TIPS - Formats for Assessment

Tips on Assessments

TIPS: Matching questions: 

Effective way to test students recognition of the relationships between words and definitions, events and dates, categories and examples

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Place “items” in o rder: alphabetical, chronological, chronological, or conceptual; limit to 2-5 items per column;

longer items require students to spend too much time searching for responses

TIPS: Multiple-choice questions: 

Can be used to measure both simple and complex concepts

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Should include no more than 5 choices (a, b, c, d, e)

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Student should be advised to select the “best” answer rather than the “correct answer” to avoid arguments

TIPS: Oral reports/exams: 

Consumes a large amount of time

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Can be difficult to score

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Student should receive questions in advance

TIPS: Portfolio: 

Is a selection of coursework that a student assembles in order to illustrate growth and accomplishment over the term

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Might include one or more papers (drafts, revisions, journal entr ies, essay exams)

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Electronic portfolios are becoming common

TIPS: Problem-based learning: 

Students learn about the topic through real -world situations/problems

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skills Helps students develop “flexible knowledge”; develops application skills

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Students may work in groups or individually

Adapted from Tools for Teaching (Davis, 2009)

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Tips on Assessments (Continued) TIPS: Role play: 

Students are given a situation and a cast of characters, they improvise dialogue and actions

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Scenarios should be compelling issue or problem that can only be solved through negotiation or analysis and action

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Help student prepare by reading assignments, data and other materials

TIPS: Short answer and essay questions: 

Calls for 1-2 sentences or a long paragraph

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Easier to write than multiple choice test, but longer to grade

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Appropriate for assessing reasoning and thinking skills such as: analyzing, applying, comparing,

designing, evaluating, inferring, justifying 

Use a scoring guide or rubric to grade

TIPS: Simulations: 

Ask students to demonstrate proficiency in reacting to simulated situations/problem situations

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Can be administered individually or in groups

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Can be difficult to set-up; hard to score

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Assess higher order thinking skills

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Include a self-assessment

TIPS: True-false questions: 

Guessing will produce the correct answer ½ the time – generally scores are high

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Can add an “explain” column for students to justify their response

Adapted from Tools for Teaching (Davis, 2009)

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