CONSTRUCTING AND SCORING ESSAY TEST
A. GENERAL GENERAL TYPES TYPES OF AN ESSAY ESSAY TEST TEST •
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EXTENDED EXTENDED RESPONSE RESPONSE ESSAY ESSAY ITEM - is one that allow for an in-depth sampling sampling of students students knowledge knowledge,, thinking thinking processe processes, s, and problemproblemsolving behavior relative to a specific fact. RESTRICTED RESPONSE ESSAT ITEM – is one where the examinee is required to provide limited response based on a specified criterion for answering the question.
A. LEARNING OUTCOMES OUTCOMES MEASURED MEASURED EFFECTIVELY EFFECTIVELY WITH ESSAY ESSAY ITEMS ➢ According to Gronlund and Linn (1990), there are 12 complex learning outcomes that can be measured effectively with essay items. These are the abilities to: • • • • • • • • • • •
Explain cause- effects relationships; relationships; Describe application of principles; principles; Present relevant arguments; Formulate tenable hypotheses; State necessary assumptions; assumptions; Describe the limitations of data; Explain method and procedures; Produce, organize and express ideas; Integrate learning in different areas; Create original forms; and Evaluate the worth of ideas.
A. CONTENT VERSUS EXPRESSION-It is frequent claimed that essay item allows the students to present his/her knowledge and understanding. More often or not, factors like expression, grammar, spelling and the like are evaluated in relation to content. If the teacher has attempted to develop students’ skills in expression, and if these these learn learning ing outcom outcomes es are are includ included ed in the table table of speci specific ficati ations ons,, assessment assessment of such skills is just right and valid. B. SPECIFIC SPECIFIC TYPES TYPES OF ESSAY ESSAY QUESTI QUESTIONS ONS I.
RECALL
a) SIMP SIMPLE LE REC RECAL ALL L 1. What is the the chemical chemical formula formula for for sodium sodium bicarbon bicarbonate? ate? 2. Who wrote wrote the the novel, novel, “The “The Last of of the Mohica Mohicans?” ns?” a) SELECTIVE RECALL- in which which a basis foe evalua evaluation tion or judgme judgment nt is suggested
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1. Who among among the Greek Greek philosop philosophers hers affected affected your your thinking thinking as a student? 2. Which Which method method of recycling recycling is the the most most appropria appropriate te to use at home? I.
UNDER NDERST STAN ANDI DING NG
a) Comparis Comparison on of two phenomena phenomena on a single single designated designated basis. basis. TH 1. Compare 19 centur century y and and presen present-d t-day ay Filipi Filipino no write writers rs with with respect to their involvement and societal affairs. a) Comparis Comparison on of the phenom phenomena ena in in general general 1. Compare Compare the Philipp Philippine ine Revolutio Revolution n of 1896 with with that people’s people’s of of the Philippine Revolution of 1985. a) Explanation of the use or extract meaning meaning of a phrase phrase or statement. 1. The The lega legall syst system em of the the Meso Mesopo pota tami mian ans s was was anch anchor ored ed on the principle of an eye for an eye, tooth far a tooth. What does this principle mean? a) Summary Summary of of text or some some portio portion n on it. it. 1. What is the the central central idea of communi communism sm as an economi economic c system? system? a) Statement Statement of an artist’ artist’s s purpose purpose in the selection selection or organiza organization tion of material. 1. Why Why did did Hemin Hemingw gway ay desc descri ribe be in deta detail il the the epis episod ode e in whic which h Gordon, lying wounded, engages the oncoming enemy? I.
APPL PPLICAT ICATIO ION NS
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It should be clearly understood that whether or not a question requires applications depend on the preliminary preliminary educational experience. A. A. CAUS CAUSE/E E/EFF FFEC ECTS TS 1. Why Why did Fascis Fascism m prevail prevail in Germany Germany and Italy Italy but not in Great Great Britain and France? 2. Why Why does does freq freque uent nt depe depend nden ence ce in peni penici cill llin in for for trea treatm tmen entt of minor ailment results in its reduced effectiveness against major innovation of body tissues by infectious bacteria? A. A. ANALY NALYSI SIS S 1. Why does does Hamle Hamlett torn torn by confl conflictin icting g desire? desire? 2. Why was was the Propaga Propaganda nda Movement Movement a succe successfu ssfull failure? failure?
A. STATEM STATEMENT ENT OF OF RELATI RELATIONS ONSHIP HIP 1. A resear researche cherr repor reported ted that the teachi teaching ng styles styles correl correlate ates s with with students’ students’ achievement achievement about about 0.75. What does this correlati correlation on mean? A. ILLUSTRA ILLUSTRATION/ TION/ EXAMPLES EXAMPLES OF OF PRINCI PRINCIPLES PLES
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1. Identi Identify fy three three examples examples of the uses uses of the hammer hammer in a typical typical Filipino home. A. APPLICATI APPLICATIONS ONS OF RULES/PRINC RULES/PRINCIPLES IPLES IN SPCIFIED SPCIFIED SITUATIONS SITUATIONS.. 1. Would Would you weigh weigh more/le more/less ss in the the moon? moon? Why or why why not? A. REORG REORGANI ANIZAT ZATION ION OF OF FACTS FACTS 1. Some Some radical Filipino Filipino histori historians ans assert assert that the Filipino Filipino revolution revolution against Spain was from the top not from below. Using the same observation, what conclusion is possible? A. A. JUDG UDGMEN MENT a) DECIS DECISION ION FOR / AGAI AGAINST NST 1. Should Should members members of the Communi Communist st Party Party of the Philippines Philippines be be allowed to teach in college or universities? universities? Why or why not? 2. Nature Nature is more influen influential tial than than the environm environment ent in shaping shaping an individual’s personality. personality. Prove or disprove this statement. a) DISC DISCUS USSI SION ON 1. Trace Trace the events events that led to the the downfa downfall ll of the dictator dictatorial ial regime of Ferdinand Marcos. a) CRITI CRITICIS CISM M OF THE ADEQUAC ADEQUACY, Y, CORREC CORRECTN TNESS ESS,, OR RELE RELEVAN VANCE CE OF STAEMENT. 1. Former Former presid president ent Joseph Joseph Estrada Estrada was convict convicted ed for the case case of plun plunde derr by the the San Sandiga digang ng Baya Bayan. n. Comm Commen entt on the the adequacy of the evidence used b the said tribunal reaching the decision on the cased filed against the chief executive of the country. a) FORMULAT FORMULATION ION OF A NEW QUESTIONS QUESTIONS 1. What What sh shou ould ld be the the focu focus s of rese resear arch ches es of educ educat atio ion n TO explai explain n the incide incidenc nce e of failu failure re among among studen students ts with with high high intelligence quotient? 2. What What question question should should parent parents s ask their their childre children n in order order to dete determ rmin ine e the the reas reason ons s why why that that join join frat frater erni niti ties es and and sororities? I.
EXAMPLES OF ESSAY QUESTION BASED IN BLOOM’S TAXANOMY OF COGNITIVE OBJECTIVES. OBJ ECTIVES.
A. A. KNOW KNOWLE LEDG DGE E Explain why Egypt came to be called the gift of the Nile. A. A. COMP COMPRE REHE HENS NSIO ION N What is meant when a person says, “I had just crossed the bridge? A. A. APPL APPLIC ICAT ATIO ION N Give Give at leas leastt thre three e exam exampl ples es of how how the the law law of supp supply ly operates in our economy e conomy today? A. A. ANALY NALYSI SIS S •
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Expl Explai ain n the the caus causes es and and effe effect cts s of the the Peop People le’s ’s Powe Powerr Revolution on the political and the social life of the Filipino people. A. A. SYNT SYNTHE HESI SIS S Describe the origin and the significance of the celebration of Christmas the world over. •
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I. SOURCES SOURCES OF OF DIFFICU DIFFICULTIES LTIES IN THE THE USE USE OF ESSAY ESSAY TEST TEST ➢
There There are are four four (4) sourc sources es of diffic difficult ulty y that that are are likely likely encoun encounter tered ed by teachers in the use of essay test (Greenberg et al, 19960) and they are enumerated are as follows: A. B. C. D.
QUESTI QUESTION ON CONSTR CONSTRUCT UCTION ION READER READER RELIA RELIABIL BILITY ITY INSTR INSTRUME UMENT NT RELIAB RELIABILI ILITY TY INSTR INSTRUME UMENT NT VALID VALIDITY ITY
I. GUID GUIDEL ELIN INES ES ESSAY TEST
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CONS CONSTR TRUC UCTI TING NG,,
EVAL EVALUA UATI TION ONS S
AND AND
USIN USING G
1) Limit Limit the problem problem that the the question question possesses possesses so so that it will have have a clear or definite meaning to most students. 2) Use simple simple words words which will convey convey clear meaning to the students. 3) Prepar Prepare e enough enough questi questions ons to sample sample the mater material ial of the subjec subjectt area broadly, within a reasonable idea and writing. 4) Use the essay question for purposes it best serves, like organization, organization, handling complicated ideas and writing. 5) Prepar Prepare e quest question ions s which which requir require e consi consider derabl able e thoug thought, ht, but but which which can be answered in relatively words. 6) Determ Determine ine in advance advance how much weight weight will be accorded accorded each of the various elements expected in a complete answer. 7) Without Without knowledge knowledge of the student’s student’s name, name, score score for each question question for all students. 8) Require Require all student students s to answer answer all questions questions on on the test. 9) Write Write quest question ions s about about the materia materiall s immedi immediate ately ly relev relevant ant to the the subject. 10)Make a gross judgment of the relative excellence of answer as a first step in grading. 11)Word a question as simple as possible in order to make the task clear. 12)Do not judge papers on the basis of external factors unless they have been clearly stipulated. 13)Do not make a generalized estimate of an entire paper’s worth.
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14)Do not construct a test consisting of only one question. I. SCOR SCORIN ING G ESS ESSAY AY TEST TEST
A. METHODS IN SCORING ESSAY TESTS 1. It is criti critica call that that the teach teacher er prepare prepare,, in advance advance a detai detailed led ideal ideal answer. 2. Student Student papers papers should should be scored scored anonymousl anonymously y and that all answers answers to a given item be scored one at a time, rather than grading each total separately. A. DISTRACTO DISTRACTORS RS IN SCORING SCORING ESSAY ESSAY TEST TEST 1. Hand Handwr writ itin ing g 2. Style 3. Grammar 4. Knowle Knowledge dge of the the stud student ents s 5. Neat eatness A. TWO WAYS WAYS OF SCOR SCORING ING ESSAY ESSAY TEST TEST
1. HOLIST HOLISTIC IC SCORING SCORING-- In this type, type, a total total score score is assign assigned ed in each essay essay items items based based the teache teacher’s r’s genera generall impre impress ssion ion or over-a over-all ll assessment. 2. ANALY ANALYTIC TIC SCORIN SCORINGG- In this this type, the essay essay is scored scored in terms terms of each components A. GUIDELINES GUIDELINES IN SCORI SCORING NG ESSAY ESSAY TEST TO AVOID AVOID SUBJECT SUBJECTIVTY IVTY 1. Decide Decide what factors factors constitute constitute a good answer answer before adminis administeri tering ng an essay question. 2. Explain Explain these these factors factors in the the test test item. item. 3. Read Read all all the the answ answer ers s to a sing single le essa essay y ques questi tion on befo before re read readin ing g other questions 4. Reread Reread essay essay answers answers a second second time after after initial initial scoring. scoring.
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