1. Writing Authentic Test Questions By: Nicole Sanyigo

2. Opener: Discuss with a Partner: Why do we give tests? Share and Discuss.

3. Are essay exams easier to construct than objective exams? “Essay items are generally easier and less time consuming to construct than are most objective test items. Technically correct and content appropriate multiple choice and true-false items require an extensive amount of time to write and revise”. Kansas State Dept. of Edu. “Essay items are generally easier and less time consuming to construct than are most objective test items. Technically correct and content appropriate multiple choice and true-false items require an extensive amount of time to write and revise”. Kansas State Dept. of Edu.

4. Let’s Get Real: How many of us have done home instruction, created standardized assessments, shared plans, etc. and run across these issues? 1. What the heck is this test question asking? 2. What is the right answer to this question? 3. What does this weird symbol, diagram, picture mean? 4. Teacher 1 says the answer is B. Teacher 2 says the answer is D. How many of us have done home instruction, created standardized assessments, shared plans, etc. and run across these issues? 1. What the heck is this test question asking? 2. What is the right answer to this question? 3. What does this weird symbol, diagram, picture mean? 4. Teacher 1 says the answer is B. Teacher 2 says the answer is D.

5. Student “Rules of Thumb” Students have preconceived “Rules of Thumb” Can just guess by eliminating So how can we really test what they know? Write Authentic Test Questions! Students have preconceived “Rules of Thumb” Can just guess by eliminating So how can we really test what they know? Write Authentic Test Questions!

6. What’s Wrong? 3.Obama is: A. The current President of the U.S. B. Not the current President of the U.S. C. The current Secretary of State D. The current Secretary of Defense

7. Student Rule of Thumb #1: If there are two answers that are exact opposites, pick one. No need to read the other options. How to prevent this? Give five options, not four. Offer opposites when neither is correct. If there are two answers that are exact opposites, pick one. No need to read the other options. How to prevent this? Give five options, not four. Offer opposites when neither is correct.

8. Components of a Multiple Choice: Stem: Poses the problem that must be answered. Distractor: The wrong answer choices. Answer: (this is self explanatory) Stem: Poses the problem that must be answered. Distractor: The wrong answer choices. Answer: (this is self explanatory) 3.Obama is: A. The current President of the U.S. B. Not the current President of the U.S. C. The current Secretary of State D. The current Secretary of Defense What is wrong with this stem?

9. Stems: State problem in the Stem Don’t create vague Stems Avoid wordy Stems Get to the point of the question and rid of irrelevant information Avoid negatives in your Stem like “NOT” questions State problem in the Stem Don’t create vague Stems Avoid wordy Stems Get to the point of the question and rid of irrelevant information Avoid negatives in your Stem like “NOT” questions In Pairs: Reword the Obama Question

10. What’s Wrong? 20. How did the industrial growth of the early 1900s affect the distribution of wealth in America? A. It improved for most Americans B. Led to a concentration of wealth in the hands of a few industrialists C. Workers became wealthy D. Farmers became wealthy 20. How did the industrial growth of the early 1900s affect the distribution of wealth in America? A. It improved for most Americans B. Led to a concentration of wealth in the hands of a few industrialists C. Workers became wealthy D. Farmers became wealthy

11. Student Rule of Thumb #2: Pick the longest answer. How to prevent? Make sure answer choices are close in length Place most of the relevant words in the Question Stem not Answer Choice Pick the longest answer. How to prevent? Make sure answer choices are close in length Place most of the relevant words in the Question Stem not Answer Choice

12. What is Wrong? What was the importance of the Boxer Rebellion? A. The Chinese wanted to rid of foreign economic control in their country B. The U.S. wanted cheaper sugar from Hawaii C. The Filipinos wanted independence from Spain D. Mohammad Ali wanted to knock out Mike Tyson to regain his boxing title What was the importance of the Boxer Rebellion? A. The Chinese wanted to rid of foreign economic control in their country B. The U.S. wanted cheaper sugar from Hawaii C. The Filipinos wanted independence from Spain D. Mohammad Ali wanted to knock out Mike Tyson to regain his boxing title

13. Student Rule of Thumb #3: Pick the one that has a word I learned about in the topic. How to prevent this? Make sure all of the answers have relevance to the topic Make sure all Distractors are plausible Avoid tricking the test taker YOU WANT AUTHENTIC RESULTS! Pick the one that has a word I learned about in the topic. How to prevent this? Make sure all of the answers have relevance to the topic Make sure all Distractors are plausible Avoid tricking the test taker YOU WANT AUTHENTIC RESULTS!

14. What is Wrong? The capital of New Jersey is: A. New York B. Trenton C. Albany D. Boston The capital of New Jersey is: A. New York B. Trenton C. Albany D. Boston

15. Multiple Choice Dangers: Avoid dissimilar answer choices Avoid mixing one word and two word answer choices Avoid “All of the Above”, “Both A and B”, “None of the Above” Why? Do they really know the answer or are they just guessing? Avoid dissimilar answer choices Avoid mixing one word and two word answer choices Avoid “All of the Above”, “Both A and B”, “None of the Above” Why? Do they really know the answer or are they just guessing?

16. My Bad Question: True/False: Correct the false ones. WWII ended when Hitler was captured by his people, killed, and hung by his feet. Why is this a poorly worded True/False? True/False: Correct the false ones. WWII ended when Hitler was captured by his people, killed, and hung by his feet. Why is this a poorly worded True/False?

17. My Poorly Worded True/False: WWII ended when Hitler was captured by his people, killed, and hung by his feet.

18. True/False The worst possible type of test question. Why? There is to much room for interpretation. To be authentic it must be absolutely true or absolutely false. You really should avoid them! Make sure they have to correct the false! The worst possible type of test question. Why? There is to much room for interpretation. To be authentic it must be absolutely true or absolutely false. You really should avoid them! Make sure they have to correct the false!

19. Let’s Create a True/False: In Pairs: Pair up with someone from your subject if possible. Create an authentic true/false question. Share and test as a group. In Pairs: Pair up with someone from your subject if possible. Create an authentic true/false question. Share and test as a group.

20. Testing Twice Don’t test the same content more than once on a test, even if it is in a different type of question. Why? If student gets it wrong once, they get it wrong twice. Allows more potential for guessing. Don’t test the same content more than once on a test, even if it is in a different type of question. Why? If student gets it wrong once, they get it wrong twice. Allows more potential for guessing.

21. Closure: What stuck?

22. Thanks! Thanks for being my last presentation at SBHS! One Last Favor: Write me a piece of advice I can keep to help me at my new job! Thanks for being my last presentation at SBHS! One Last Favor: Write me a piece of advice I can keep to help me at my new job!

23. Sources: My Kean University Class TCNJ presenter Dr. Kirby Grabowski (Teachers College Columbia) Kansas State Dept. of Edu. http://www.k- state.edu/ksde/alp/resources/Handout-Module6.pdf Grant Wiggins My Kean University Class TCNJ presenter Dr. Kirby Grabowski (Teachers College Columbia) Kansas State Dept. of Edu. http://www.k- state.edu/ksde/alp/resources/Handout-Module6.pdf Grant Wiggins