Objective and Subjective Tests

Purpose of Model

Assessment: The process of evaluating the knowledge, skills, or beliefs of a student. The assessments can be objective or subjective. 

Objective Assessments - Questions on a tests that only have one correct answer (usually true or false, multiple choice, matching questions).

Assuming that all students in a classroom are taught the same material, these assessments are good for recalling factual knowledge. This test tends to be more reliable than the subjective test.

Subjective Assessments - Questions on a test that have more than one correct answer (usually short answer essay, open response essays, and problem solving questions).

The educator's judgement determines the final grade.  The open response and essay questions take longer than Objective tests. That is why there is usually a smaller amount of these questions on a test.

Improve Your Test Questions

Research Basis

Throughout our research, we found that although objective test are reliable when designed effectively; they still do not offer a true sense of the child’s comprehension. Both tests take about the same amount of time to prepare and correct. There is more effort that goes into correcting subjective tests, but at the same time there is more planning involved when preparing objective tests.

Important Facts to Know:

·         Frederick J. Kelley in 1914 was recognized for creating the Multiple choice questions at the University of Kansas.

·         "The first uses of Multiple choice questions was to access the capabilities of World War I military recruits." (Wikipedia - multiple choice).

·         The first author to expose his work in the form of essays was Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592). His first essays were composed in 1572 and published in 1580 entitled Essais. 

Multiple Choice 

Characteristics

 Objective Test

1.   Multiple Choice

2.   True - False

3.   Matching and Completion

Subjective Test

1.   Short answer essay

2.   Open response Essay 

3.   Problem solving

Before generating these types of tests in class, teachers might want to go by some of these procedures:

·        Generate a set of questions.

·        Arrange the layout of application (questionnaire, true-false, multiple choice).

·        Decide which questions will be on the test. 

·        Establish a grading scale for test.

Constructing Good Tests 

Administration Implications

Throughout our research, we found that there is not enough training on designing tests for teachers. Designing tests needs to be more included in Professional Development courses so that Objective tests can be move beneficial to the students that are taking them. We found that are not aware of the undertaking that is involved in test designing. Test designing is so involved; it is not merely constructing test questions. Administrators need to be aware of the teacher’s capabilities and provide access to the appropriate training and professional development.

Tips for Designing Tests:

True-False

·Test only one idea in each item

·Write items that are either true or false without any qualifications 

·Be cautious when using negatives

·Maintain a Balance with items and correct responses

Multiple Choice

·Avoid using “all of the above” or “none of the above” options

·Arrange responses in logical order 

·Avoid any clues that lead the reader to the correct answer

 Matching Items

·Use homogeneous lists

·Use brief lists, with longer phrases on the left

·Keep matching section to 10 items or less

(Greg Conderman, 2002)

 Connection To Bloom's Taxonomy (What Level?)

This assessment model closely resembles the First Level - Cognitive domain of Bloom's Taxonomy.

Cognitive Learning Level: Mental skills (knowledge)        

In this domain the person goes through these categories:

·        Knowledge - the ability to recall information.

·        Comprehension - understand the meanings of ideas and is able to explain it in his / her own words.  Can interpret, rephrase or summarize their ideas on a test.

·        Application - Apllies what is learned in class and puts it into practice.

·        Analysis-  Make distinctions between facts and assumptions.

·        Evaluation - Select the best answer or solution.

Advantages / Disadvantages of Assesing Diverse Learners

Multiple Choice 

Advantages

·         Requires less time to administer. 

·         Evaluation of the students’ knowledge is faster than subjective testing. 

·         Students’ handwriting is irrelevant to multiple choice tests (clear, comprehensible results)

Disadvantages

·         The student might not interpret the question correctly (ambiguous question). 

·         "Multiple - guess" factor.  Test- takers might attempt to guess and answer rather than choosing the correct answer. 

·         Cannot receive partial credit on an answer. (Math problems, etc.) 

·         Measure "test taking ability" and not competence or intelligence. 

Essays

Advantages

·         Students can demonstrate their understanding of a topic. 

·         Open response - allows test taker to choose an area of familiarity and expand on it. 

·         Partial credit might be given. 

·         Fewer questions than Multiple choice exams.

Disadvantages

·         The student might not interpret the question correctly (ambiguous question).

True-False

Advantages

·         Students can answer questions in short period of time

·         Large amount of content can be assessed in a short period of time 

·         Useful for assessing factual knowledge

Disadvantages

·         Students have a 50-50 chance at guessing the correct answer

Necessary Learning Environment

The students need a teacher that is well trained and equipped on designing tests in order for the test to be effective in understanding a students level of comprehension.  All to often, teachers make mistakes when designing test and the students are the ones that pay for it. Research has shown that teachers continue to use assessment techiniques when they have not been properly trained to do so.

Some of the most common mistakes are:

·         Omitting direction

·         Writing incomplete stems

·         Requesting trivial facts rather than big ideas

·         Developing ambiguous questions

·         Providing clues to test questions

·         Teachers also tend to test at the their own level of knowledge

(Greg Conderman, 2002)

Teachers that have had adequate training, know how to design a test that will optimize the effectiveness of the assessment. Teachers with adequate training know how to design a test that is conducive to learning. Teachers with adequate training know the advantages versus the disadvantages to True-False questions. They also know how to balance and score a test, and when to use negatives.