DRC1- chapter 8

Types of Essay Questions

restricted-response questions and extended-response questions.

Essay questions are more appropriate than multiple-choice items when the specific outcome calls for

supplying the answer

Rules for Scoring Essay Answers

1. Evaluate answers to essay questions in terms of the learning outcomes being measured. 2. Score restricted-response answers by the point method, using a model answer as a guide. 3. Grade extended-response answers by the rating method, using defined criteria as a guide. 4. Evaluate all of the students' answers to one question before proceeding to the next question. 5. Evaluate answers to essay questions without knowing the identity of the writer. 6. Whenever possible, have two or more persons grade each answer.

Checklist for Evaluating Short-Answer Items

1. Is this type of item appropriate for measuring the intended learning outcome? 2. Does the item task match the learning task to be measured? 3. Does the item call for a single, brief answer? 4. Has the item been written as a direct question or a well-stated incomplete sentence? 5. Does the desired response relate to the main point of the item? 6. Is the blank placed at the end of the statement? 7. Have clues to the answer been avoided (e.g., "a" or "an," length of the blank)? 8. Are the units and degree of precision indicated for numerical answers?

According to the "Rules for Scoring Essay Answers" in your textbook, it is best to grade essay tests question by question, rather than student by student.

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Short answer item limitations

1. It is difficult to phrase statements so that only one answer is correct. 2. Scoring is contaminated by spelling ability when responses are nonverbal. 3. Scoring is tedious and time consuming. 4. This item type is not very adaptable to measuring complex learning outcomes.

Short answer item strenghts

1. It is easy to write test items. 2. Guessing is less likely than in selection-type items. 3. This item type is well suited to computational problems and other learning outcomes where supplying the answer is important. 4. A broad range of knowledge outcomes can be measured.

Rules for Writing Short-Answer Items

1. State the item so that only a single, brief answer is possible. 2. Start with a direct question and switch to an incomplete statement only when greater conciseness is possible by doing so. 3. It is best to leave only one blank, and it should relate to the main point of the statement.

Essay Questions strengths

1. The highest level learning outcomes (analyzing, evaluating, creating) can be measured. 2. Preparation time is less than that for selection-type items. 3. The integration and application of ideas is emphasized.

Essay Questions limitations

1. There is an inadequate sampling of achievement due to time needed for answering each question. 2. It is difficult to relate to intended learning outcomes because of freedom to select, organize, and express ideas. 3. Scores are raised by writing skill and bluffing and lowered by poor handwriting, misspelling, and grammatical errors. 4. Scoring is time consuming and subjective, and it tends to be unreliable.

Rules for Writing Essay Questions

1. Use essay questions to measure complex learning outcomes only 2. Relate the questions as directly as possible to the learning outcomes being measured. 3. Formulate questions that present a clear task to be performed. 4. Do not permit a choice of questions unless the learning outcome requires it. Provide ample time for answering and suggest a time limit on each question.

Asking a student to defend a position or point of view would best be assessed with an extended-response essay question.

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Having two or more persons grade each essay question is the best way to check the reliability of scoring.

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Probable Effect on Learning-Selection-Type Items Encourages students to remember, interpret, and use the ideas of others.

Encourages students to organize, integrate, and express their own ideas.-Essay Questions

Selection-Type Items Essay Questions Learning Outcomes Measured Good for measuring the recall of knowledge, understanding, and application levels of learning; inadequate for organizing and expressing ideas.

Inefficient for measuring the recall of knowledge; best for ability to organize, integrate, and express ideas.-Essay Questions

Preparation of Items-Selection-Type Items Preparation of good items is difficult and time consuming.

Preparation of good items is difficult but easier than selection-type Essay Questions items.-

For which of the following general outcomes is the essay item least appropriate?

Remembering

Scoring-Selection-Type Items Objective, simple, and highly reliable.

Subjective, difficult, and less reliable.-Essay Questions

essay item

Supply-type items used to measure the ability to organize and integrate material are called

Only grade spelling, grammar, and punctuation of supply-type answers when they relate to the intended learning outcome.

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Sampling of Content-Selection-Type Items The use of a large number of items results in broad coverage, which makes representative sampling of content feasible.

The use of a small number of items limits coverage, which makes representative sampling of content infeasible.-Essay Questions

Factors Distorting Scores-Selection-Type Items Reading ability and guessing.

Writing ability and bluffing.-Essay Questions

What is another name for true-false items?

alternative-response items

A weakness of short-answer questions is that they

can potentially have several answers

The incorrect responses in a multiple-choice item are called

distracters

What are the incorrect responses in a multiple-choice item called?

distracters

According to the "Rules for Writing Essay Questions" in your textbook, it is best to limit the amount of time a student has to answer each essay.

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extended-response questions.

gives students almost unlimited freedom to determine the form and scope of their responses.

restricted-response questions

places strict limits on the answer to be given

Short-answer items are typically limited to measuring a student's ability to

remember information

Supply-type items

require students to produce the answer. This may be a single-word or a several-page response.supply-type items are typically divided into (1) short-answer items, (2) restricted-response essay, and (3) extended-response essay