Topic
C7: Developing Example Test Questions
Introduction
What three decisions must be made before
developing an example test question?
What are the types of test questions that
measure the ability to recognize an example?
Teaching Suggestions
What three decisions must be made before
constructing an example test question?
Before constructing a test question, an instructor
has to make the following three major decisions:
1. Before developing a definition question, it must be
decided what will be in the stem of the question: term being defined
or the example of the term.
2. What type of question is going to used: multiple choice,
true or false, matching, or fill-in-blank.
A multiple choice question should be used
for most example questions. Knowledge of any example of a term can
be best measured by this type of question.
3. There are two levels of which an example question can
be developed. It must be decided at what level the example will be given
in the question.
Level one is examples
that were given in the textbook or class lecture. Answering a question
on this level requires the student memorize the examples given in the
class.
Recognizing examples on this level does not measure
the student's ability to use the term's identifying characteristics
to identify an example of a term.
Questions on this level should be given if the student
is expected to recognize something that is already known.
Level two is examples
that were not given in the textbook or class discussion. Questions
on this level require the student to recognize an example of a term
that was not given in the textbook or lecture.
Recognizing an example on this level requires the student
to use the term's identifying characteristics to identify the example.
Questions on this level require the student to know the term's identifying
characteristics.
Questions on this level should be given when students
have to recognize situations or things that can change or more
examples can exist than can be given in the textbook or lecture.
What are the types of test questions that
measure you ability to recognize an example of a term?
The work done by businesses in our economy places
businesses into four different economic groups. Definitions and examples
of these four economic groups of businesses will be used to illustrate
how to create a test question that measures the ability to recognize
an example of a term.
- Extractors are the businesses that take goods from
nature. Fishing and farming are examples of extractive businesses.
- Processors are the businesses that change the shape
and form of things extracted from nature. Meat packers and paper mills
process raw materials into something more useful than they were as
a natural resource.
- Assemblers are the businesses that combine the
materials made by the processors into some type of product. Airplanes
and washing machines are examples of products that were assembled.
- Facilitators are the businesses that repair, store,
insure, sell and provide services. Lawn service and banks are examples
of businesses that are called facilitators.
The two levels of example questions will be illustrated
in the examples of the types of test questions that measure knowledge
of examples that follow:
Objective
Test Questions |
Multiple Choice |
Question Gives: Term
Response Requires:
Level One - recognize an example given
Level Two - recognize an example not given
|
Level One: |
Level Two: |
An example of a business
that would be called an extractor is...
a. insurance firm
b. paper mill
c. airplane manufacture
d. fishing
answer: d
|
An example of a business
that would be called an extractor is...
a. dental clinic
b. candy manufacture
c. computer repair
d. mining
answer: d
|
Question Gives:
Level One - recognize an example
given
Level Two - recognize an example not given
Response Requires: Recognize term
|
Level One: |
Level Two: |
What type of economic
activity is fishing?
a. Extractor
b. Processor
c. Assembler
d. Facilitator
answer: a
|
What type of economic
activity is mining?
a. Extractor
b. Processor
c. Assembler
d. Facilitator
answer: a
|
Question Gives: Term
Response Requires: Recognize criteria required
to identify something as an example of a term?
|
Level One: |
Level Two: |
In order to identify
a business as a processor it must...
a. take goods from nature
b. provide services
c. take and shape things taken from nature
d. combine material made by processors into a product.
answer: c
This is an important type of test question that is usually never
found on a test. As you can see, this question requires the student
to know the definition of the term and think how it will be applied
to recognize an example.
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