Deck 15: Classroom Assessment,grading,and Testing

Question 1

Objective tests are generally more reliable than essay tests because objective tests can

A)be corrected for guessing a response correctly.
B)contain more independent items measuring achievement.
C)eliminate subjective judgment in their preparation.
D)measure almost any important educational attainment.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

All of the following statements are true of essay tests EXCEPT:

A)Each question should give students a precise task.
B)Less material can be covered in essay than in multiple-choice tests.
C)Students should be able to answer the questions in a few words for the sake of efficiency.
D)Questions should measure the higher-level objectives.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

A test or rating scale is objective to the extent that it

A)is free of biases of the administrators and scorers.
B)measures only one,or only a very few variables.
C)predicts an important and realistic criterion.
D)yields the same score each time an individual takes it.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The term objective as used in objective testing refers to the

A)content goals of the items.
B)goal(s)of the test.
C)type of material covered.
D)way the test is scored.

Question 5

What type of test would provide the most useful information for the following question: "Are the learning outcomes for the new unit sequenced appropriately?"

A)Diagnostic
B)Formative
C)Placement
D)Summative

Question 6

"We will have weekly quizzes,but your final grade will be based only on the midterm and final exam." This decision implies that the quizzes are to be used for what type of evaluation?

A)Criterion-referenced
B)Formative
C)Norm-referenced
D)Summative

Question 7

At the beginning of the semester,Mr.Rumstead gave a formative test for the purposes of setting objectives.At the end of the course he gave the same test to determine grades.The second time this test was given,it was used as what type of test?

A)Aptitude
B)Diagnostic
C)Formative
D)Summative

Question 8

Which one of the following strategies does NOT tend to increase the reliability of essay test grades?

A)Base your ratings on a model answer that you have constructed.
B)Grade all essay items for each student in turn based on a pre-established point system.
C)Have students place their names on the back of their test papers.
D)Score all responses to one essay item before moving on to the next item.

Question 9

Which one of the following procedures would improve the reliability and validity of grading short essay tests,thus refuting the complaint of sensitivity to bias and variability in grading?

A)Administering more pretests
B)Grading on the curve
C)Implementing a contract system
D)Using a scoring rubric

Question 10

Identify the type of objective test item that is most appropriate for measuring the following specific learning outcome: "Select the best reason for a specific action from a given list of alternatives."

A)Essay
B)Multiple-choice
C)Short-answer
D)True-false

Question 11

Which one of the following sources would be the LEAST likely product to be found in a student's portfolio?

A)Artistic products
B)Peer comments
C)Standardized test results
D)Written products

Question 12

A major difference between formative and summative tests is the

A)format of the test items.
B)interpretation of the test data.
C)preparation of the test directions.
D)role played by content validity in the two tests.

Question 13

When you write multiple-choice items,you should use

A)as much wording as possible in the distractors.
B)distractors that require fine discriminations.
C)"none of the above" less frequently than "all of the above."
D)stems that present a single problem.

Question 14

Exhibitions differ from portfolios because exhibitions

A)are authentic assessments.
B)involve an immediate audience.
C)use criterion-referenced standards.
D)use norm-referenced standards.

Question 15

The most important use of essay tests is to

A)measure simple learning outcomes.
B)measure complex learning outcomes.
C)reduce grading time.
D)sample a wide variety of learning outcomes.

Question 16

Which one of the following actions is a limitation of multiple-choice tests?

A)Allow for bluffing
B)Are difficult to grade
C)Can be difficult to prepare
D)Can only cover a few topics

Question 17

The key feature of authentic assessments is

A)development of tests by professional evaluators.
B)high test-retest reliability.
C)testing in a realistic context.
D)use of essays as the primary form of testing.

Question 18

The most defensible practice for scoring essay tests is to evaluate

A)all parts of one student's paper before going on the next student's paper.
B)each one of the items for all students with reference to its respective model answers.
C)each question as acceptable or unacceptable and assign equal weight to each question.
D)the response for each question with regard to content,organization,and mechanics,with each factor weighted equally.

Question 19

What type of test would provide the most useful information for the following question: "Are students making satisfactory progress in learning the metric system?"

A)Diagnostic
B)Formative
C)Placement
D)Summative

Question 20

Which one of the following statements is TRUE regarding the use of portfolios in assessment?

A)Criterion-referenced rather than norm-referenced grading should be used.
B)Only positive samples of student performances should be selected for a portfolio.
C)Portfolios work best with older students (middle or high school).
D)Teachers rather than students should select the work to be included in the portfolio.

Question 21

The type of skills that would be most effective for teachers to have in conducting conferences with students and their families is skill in

A)academic knowledge.
B)communication.
C)creativity.
D)problem solving.

Question 22

A typical criterion-referenced report card that reports student learning tends to be

A)complex and time-consuming for teachers.
B)constructive for group comparisons.
C)convenient but not helpful for many students.
D)practical for elementary grades but not for high school.

Question 23

A local high school developed a math achievement test and used the results to determine the selection of students for an advanced placement course with a limited number of seats.What type of test should be used?

A)Criterion-referenced
B)Diagnostic
C)Norm-referenced
D)Standardized

Question 24

A school administrator wants to identify the top 10 percent of the Grade 12 students in order to recommend them for scholarship competition at the highest rated university in Canada.What testing purpose would serve the administrator's purpose?

A)Criterion-referenced
B)Diagnostic
C)Norm-referenced
D)Standardized

Question 25

Which one of the following situations requires a norm-referenced evaluation?

A)Assessing whether an individual has been drinking too much to drive
B)Certifying whether a newly graduated education student can perform satisfactorily as a teacher
C)Hiring one manager from a pool of ten applicants for a large department store
D)Reporting to parents about how much students have learned during the semester

Question 26

What strategy is recommended instead of assigning a failing grade to students' poor work?

A)Consider the work to be incomplete.
B)Give students support in revising the work.
C)Maintain high standards for students' work.
D)Take responsibility for the students' poor work.

Question 27

Paper-and-pencil exercises,direct observations of performances,development of portfolios,and creation of artifacts are all methods of

A)assessment.
B)evaluation.
C)measurement.
D)testing.

Question 28

Mr.Garren has been emphasizing authentic testing in his social studies class.Which one of the following will be a likely result of this emphasis?

A)Fewer essay tests
B)More exhibitions by students of their work
C)More mastery grading of performances
D)More reliable grading of students

Question 29

Grades should be tied to meaningful course objectives so that

A)high-ability students will be motivated to pursue worthwhile goals.
B)low-ability students will be motivated to pursue worthwhile goals.
C)students do not have to choose between learning and making a grade.
D)the course objectives can be tested fairly and reliably.

Question 30

When a test actually measures what it purports to measure,the test is said to be

A)credible.
B)reliable.
C)usable.
D)valid.

Question 31

For which one of the following situations would a criterion-referenced test be the most appropriate measure to use?

A)Assessing the range of abilities in a large,mixed-ability group of students
B)Comparing students' general ability in specific subject areas such as English,algebra,or general science
C)Measuring mastery of basic competencies in addition and subtraction
D)Selecting candidates for a teaching position when only a few openings are available

Question 32

Do evaluations of portfolios,exhibitions,and other types of authentic assessment products have the same measurement concerns as those for classroom and standardized tests?

A)No,because authentic assessments are constructed by the students themselves.
B)No,because authentic assessments are inherently valid and fair to students.
C)Yes,because authentic assessments have the same potential for invalidity and unfairness.
D)Yes,because authentic assessments promote learning better than paper-and-pencil tests.

Question 33

With regard to the practice of retaining or "holding back" students with failing grades,your text's general recommendation is that

A)promotion should include resource room assignments as well as one-to-one tutoring when needed.
B)promotion underscores the idea that poor performances bring negative consequences.
C)retention is usually better for self-esteem and performance than undeserved promotion.
D)students should be promoted with their peers but provided with extra help in the summer or the next year.

Question 34

Michael's LSAT (Law School Admission Test)scores correlate with his grade point average achieved in his first year of law school.Therefore,the LSAT is useful in deciding who to admit to law school due to

A)good curriculum alignment.
B)good construct-related evidence of validity.
C)good criterion-related evidence of validity.
D)good evidence of absence of assessment bias.

Question 35

Julie looked over her paper.She had a C- in spite of the fact that she tried as hard as she could to write an innovative paper.There did not seem to be any marks for mechanical errors on the paper.When she questioned her teacher about the grade,he told her,"You did not write your review of the story in the same way as the other students." The LEAST likely result of the teacher's actions will be to

A)decrease Julie's attempts to be more creative.
B)develop a poor self-concept in Julie.
C)increase Julie's efforts to be creative.
D)make Julie give up studying for this class.

Question 36

Do evaluations of portfolios,exhibitions,and other types of authentic assessment products have the same measurement concerns as those for classroom and standardized tests?

A)No,because authentic assessments are constructed by the students themselves.
B)No,because authentic assessments are inherently valid and fair to students.
C)Yes,because authentic assessments have the same potential for invalidity and unfairness.
D)Yes,because authentic assessments promote learning better than paper-and-pencil tests.

Question 37

A recommended procedure for authentic assessment is

A)grading on the curve in order to determine overall performance scores.
B)having students participate in developing the rating scales and scoring rubrics to be used in evaluation.
C)using authentic testing initially with higher-achieving students,with gradual integration of other students.
D)using only clearly defined,highly structured tasks or problems.

Question 38

When a test developer calculates an estimate of how much students' scores vary due to unreliability,they are most interested in

A)a confidence interval.
B)measures of central tendency.
C)standard error of measurement.
D)construct validity.

Question 39

Criterion-referenced tests are used primarily to assess

A)achievement of general instructional goals.
B)each student's achievement compared to other students.
C)mastery of specific objectives.
D)the range of achievement in a large group.

Question 40

A test or any assessment instrument is objective to the extent that it

A)is free of biases of the test administrators and scorers.
B)measures only a very few variables at a time.
C)predicts an important and realistic criterion.
D)yields the same score each time an individual takes it.

Question 41

Which one of the following student outcomes is MOST likely to be the result of a criterion-referenced assessment tool?

A)Anita was the first student to complete the test.
B)Ben answered 10 out of 12 questions correctly.
C)Randy scored at the eighty-ninth percentile.
D)Sonia ranked fifteenth in French and ninth in music.

Question 42

What is the median for the following set of scores? Scores: 66,66,74,96,98

A)66
B)74
C)78
D)80

Question 43

In a normal distribution of scores,approximately what percent of the z-scores will be negative?

A)0
B)25
C)50
D)Cannot determine from the information given.

Question 44

Jennifer,a seventh grader,received a percentile rank of 90 on a standardized vocabulary test.This percentile rank indicates that she

A)exceeded the eighth-grade performance level.
B)is as advanced as a ninth grader.
C)scored above the average for seventh graders.
D)should be assigned a grade of A for her performance.

Question 45

In a normal distribution,which one of the following measures of central tendency will have the highest value?

A)Mean
B)Median
C)Mode
D)The central tendencies will be equal.

Question 46

Approximately what percentage of the scores in a normal distribution is higher than one standard deviation above the mean?

A)2)5 percent
B)16 percent
C)34 percent
D)68 percent

Question 47

Kathy took the Stanford Achievement Test on Monday and again on Friday.Her two scores differed by only three points.These results may indicate a good level of what type of reliability?

A)Alternate-form
B)Internal consistency
C)Split-half
D)Test-retest

Question 48

Rob scored exactly in the middle of his class on the social studies exam.A valid interpretation of Rob's performance is that he scored exactly at the

A)center of a symmetrical frequency distribution.
B)mean of the class.
C)median of the class.
D)mode of the class.

Question 49

Sam,a seventh grader,received a grade-equivalent score of 9.2 on a standardized vocabulary test at the end of the spring term.This result indicates that Sam

A)achieved about the same level as the average ninth graders in the norms group.
B)knows as much vocabulary as the typical ninth grader in the norms group.
C)scored above average compared to seventh graders in the norm group.
D)should be awarded a grade of A for his achievement in vocabulary.

Question 50

Mr.Skiebert gave the same physics test to each of his three senior classes.Analysis of the data revealed the following descriptive statistics: $$\begin{array} { | l | c | c | } \hline \text { Class } & \text { Mean } & \text { Standard Deviation } \\\hline \hline \text { One } & 59 & 7.5 \\\hline \text { Two } & 68 & 6.2 \\\hline \text { Three } & 62 & 6.9 \\\hline\end{array}$$
Compared to the two other classes,Mr.Skiebert can infer that students in Class One exhibit

A)a narrow distribution of scores.
B)greater variability.
C)higher central tendency.
D)lower variability.

Question 51

What is the arithmetic mean of the following set of scores? Scores: 0,13,15,16,16

A)12
B)13
C)14
D)15

Question 52

Which one of the following procedures is recommended for reducing the detrimental effects of grading on students?

A)Favor norm-referenced over criterion-referenced grading.
B)Give ungraded assignments in order to increase exploration.
C)Stop giving partial credit for "almost" correct answers.
D)Use only one type of item (multiple-choice or essay)on a given test.

Question 53

Which one of the following definitions best describes "true score"?

A)Confidence score if the test were perfectly reliable
B)Hypothetical score on a student's best day
C)Observed raw score plus the confidence score
D)Obtained raw score minus measurement error

Question 54

A percentile rank score of 70 means that the student

A)answered a majority of the questions correctly.
B)had 70 correct answers on the test.
C)scored as well as or better than 70 percent of all the test-takers.
D)scored at the seventh-grade level compared to other students.

Question 55

The relationship between the standard deviation and test scores is that the larger the standard deviation,the

A)greater the variability in the distribution.
B)higher the central tendency.
C)lower the variability in the distribution.
D)narrower the distribution of scores.

Question 56

The Algebra I class mean and standard deviation are 80 and 10,respectively.The Biology II class mean and standard deviation are 79 and 4,respectively.Kristen scored 90 in Algebra I and 87 in Biology II.The most valid conclusion to be drawn from these data is that Kristen

A)scored better relative to her class in Algebra I than in Biology II.
B)scored better relative to her class in Biology II than in Algebra I.
C)should earn an A in Algebra I and a B in Biology II.
D)would be served better by criterion-referenced grading than by norm-referenced grading in both courses.

Question 57

In a normal distribution,a T-score of 60 is equal to approximately what percentile rank?

A)60
B)84
C)95
D)99

Question 58

A standard deviation is a measure of

A)how well the students met the tested objectives.
B)the distance between the median and the extreme scores.
C)the spread of scores around the mean.
D)the level of validity for the test.

Question 59

On standardized tests,a difference of a few points between two raw scores is likely to be insignificant due to the

A)central limits theorem.
B)confidence interval for the scores.
C)equivalence reliability of the tests.
D)probability of chance.

Question 60

On five tests that involve different numbers of items,Bill's total raw score was 430,and Diane's total raw score was 440.Under what type of grading system is the possibility greatest that Bill could earn an A and Diane only a B?

A)Criterion-referenced grading
B)Norm-referenced using average T-scores
C)Percentage grading
D)Point system

Question 61

Descriptive rating scales are a type of scoring rubric.

Question 62

A multiple-choice item format is preferable to a matching format when related concepts are to be linked.

Question 63

Grading on the curve is an example of a criterion-referenced system.

Question 64

Molly is preparing to take a standardized test that will be used by administrators to evaluate the type of school placement she should have.What type of assessment is Molly involved in?

A)Criterion-referenced
B)High-stakes testing
C)Norm-referenced
D)Standardized aptitude testing

Question 65

In a student portfolio,the teacher should determine what evidence of work should be included.

Question 66

Measurement is the quantitative component of evaluation.

Question 67

Both criterion-referenced and norm-referenced report cards indicate student progress toward specific goals.

Question 68

Criterion-referenced grading is more appropriate than norm-referenced grading for authentic assessments.

Question 69

IQ scores are normally distributed with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15.Based on properties of the mathematical normal curve,which one of the following statements is TRUE?

A)Approximately 90 percent of the scores fall between 85 and 115.
B)A score of 70 is equally as probable as is a score of 130.
C)There are more scores above 130 than below 85.
D)There are more scores above the mean than below the mean.

Question 70

Norm-referenced tests are used to indicate progress toward specific competency levels.

Question 71

Common types of authentic assessments include portfolios and exhibitions.

Question 72

The evidence for validity that concerns whether the test measures the trait in question rather than some other trait is what type of evidence?

A)Construct-related
B)Content-related
C)Criterion-related
D)Test-retest

Question 73

Establishing scoring rubrics is more difficult for making norm-referenced decisions than for making criterion-referenced decisions.

Question 74

Criterion-referenced grading systems use standards of subject mastery and learning to determine grades.

Question 75

Having students assist in the development of rating scales and scoring rubrics can lead to improved learning.

Question 76

It is considered desirable to grade one essay question for the entire class before grading the next one for any student.

Question 77

Authentic tests are generally easier than conventional tests to grade objectively.

Question 78

Assessment is the term used to describe the process of gathering information about students' learning outcomes.

Question 79

What type of validity is currently thought to include all other types of validity?

A)Content-related
B)Construct-related
C)Criterion-related
D)Prediction-related

Question 80

When individual differences in achievement are to be reported,a norm-referenced grading system is appropriate.