Page 55 - DEDU504_EDUCATIONAL_MEASUREMENT_AND_EVALUATION_ENGLISH

Unit 5 : Planning for Different Types of Test

5.2.7 Preparing a Blue Print Notes

After deciding on the design of the test, the blue print is prepared. The blueprint is a three dimensional
chart which shows the placement of each question in respect of the objective and the content area
that it tests. It also indicates the marks carried by each question. It is useful to prepare a blue print
so that the test maker knows which question will test which objective and which content unit and
how many marks it would carry. Without a blue print only the weightage are decided for objectives,
content areas and types of questions. The blue print concretizes the design in operational terms and
all the dimensions of a question (i.e. its objective, its form, the content area it would cover and the
marks allotted to it) become clear to the test maker.
There is no set procedure for preparing a blue print. However, the following sequential steps would
help in preparing a good blue print.

1. Transfer the decisions regarding weightages to objectives - Knowledge, Comprehension and
Expression on the given proforma.
2. Transfer the weightages already decided for different content units. For this, list the content
units under the content areas in the column given at the left hand and the marks under the
column of total given at the right hand side.
3. Place the essay type questions first in the blue print. Place them under the objectives which
you want to test through these questions. The marks of the questions may be shown in the
column under the objectives and the number of questions may be given in brackets.
4. If in a question, marks are to be split between two objectives indicate it with asterisks and a
dotted line as shown in the example.
5. After placing the essay type questions, place the short answer type questions under the objectives
and beside the content unit that you want to test through them.
6. Place the very short answer type questions in a similar way.
7. Place the multiple choice questions in the same way - marks outside the bracket, number of
questions inside the bracket.
8. Calculate the subtotals of all the questions under all the objectives.
9. Calculate the totals. Your total should tally with the weightages of objectives and content units
that you had already marked on the blue print. Fill in the summary of types of questions,
Scheme of Sections and Scheme of Options.

5.2.8 Prepare questions based on the blue print
After the blue print is ready, questions are to be prepared according to the dimensions defined in
the blueprint. For example, if there are essay type questions to be prepared to test the writing skills,
one letter and one report and also a short answer question on writing a notice, the test constructor
should prepare these three questions along with their options which may be comparable in terms of
objectives to be tested, content areas, forms of questions and the difficulty level.
While preparing questions it must be kept in mind that the question :
1. is based on the specific objective of teaching as indicated in the blue print
2. relates to the specific content area as per the blue print
3. is written in the form as required by the blue print and satisfies all the rules for framing that
form of questions
4. is at the desired level of difficulty
5. is written in clear, correct and precise language which is well within the comprehension of
pupils
6. clearly indicates the scope and length of the answer.

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