How Tests, and More

Before any test can be given, it must be carefully developed. This process typically involves several steps:

* Item Design: The process of creating the individual questions or tasks which make up a test. These questions and tasks should be relevant to the learning goals and objectives of the course or unit of study.

* Item Selection: Choosing which of the items developed during item design will be included on the test. This decision is often based on factors such as the difficulty of the item, its discriminability (the ability to distinguish between students who have mastered the material and those who have not), and its relevance to the learning goals of the course.

* Test Assembly: Putting the items together into a complete test. This includes determining the order of the items, as well as the instructions for taking the test.

* Test Administration: The process of giving the test to students. This includes providing students with the necessary materials, such as answer sheets and pencils, as well as instructions on how to complete the test.

* Scoring: Evaluating the students' responses to the test items. This can be done by hand, by using a computer, or by a combination of both methods.

* Interpretation: Analyzing the results of the test to determine what students know and do not know. This can be done by looking at the overall score distribution, as well as by item analysis (examining the performance of students on individual items). The results of the test can then be used to make decisions about instruction, such as whether or not to provide remediation.

More About Tests

In addition to the basic information about test development, there are a number of other things to keep in mind when using tests. These include:

* Validity: The extent to which a test measures what it is supposed to measure. A valid test is one that accurately assesses the learning goals and objectives of a course or unit of study.

* Reliability: The consistency of a test. A reliable test is one that yields similar results when given to the same students on different occasions.

* Bias: Anything that systematically favors or disfavors a particular group of students. Bias can be caused by a variety of factors, such as the content of the test, the way the test is administered, or the scoring procedures.

* Norms: A set of statistics that describe the performance of a group of students on a particular test. Norms can be used to compare the performance of individual students to the performance of the group as a whole.

* Test Security: The measures that are taken to prevent unauthorized access to a test. This can include measures such as storing tests in a secure location, using passwords, and encrypting test data.

By understanding the basics of test development and the other factors that affect test quality, you can be sure that the tests you use are valid, reliable, and fair.

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