Tips for Top TestsTips for Top Tests

FOSL fallFOSL fallSeptember 10, 2007September 10, 2007

Adapted from “Tools for Teaching” Adapted from “Tools for Teaching” by Barbara Gross Davisby Barbara Gross Davis

General StrategiesGeneral Strategies

It is important for a test to be It is important for a test to be balancedbalanced: to cover most of the main : to cover most of the main ideas and important concepts in ideas and important concepts in proportion to the emphasis they proportion to the emphasis they received in class.received in class.

Use a variety of testing methods. Use a variety of testing methods. Write questions that test skills Write questions that test skills other other than recallthan recall..

Construction of EffectiveConstruction of EffectiveExamsExams

Prepare new exams each time you Prepare new exams each time you teach a course.teach a course.

Create test items throughout the term.Create test items throughout the term. Ask students to submit test questions.Ask students to submit test questions. Consider making your tests cumulative.Consider making your tests cumulative. Include a few words of advice or Include a few words of advice or

encouragement on the exam.encouragement on the exam. Put some easy items first.Put some easy items first. Try out the timing.Try out the timing.

Allaying Students’ Allaying Students’ Anxieties About TestsAnxieties About Tests Give students advice on how to Give students advice on how to

prepare for the exam.prepare for the exam. Give a diagnostic test early in the term.Give a diagnostic test early in the term. Duplicate extra copies of the exam.Duplicate extra copies of the exam. Plan for “what ifs.”Plan for “what ifs.” Actively proctor.Actively proctor. Return test papers promptly.Return test papers promptly. Use class time to discuss the overall Use class time to discuss the overall

results and provide answer key.results and provide answer key. Makeup Test TipsMakeup Test Tips

Multiple-Choice TestsMultiple-Choice Tests Make sure that at least some test items Make sure that at least some test items

require higher-level learning (examples)require higher-level learning (examples)

Instruct students to select the “best answer” Instruct students to select the “best answer” rather than the “correct answer.”rather than the “correct answer.”

Give advice on how to take a multiple-choice Give advice on how to take a multiple-choice or matching test. Can students guess?or matching test. Can students guess?

Put all relevant material in the stem and Put all relevant material in the stem and keep it short and grammatically consistent keep it short and grammatically consistent (examples)(examples)

More on Multiple-More on Multiple-ChoiceChoice Limit number of response Limit number of response

alternatives and keep distracters alternatives and keep distracters appealing and plausible.appealing and plausible.

Avoid Avoid alwaysalways, , nevernever, , all of the all of the above, none of the aboveabove, none of the above and and negative wording.negative wording.

Vary the position of the best Vary the position of the best answer.answer.

Evaluate the test items after you Evaluate the test items after you have scored them.have scored them.

Matching Test ItemsMatching Test Items

Keep the two sets of items Keep the two sets of items homogeneous.homogeneous.

Try to order the responses.Try to order the responses. If you include distracters, let If you include distracters, let

students know that some of the students know that some of the entries do not apply.entries do not apply.

Be conscious of layout and format. Be conscious of layout and format. Avoid flipping pages to find Avoid flipping pages to find answers!answers!

Short-Answer and Short-Answer and Essay TestsEssay Tests Do not use essay questions to evaluate Do not use essay questions to evaluate

understanding that could be tested with understanding that could be tested with multiple-choice questions (examples)multiple-choice questions (examples)

Give students advice on how to Give students advice on how to approach an essay test.approach an essay test.

Don’t give students a choice of Don’t give students a choice of questions to answer.questions to answer.

Ask students to write more than one Ask students to write more than one essay.essay.

State the question clearly and precisely State the question clearly and precisely (examples)(examples)

More on Short-Answer More on Short-Answer and Essay Testsand Essay Tests Decide on guidelines for full and partial Decide on guidelines for full and partial

credit (examples)credit (examples) Read exams without looking at Read exams without looking at

students’ names or grading on students’ names or grading on extraneous factors.extraneous factors.

Choose examples of exams to serve as Choose examples of exams to serve as anchors or standards.anchors or standards.

Write comments on the exams.Write comments on the exams. Place the grade on the last page of the Place the grade on the last page of the

exam.exam.

Preventing Academic Preventing Academic DishonestyDishonesty If you suspect students of cheating or If you suspect students of cheating or

plagiarizing material, confront them plagiarizing material, confront them directly and immediately.directly and immediately.

Make certain that you (or proctors) are in Make certain that you (or proctors) are in the room at all times. Honor system?the room at all times. Honor system?

Check student photo IDs?Check student photo IDs? Take action with “wandering eyes.”Take action with “wandering eyes.” Spend some time in the back of the room.Spend some time in the back of the room.

More on Preventing More on Preventing Academic DishonestyAcademic Dishonesty Be aware of “blue book tricks.”Be aware of “blue book tricks.” Clearly mark incorrect answers.Clearly mark incorrect answers. Distinguish between fraudulent, Distinguish between fraudulent,

legitimate, and unacceptable legitimate, and unacceptable excuses.excuses.

Recognize that the excuse “my Recognize that the excuse “my grandmother died” is more likely grandmother died” is more likely to be valid than fraudulent.to be valid than fraudulent.