CONSTRUCTED

RESPONSE TEST &

SELECTED RESPONSE
TEST

SELECTEDRESPONSE TEST

WHAT IS SELECTED RESPONSE TEST?

Selected-Response

test is a test that require examinees to

choose a correct or best answer from a fixed listing of
possible answers to a question or other stimuli.

Examinee

answers to SR items may be computer-scored,

using answer keys (listing of correct or best answers)
developed by content experts.

Multiple-choice

items (MCQs) are a common example of

the SR item form.

 MCQs

are useful for testing cognitive knowledge,

especially at higher levels.

MCQs

are most efficient for use with large groups

of examinees because the time spent in preparing
test items less than the time required to read and
score CR items after the test, because MCQs can
be easily and rapidly computer scored.

MCQs

are most efficient for testing large

knowledge domains broadly. (Downing, 2002a,
2006; Downing & Haladyna, 1997).

FOUR TYPES OF SELECTED RESPONSE

TEST
1. Multiple

Choice Item
2. Multiple Binary Choice
3. Matching Item
4. Binary Choice

MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEM

Multiple choice item questions consist of a stem ( question or

incomplete statement) with three or more alternatives.

The alternatives contain one correct answer and distractors.

Answer choices should be similar length and grammatical form.

List answer choices in logical (alphabetical or numerical) order.

Avoid using All of the above options.

If Not is used, underline it.

Avoid statements of opinion.

Dont link two items together, so that getting the second one correct
depends upon getting the first one correct.

Dont give away the answer to one item with information or clues in
other items

 Strength
1.
2.

Multiple choice item are

versatile
Multiple choice items can be
scored in an objective manner
and easy

3.

Not significantly influenced by

response sets

4.

An efficient way of sampling the

content domain

Weaknesses
1.

Not effective for measuring all

educational objectives.

2.

Not easy to write

3.

Students need only recognize a

correct answer. They need not
generate a correct answer.

4.

students guess answer.

BINARY-CHOICE ITEM
Gives

students only two options from which to

select.

The

most common form is the true-false item

Students

must choose between yes-no, right

wrong, correct-incorrect and so on.

Can

answer many item in a short time. It is

possible to cover a large amount of content in a
brief assessment session.

Weakness:
1.

students have a 50 50 chance of guessing the

correct answer even if they dont know the idea
of whats correct.

2.

guess their way correctly through a few binarychoice items.

MULTIPLE BINARY CHOICE

Multiple

binary choice looks like a

traditional multiple choice test but there is
a cluster of questions that have a theme.
Instead of picking one correct answer the
student must answer all of the questions in
a cluster.

POSITIVES OF MULTIPLE BINARY TEST

ITEM
Students

cannot rely on memorized information

like they can in a binary test.

This

type of the test is more demanding and

requires a deeper level of thinking.

Student

can respond 2 more items in a cluster in

the same amount of time it takes to answer a
single item. More items on a test leads to a more
reliable test.

MATCHING ITEM

Matching items consist of two lists of words, phrases, or images

(often referred to as stems and responses). Students review the list of
stems and match each with a word, phrase, or image from the list of
responses.

Easy to grade

Appropriate for associations between facts

Emphasize facts and memorization

Problems when using many scan sheets

Keep the list and descriptions short and homogeneous

Arrange in a logical order

MATCHING ITEM

ADVANTAGES

1.

Require short periods of reading

and respon time, allowing you to
cover more content

2.

Provide objective measurement of

student achievement or ability

1.

3.

Provide highly reliable test scores

Have difficulty measuring learning objectives requiring more than

simple recall of information

2.

4.

Provide scoring efficiency and

accuracy

Are difficult to construct due to the problem of selecting a common

set of stimuli and responses

LIMITATION

CONSTRUCTEDRESPONSE TEST

WHAT IS A CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE?

a

type of open-ended essay question that

demonstrates cognitive knowledge and reasoning.

Critical

thinking & reading between the lines or

beyond the text

Requires

evidence & inferences

COMMON CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE

VERBS

Analyze / examine

Infer / conclude

Evaluate / justify

Generalize / summarize / pharaphrase

Compare / contrast

TYPES OF CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE TEST

SHORT ANSWER
ITEM

ESSAY
ITEM

WHAT A SHORT ANSWER ITEM?

Are open-ended questions that require student to create answer.

The item can either be a direct question or an incomplete statement.

ADVANTAGES OF SHORT ANSWER ITEM

Short answer question are relatively fast to mark and can be marked by
different assessors, as long as the questions are set in such a way that all
alternative answers can be considered by the assessors.

Also relatively easy to set compared to many assessment methods.

Can be used as part of formative and summative assessment, as a structure of

short answer questions are very similar to examination questions, students
are more familiar with the practice and feel less anxious

DISADVANTAGES OF SHORT ANSWER ITEM

Only suitable for questions that can be answered with short responses. It is
very important than the assessor is very clear on the type of answers
expected when setting the question, because SAQ is an open-ended question,
student are free to answer any way they choose, SAQ can lead to difficulties
in grading if the question is not worded carefully.

Accuracy of assessment may be influenced by handwriting/spelling skills.

There can be time management issues when answering SAQ.

EXAMPLE OF SHORT ANSWER ITEM

ESSAY ITEM?

A test that requires the student to compose responses, usually lengthy up to

several paragraphs.

EXTENDED
RESPONSE
ESSAY TEST
RESTRICTED
RESPONSE

DISTINCTIVE FEATURE OF ESSAY TEST

The distinctive feature of essay

type test is the freedom of
response. Pupils are free to
select, relate and present ideas
in their own words.

USES OF ESSAY TEST

Assess the ability to recall, organize and integrate ideas.

Assess the ability to express oneself in writing.

Ability to supply information.

Assess student understanding of subject matter.

Measure the knowledge of factual information.

Extended response

Allows student to select information that they think is pertinent, to organize

the answer in accordance with their best judgment, and to integrate and
evaluate ideas as they think suitable

Uncontrolled response

ADVANTAGES OF EXTENDED RESPONSE

This type of essay item is mostly useful in measuring learning outcomes at the
higher cognitive levels of educational objectives such as analysis, synthesis
and evaluation levels.

They expose the individual differences in attitudes, values and creative

ability.

LIMITATIONS OF EXTENDED RESPONSE

They are insufficient for measuring knowledge of factual materials because

they call for extensive details in selected content area at a time.

Scoring such type of responses is usually difficult and unreliable since the
examinees have free will in the array of factual information of varying degree
of correctness, coherence and expression.

EXAMPLES OF EXTENDED RESPONSE

ESSAY QUESTIONS

Compare developments in international relations in the administrations of

President William Clinton and President George W. Bush. Cite examples when
possible.

Imagine that you and a friend found a magic wand. Write a story about an
adventure that you and your friend had with the magic wand.

RESTRICTED RESPONSE

Usually limits boths the content and the response by restricting the scope of
the topic to be discussed.

Useful for measuring learning outcomes requiring interpretation and

application of data in a specific area.

ADVANTAGES OF RESTRICTED RESPONSE

Restricted response question is more structured.

Measure specific learning outcomes.

Restricted response provide for more ease of assessment.

Any outcomes measured by an objective interpretive exercise can be

measured by a restricted respon essay question.

LIMITATION OF RESTRICTED RESPONSE

Restricts the scope of the topic to be discussed and indicating the nature of
the desired response which limits student opportunity to demonstrate these
behavior.

EXAMPLE OF RESTRICTED RESPONSE

Describe two situations that demonstrate the application of the law of supply
and demand. Do not use those examples discussed in class.

State the main differences between the Vietnam War and previous wars in
which the United States has participated

Advantages

Disadvantages

Selected-response

Constructed-response

(e.g., multiple choice,

true/false, matching)

(e.g., short answer, essay)

Easier to score

Can be answered quickly

Covers a broader range of

curriculum in a shorter time

Allows students to
demonstrate complex, indepth understanding

Less likelihood of guessing

correct answer

Motivates students to learn

in a way that stresses the
organization of information,
principles, and application

Constrains students to single

appropriate answer

More time-consuming to
score

Encourages students to learn

by recognition

More time-consuming to
answer

Subject to guessing correct

answer

Compare Formative assessment

and summative assessment

Assessment is the process of gathering data.More

specifically, assessment is the ways instructors
gather data about their teaching and their
students learning (Hanna &Dettmer, 2004). The
data provide a picture of a range of activities
using different forms of assessment such as pre
-tests, observations, and examinations. Once
these data are gathered, you can then evaluate
the students performance.

Summative vs. Formative Assessments

With summative assessments, students are
evaluated upon completion of the work and the
focus is on the final product.
formative assessments, students are
evaluated during the work process and the focus is
on improving the process

Formative assessment: Formative assessment is the process of

gathering ongoing information (what teachers see and hear)
during instruction to determine what students know and can do,
and to provide descriptive feedback to improve learning and
inform teaching. Feedback is generally directly connected to
student learning goals and referenced to student-generated
criteria.
Summative assessment: Summative assessment is the celebration,
summary, evaluation, or judgment reached at the end of a topic,
theme, unit, semester, term, or school year based on
performances/products and formative assessment data.

Summative
The purpose is
To measure

student achievement at a point in

time for reporting and accountability

To sort

students in rank order

To maximize

student learning through

standardized tests, etc.

Formative
The purpose is
To promote

further improvement of student

learning during the learning process

To involve

students in the ongoing

assessment of their own achievement

Disadvantages of Formative Assessments

Some

teachers complain about sacrificing time to

assess during the lesson and fear that they may
not even finish the lesson. Teachers then feel the
need to rush through a series of units, which
causes students to lack mastery once the
assessment is given at the end of the unit.
Teachers may lack training or professional
development on how to use formative
assessments successfully and students may not
take the assessments seriously, which may cause
teachers to misread feedback from students.

DISADVANTAGE OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

summative

assessments reflect so closely on teacher

performance, many instructors are accused of
teaching to the test. the teachers will focus on the
topic that is going to be in the exam and students
may be asked to spend hours drilling those exercises
instead of reading and writing to grow their
vocabularies naturally. Conversely, no assessment is
perfect, so even students with excellent knowledge of
the material may run into questions that trip them
up, especially if they get nervous under pressure. As a
result, summative assessment is not always the most
accurate reflection of learning.

Examples of Formative Assessment

Observations during in-class activities of students non-verbal feedback

during lecture

Homework exercises as review for exams and class discussions

Reflections journals that are reviewed periodically during the semester.

Question and answer sessions, both formalplanned and informal

spontaneous.

Conferences between the instructor and student at various points in the

semester.

In-class activities where students informally present their results.

Student feedback collected by periodically answering specific question

about the instruction and their self-evaluation of performance and progress

EXAMPLES OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

1)

OBSERVATIONS OR SURVEYING

When implementing a new activity in class, you can, through observation or

surveying the students, determine whether or not the activity should be
used again (or modified).

A primary focus of formative assessment is to identify areas that may need

improvement.

These assessments typically are not graded and act as a gauge to

students learning progress and to determine teaching effectiveness
(implementing appropriate methods and activities).

2) QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSIONS

At the end of the third week of the semester, you can informally ask students
questions which might be on a future exam to see If they truly understand the
material.

For example, after polling students you see that a large number of students
did not correctly answer a question or seem confused about some particular
content.

At this point in the course you may need to go back and review that material
or present it in such a way to make it more understandable to the students.

This formative assessment has allowed you to rethink and then re-deliver
that material to ensure students are on track.

It is good practice to incorporate this type of assessment to test students

knowledge before expecting all of them to do well on an examination

EXAMPLES OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Examinations(major, high-stakes exams)

Final examination (a truly summative assessment)

Term papers(drafts submitted throughout the semester would be a

formative assessment)

Projects (project phases submitted at various completion points could be

formatively assessed)

Portfolios (could also be assessed during its development as a formative

assessment)

Performances

Student evaluation of the course (teaching effectiveness)

Instructor self-evaluation

References

Airasian, P.W.(1994).classroom assesment . New York:McGraw Hill, Inc.

Heritage, M.(2010).Formative Assesment.Making It Happen In The

Classroom.SAGE Company.

Santrock, J. W. (2011). Educational Psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill.

https://vimeo.com/117486673 :Constructed responses: Definition and

preparation

http://www.slideshare.net/shaziazamir3/essay-type-test :Essay Type Test

Albanese, M.(1993). Type K and other complex multiple-choice items: An

analysis of research and item properties. Educational Measurement: Issues
and Practice, 12(1), 28-33.

Downing, S.M. (2002a). Assessment of knowledge with written test forms.

In Norman, G.R., Van der Vleuten, C.P.M., Newble, D.I. (Eds.).
International Handbook for Research in Medical Education (pp. 647-672).

THANK YOU