvantages of Essay Questions Advantages of Essay Items • They help find out how ideas are related to one another. • They increase ...
Improving Your Test Questions
An essay test item can be classified as either an extended-response essay item or a short-answer essay item. The latter calls for a more restricted or limited answer in terms of form or scope. An example of each type of essay item follows. ... Advantages In Using Performance Test Items.
PDF PREPARING EFFECTIVE ESSAY QUESTIONS
In short, essay items are used for the advantages they offer. Despite the advantages associated with essay questions, there are also disadvantages. Have you ever labored over the wording of an essay question in an effort to ... "A test item which requires a response composed by the examinee, usually in the form of
(PDF) Essay Items
Essay items provide three major advantages over selected-response items as they (a) reduce ... improve the construct validity of the test, as essay items require students to write down how.
The Essay Test: A Look at the Advantages and Disadvantages
The Essay Test: A Look at the Advantages and Disadvantages. Bruce W. Tuckman View all authors and affiliations. Volume 77, Issue 555. ... Essay Items. Show details Hide details. Neil J. Salkind. Encyclopedia of Measurement and Statistics. ... R.J. Improving the Essay Test in the Social Studies. National Council Social Studies Yearbook, 1965.
Tips for Creating and Scoring Essay Tests
If your essay item is part of a larger objective test, make sure that it is the last item on the exam. Scoring the Essay Item . One of the downfalls of essay tests is that they lack in reliability. Even when teachers grade essays with a well-constructed rubric, subjective decisions are made. Therefore, it is important to try and be as reliable ...
Advantages, Disadvantages of Different Types of Test Questions
Advantages. Save instructors the time and energy involved in writing test questions. Use the terms and methods that are used in the book. Disadvantages. Rarely involve analysis, synthesis, application, or evaluation (cross-discipline research documents that approximately 85 percent of the questions in test banks test recall) Limit the scope of ...
The Essay Test: A Look at the Advantages and Disadvantages
Essay tests are easily constructed, relatively valid assessments of higher cognitive processes but are harder to score reliably. Teachers using essay tests are advised to follow clearly designed objectives, construct all-inclusive, pilot-tested questions, develop a checklist of specific scoring points and a model answer for each question, and use cooperative scoring.
PDF Essay Test: Advantages and Limitations
Advantages of the Essay Tests: 1. It is relatively easier to prepare and administer a six-question extended- response essay test than to prepare and administer a comparable 60-item multiple-choice test items. 2. It is the only means that can assess an examinee's ability to organise and present his ideas in a logical and coherent fashion. 3.
PDF How to Prepare Better Multiple-Choice Test Items: Guidelines for
multiple-choice items effectively. Advantages Versatility. Multiple-choice test items are appropriate for use in many different subject-matter ... In general, it takes much longer to respond to an essay test question than it does to respond to a multiple-choice test item, since the composing and recording of an essay answer is
Essay Tests
TIP Sheet. HOW TO TAKE ESSAY TESTS. There are basically two types of exams: Objective - requires answers of a word or short phrase, or the selection of an answer from several available choices that are provided on the test. Essay - requires answers to be written out at some length. The student functions as the source of information.
The Essay Test: A Look at the Advantages and Disadvantages
Abstract. Essay tests, at best, are easily constructed, relatively valid tests of higher cognitive processes; but they arehard to score reliably. They can beimproved by using objectives, scoringguides, and other test constructionand scoring aids.
11.9: Constructed Response Items
Extended response. Extended response items are used in many content areas and answers may vary in length from a paragraph to several pages. Questions that require longer responses are often called essay questions.Extended response items have several advantages and the most important is their adaptability for measuring complex learning outcomes— particularly integration and application.
A Comparison of Essay and Objective Examinations as Learning ...
essay test. These two tests are hereinafter referred to as the mid-tests. As criteria for evaluating the effects of these variables, two other tests were used: one an objective test, and the other a very brief essay test of two questions. The objective test contained the 50 items which best differen
Strengths & Limitations of Short Answer & Essay Questions
Short answer and essay questions give insight into a student's ability to generate a response in an assessment. Learn the basics of test-taking, and identify the strengths and limitations that ...
Ten Benefits of Testing and Their Applications to Educational Practice
The benefits of test potentiation are distinctly different from the direct benefits of testing per se, although in many practical situations (e.g., receiving feedback after tests) the two are mixed together. ... (such as free recall in the lab or essay tests in the classroom). ... they often choose to drop items despite benefits that would ...
How to write Essay questions
Tips for creating Essay Questions. Only add a few essay questions per Test. Keep essay questions per Test specific to one or two topics. Ask the question in your own words. Leave opinions at home when grading. Inform users ahead of time of how grading will be completed. Provide customized feedback per student. Make the question clear.
Essay Type Test
1. Essay type tests improve study habits in the students. 2. Reduces the guesswork to a large extent. 3. Easy To Construct. Such tests are easier to construct and administer. 4. This test is helpful in measuring all degrees of comprehensiveness and accuracy.
What Are The Advantages Of Essay Test
What are The Advantages of Essay Test. A six-question extended answer essay exam is far easier to prepare and deliver than an equivalent 60-item multiple choice test. It is the only method for evaluating an examinee's ability to arrange and communicate his thoughts logically and clearly, as well as ineffective language.