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Fundamentals
What is a test?
An instrument that tells us something about student knowledge, skills, and/or abilities.
Fundamentals
What is a test item?Cue requiring student response with rules for scoring response.
Response can be prompted by an instruction to perform a task,
or a question requiring an answer.
Fundamentals
By definition, ARS employs a question requiring an answer.
The default test item is multiple-choice.• Stem• Responses• Single correct response (best-answer
format)
Use those nifty keypads
A multiple-choice test item can measure which of the following student achievements?
A. Critical thinking skill
B. High-inference psychomotor skill
C. Declarative knowledge
D. High-inference cognitive ability
A multiple-choice test item can measure which of the following student achievements?
A. Critical thinking skill*
B. High-inference psychomotor skill
C. Declarative knowledge*
D. High-inference cognitive ability*
Approach to Writing
• Identify Key Concepts– What do you want to measure?
• Identify Actions– What do you want the learner to be able to
do?
• Ask for Direct Action/Concept• Provide a Single Correct Answer
Identify Key Concepts
• Start with learning objectives• When they walk out of the room, will
learners ask “so what?” What should they now understand?
• Put each concept into a declarative sentence.
Identify Actions
• Drill down – what should the learner do with the concept?
• Verbs “do” – consider some verbs that apply to the Key Concept.
• Put each action into a declarative sentence.
A Word about Verbs
• Strong verbs are vital to any good writing.• Be direct and active.
– Form of “to be” + past participle – Mary was given a book by John – is passive.
• Avoid forms of “to be” when possible.• And (drumroll please)…
“When you see an adverb, kill it.”
-- Mark Twain
What does it mean to walk quickly?
Briskly?
Urgently?
Fast?
Choosing Verbs
Measure Recall or Understanding, use:
Characterize
Define
Demonstrate
Describe
Find
Illustrate
Ask for Direct Action/Concept
• Focus on a single Key Concept at a time.– Less really is more.
• Using an active verb, ask a direct question.
• Ask the learner to do something.• Keep it simple!
Provide a Single Correct Answer
• Focus on “real life”.• Be as brief as possible.
– Answer should contain only what is absolutely necessary.
• Keep it simple!
Keypads Up!
Which of the following best defines adverb?
a. Modifies a noun or other substantive.
b. Ob to be executed by item writer.
c. Expresses action, existence, or occurrence.
d. Modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb.
Which of the following best defines adverb?
a. Modifies a noun or other substantive.
b. Obliged to be executed by item writer.
c. Expresses action, existence, or occurrence.
d. Modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb. *
Try ThisIdentify Key Concept:
Pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep venous thrombosis (DVT) are part of the same complex and common process (i.e. venous thromboembolism), which has a wide spectrum of clinical presentations and consequences, ranging from no symptoms or sequelae to a lethal outcome. DVT usually starts in the deep calf veins and propagates superiorly, and it is associated with symptomatic PE in about one-third of untreated patients. DVT is commonly confused with other conditions such as cellulitis, leg edema, and chronic venous insufficiency, and PE is also notoriously difficult to diagnose.
You Decide
• As the content expert, it’s up to you to decide what is most important.
• Let’s choose this:
PE is also notoriously difficult to diagnose
• Write a direct question based on the paragraph.
The Question
Which of the following statements best explains the difficulties in diagnosing lower extremity DVT?
Answer:
Is clinically similar to other conditions of the lower extremities.
Wrong Answers
• Also called distractors, are hard to write.• Try using these:
– Common misconceptions you’ve seen;– Misapply a principle (i.e. add when you should
subtract);– Ways in which things are related (cause or
coincidence?).
Which of the following statements best explains the difficulties in diagnosing lower extremity DVT?
a. Is a distinctly different process than PE.b. Occurs rarely in cases of symptomatic PE.c. Is clinically similar to other conditions of the
lower extremities.*d. Usually originates in difficult to image deep
veins of the thigh.
Other Rules/Hints
• Just as in life, a fact is seldom absolutely true or absolutely false. No T/F questions!
• “All / None of the Above” is essentially T/F – Not allowed.
• Avoid any negative question – Which is false?– Which is incorrect?
Other Rules/Hints• Stem is short and options long – a poor item!
– As much information as possible in the stem and keep the options short
• Avoid absolute terms. – Words like “always” or “never” are rarely true in life
and so are almost never the right answer on a test.
• Avoid word repeats (word that appears in both stem and response); points to a correct answer.
• Language in the options must be parallel (i.e. all diagnoses, or all anatomic entities).
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