Page 115 - DEDU504_EDUCATIONAL_MEASUREMENT_AND_EVALUATION_ENGLISH

Unit 8 : Test Construction

validity, reliability and usability, which make an evaluation instrument dependable for Notes
ranking, selecting and certification of students’ achievement. Thorough understanding of
technology of paper setting involves preparation of a functional design of question paper
that provides framework for setting the question paper. Such a framework includes
identification of content units or areas of syllabus, assessment objectives to be included for
testing, form of questions to be used, scheme of sections if any, and difficulty level of
question type of options to be provided, besides taking cognizance of some predisposing
factors like total time, total marks, number of papers, assumption to be made etc. Giving
proportional weightage to various content areas, objectives and forms of questions is also
necessary in designing. The next step is development of blueprint conforming to the
prescribed design by the board or the examining agency. This blueprint provides distribution
of questions over various content units in relation to assessment objective, along with
indication of marks. Then it is necessary to frame the questions in conformity with the
blueprint requirement, along with key, outline answers and marking scheme. Consolidation
of questions to give question paper a particular format and organisational pattern is followed.
Writing of general instructions and directions for various parts comes next. Editing and
review of questions is undertaken by means of question-wise analysis, on whose basis the
needed modifications and improvements in questions are made and paper is finalised to
make it press-worthy. However, for a final look an expert review is needed to ensure
further improvements through moderation, which is undertaken by different subject experts
and trained evaluators. Sometimes a panel of paper setters and moderators is used to make
question papers more valid, reliable and usable through various modifications and
improvements made by the moderators, who do a final review to make the question paper
perfect. Thus paper setting is a long-drawn process that demands technical know-how, hard
labour and critical acumen.

8.7 Keywords
Construction : The process or method of building or making something
Predispos : to influence somebody so that they are likely to think or behave in a particular
way
Blue Print : A plan which shows what can be achieved and how it can be achieved

8.8 Review Questions

1. Explain the Concept of test and predisposing factors which affect the test.
2. What is blue print of test. Give the steps involved in developing blue print.
3. What is the purpose and scope of framing the questions of various types and their marking?
4. How is it analysed the test ?
5. Explain the process of moderation of the question paper.

Answers : Self Assessment
1. (i) Test (ii) knowledge, application (iii) board’s external examination
(iv) difficult level of test (v) blue print
2. (i) a (ii) b (iii) c

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