Constructing test items : multiple-choice, constructed-response, performance, and other formats / Steven J. Osterlind.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Osterlind, Steven J.

Series:

Evaluation in education and human services

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Examinations--Design and construction.

Examinations.

Physical Description:

vii, 339 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Edition:

Second edition.

Place of Publication:

Boston : Kluwer Academic Publishers, [1998]

Contents:

Why This Information Is Important 11

Chapter 2 Definition, Purpose, And Characteristics of Items 17

Defining A Test Item 19

Purpose For Test Items 36

Criteria For Good Test Items 40

Assumptions For Test Items 44

Classification Of Items 54

Chapter 3 Determining the Content For Items: Validity 59

Basic Concepts of Validity 61

The Relationship Between Constructing Test Items and Validity 65

Conditions For Items To Contribute To Validity 67

Initial Considerations When Selecting Content For Items 69

Achieving Clarity In A Test's Content 71

Melding Cognitive Processing Levels With Items Content 83

Test Item Specifications 88

Making An Item Consistent With Its Specification 98

Chapter 4 Starting To Write Items: Practical Considerations 107

The Importance Of Good Writing In Test Items 109

Sources For Information On Writing Style 113

The Computer and Writing Items 115

Using Taxonomies In Writing Items 116

Distinctness Between Stem and Response Alternatives 132

Importance Of An Interrogative Stem 136

Determining The Correct Response For Test Items 139

Positive Working in the Stem Rather than Negative 145

Determining The Optimal Number Of Response Alternatives 146

Making Response Alternatives Plausible 148

Use Of All Of The Above Or None Of The Above As Response Alternatives 151

Using Specific Determiners In Test Items 155

Constructing Complex Response Alternatives 156

Time Examinees Need To Respond To Items 158

Chapter 5 Style, Editorial, and Publication Guidelines For Items in the Multiple-Choice Format 161

Understanding The Multiple-Choice Item Format 162

Advantages and Criticisms Of Items In The Multiple-Choice Format 163

Editorial Format For Items 165

Using Directions Correctly 169

Specialized Style Rules For Multiple-Choice Items 174

Type Characteristics and Page Layout 193

Chapter 6 Style, Editorial, and Publication Guidelines For Items in Constructed-Response and Performance Formats 203

Types of Constructed-Response and Performance 205

Validity in Constructed-Response 206

Precision in Wording, Again 208

Chapter 7 Style, Editorial, and Publication Guidelines For Items in Other Common Formats 215

Precision In Wording, Again 216

Understanding Items In The True-False Format 219

Understanding Items In The Matching Format 234

Understanding Short-Answer And Sentence-Completion Items 237

Understanding Cloze-Procedure 242

Chapter 8 Judging the Quality Of Test Items: Item Analysis 253

Measurement Error 254

Understanding Item Analysis 257

Validating The Content Of Items 258

Using Leading Questions In Item Analysis 265

Item Statistics 266

Item Parameters 284

Item Bias 289

Chapter 9 Ethical, Legal Considerations, and Final Remarks for Item Writers 301

Ethical Concerns For Item Writers 302

Concluding Comments About Constructing Test Items 308.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [311]-325) and indexes.

ISBN:

0792380770

OCLC:

37694318