Type of test items

TYPE OF TEST ITEMS:

An item is the basic unit of interaction on a test. What we often call a test question is more properly known as an item, since it may not be worded as an actual question. The student's feedback is also more properly known as a response rather than an answer, but we won't get too particular on that point. Items can be written in various formats, including multiple choice, matching, true/false, short answer, and essay. We will discuss some of these formats in another article. Since items are the actual points of interaction of students with the test, item quality is probably the most recognizable indicator of the overall quality of the test. High quality test items take time and effort to write, but are essential to a valid test. Items must test skills and knowledge of the subject at hand, not the student's test taking skills.

1. Objective type
2. Short answer type
3. Essay Type

1.Objective type

An objective type of test item is one which the response will be objective.

Objective type test item broadly classified into two:

Supply type ( Recall Type)
The respondent have to supply the responses.
Selection type ( Recognition Type)
The respondent have to select the responses from among the given responses.

Type of Objectives type items-

1. True – False Items (Alternate Response Type
2. Multiple Choice Items
3. Matching Type Items
4. Completion Type Test Items

Advantages of Objective Type Items

1. A large amount of study material can be tested in a very short period time
2. Economy of time.
3. Objectivity of scoring.
4. No bluffing
5. It reduces the subjective element of the examiner to the minimum.
6. If carefully planned, it can measure the higher mental process of understanding, application, analysis, prediction and interpretation.

Limitations of Objective type items

1. Difficulty in preparing good items.
2. Problem of guessing.
3. Problem of cheating.
4. Inefficiency in testing complicated skills
5. High printing cost.
6. Emphasis on testing superficial knowledge.

2. Short answer type

A question requiring three value points at most may be defined as a short answer question. Value points diminish the subjectivity. Help in ensuring wide coverage of content.

Advantages of Short answer Type Items

1. Large portion of the content can be covered in a test.
2. No opportunity for guessing.
3. Easy to construct, because it measures a relatively simple outcomes.
4. It can be made quit objective by carefully fixing the value points.
5. Useful in evaluating the ability to interpret diagrams, charts, graphs, etc.
6. If carefully prepared, deep level objectives understanding, application and problem solving skill can be evaluated.

Limitations of Short answer Type Items

1. It is more subjective than the objective type of items.
2. It may encourage student to memories fact and develop poor study habits.
3. Mechanical scoring is not possible.

3. Essay type

It is free response test item. Help in ensuring a wide coverage of content and variety of objectives. Help in evaluating complex skills.

Advantages Essay Type Items

1. Easy to prepare.
2. Useful in measuring certain abilities and skills.
3. Permit the examinee to write down comprehensively what he knows about something.
4. Promote originality and creative thinking.
5. Possibility of guess work can be eliminated.
6. Reduce chance on the spot copying.
7. Low printing cost.

Limitations of Essay Type Items

1. Minimum validity.
2. Lack of reliability.
3. No objectivity.
4. Rote memory is encouraged.
5. It is a time consuming test item.

reference 

http://www.catforms.com/pages/Introduction-to-Test-Items.html

http://sathitech.blogspot.com/2009/03/construction-of-achievement-test.html