Selection Type Questions and Its Uses

In selection type test items several possible answers/alternatives for each question are already given and the students are only required to select the correct or best answer in them instead of recalling facts or information from their own memories and supplying them. Therefore, this type of test items are  comparatively easy to answer than the supply type test items. Selection type test items are generally consist of the following Types:  

a.    True-false or alternative-response Type Test Items
This type of test items consist of declarative statements in which the students have to point out the true or false, right or wrong, or correct or incorrect statements according to the directions of the test developer. For example:

Read the following statements and write T for true and F for false statements.

i.  Plants release oxygen during photosynthesis.                                                       

ii. The atomic number of carbon is 10.

iii. Fern is a flowering plant.                        

b.     Matching Type Test Items

Matching type test items consist of two different sets/groups of statements, words, phrases, numbers, dates and events, symbols etc. These sets/groups are usually written in two opposite columns. For example, set X is written in column A while set Y is written in column B. Students are required to match an item in column A with an item in column B on the basis of some logical  relationship/connection between them. For example:

Match the animals in column A with their respective groups  in column B. You can use a word in Column B once, more than once or not at all.

Column A                 Column B

Snake                            Fish

Toad                              Mammals

Dolphin                         Reptile

Whale                           Amphibian 

Monkey                        Bird 

USES OF MATCHING TEST ITEMS

Matching test items are usually used for measuring the ability of students to identify a connection/relationship between two things. This relationship may exists in the form of time, date, place, events, class, physical characteristics etc.

ADVANTAGES:

i.    Matching test items can be used for measuring  the ability of students to identity the relationship among numerous things in a relatively short time.

ii.   Matching test items are easy to construct.

LIMITATIONS:

i.    Matching test items are limited to measuring the information based on root learning. So they can’t be used for measuring complex abilities.

ii.   They are highly susceptible to the presence of irrelevant clues, which minimize its functionality.

iii.  Sometimes, it is difficult to find relevant homogeneous materials to be used as the test items.

SUGGESTIONS FOR CONSTRUCTING MATCHING TEST ITEMS

i.    Use only homogeneous items in the list of premises (items for which a match is sought) and responses (items from which a selection is made).

ii.   The number of responses should be more than the number of premises.

iii.  Place the words in alphabetical order and numbers in sequence in the list of premises and responses.

iv.  Direct the students that they can use an item in the list of responses once, more than once or not at all.

v.    Tell the students about the basis upon which the match is sought.

vi.   Place responses to the right of premises.   

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Supply Type Questions and Its Uses

Supply type test items are those which can be answered by a word, phrase, number or symbol. Supply type test items can be further divided into short answer test items and completion test items.

a.   Short answer

Short answer test items are open-ended questions which require the students to recall and reproduce the needed information from their memories. They are called short answer test items because their answers usually consist of few words, phrases or sentences.  For example:

i.    Who invented television?

ii.   What is the capital of UK?

Uses of short answer test items

 Short answer items can be used for the following purposes:

Knowledge of Terminology:

Short answer items can be used for testing the knowledge of students about various terminologies. For example:

i.   What is the name of the instrument, which is used for the measurement of temperature?

Knowledge of Secific Facts:

Short answer items can be used for testing the knowledge of students about various facts. For example:

i.    What is the name of the scientist who invented microscope?

ii.   What is the name of the largest planet in the solar system?

Knowledge of Principles:

Short answer item can also be used for testing the knowledge of students about various principles. For example:

i.     What would happened if two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen are mixed together?

ii.  What would happened if we increase the pressure applied to a gas while keeping its temperature constant?

Knowledge of Method or Procedure:

Short answer items can be used for testing the knowledge of students about various methods or procedure. For example:

i.   What device is used for measuring the flow of current in an electric circuit?

ii.   What teaching method is most effective for the teaching of history?

Simple Interpretations of Data:

Short answer items are used for simple interpretation of data. For example:

i.    In the word “know”, which is the silent letter?

ii.   How many tens are there in the number 45?

b.   Completion Type Test Items

Completion type test items are those which are presented in the form of an incomplete statements. For example:

i.   The name of the scientist who invented television is___________.

ii.  The capital of UK is ____________.

The uses of completion type test items are similar to those of short answer type test items.

Advantages

Following are some of the advantages of short answer type test items:

i.    They are easy to construct.

ii.   They are best for testing the ability of students in the recall of memorized information.

iii.  Since in short answer test items the students have to supply the correct answer, instead of choosing it from the given alternatives, as in the case of MCQs, therefore, there is no chance of guessing in this type of test items.

LIMITATIONS

Short answer test items have some limitations, which are given as under:

i.    They can’t be used for  measuring complex learning outcomes.

ii.   If the wording or phrasing of the test item is too difficult to be accurately comprehended by the students, then majority of the students will prefer to leave it unanswered.

iii.  If a test item is constructed in such a way that can be accurately answered in multiple ways, then the teacher will face difficulty in scoring this item.

SUGGESTIONS FOR CONSTRUCTING SHORT-ANSWER ITEMS

The above-mentioned limitations of short answer test items can be sufficiently removed by acting upon the following suggestions.

i.    Word the test item in a simple language, so that all the students may easily comprehend it.

ii.   The test item should be stated clearly and definitely so that it may lead all the students to one and only one possible answer.

iii.  Phrases or sentences of the textbook should not be directly used as test items.

iv.   Blanks for all possible answers should be equal  in length and horizontally aligned with the test items. 

v.   As far as possible, write your test items in direct question form, like interrogative sentences, rather than writing them as  incomplete statements.

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