Steps for construction of a Standardised Test

Steps for constructing Standardized Tests

Standardised tests are carefully constructed tests with a uniform procedure of scoring, administering and interpreting the test results. They consist of items of high quality. The items are pretested and selected on the basis of difficulty value, discrimination power, and relationship to clearly defined objectives in behavioural terms. Any person can administer the test as the directions for administering, time -limits and scores are given. These are norm-based tests. Norms are age, grade, sex etc. Reliability and validity of a test are established beforehand. A manual is supplied which explains purposes and uses of the test.

Steps for construction of a Standardised test

1.Planning the test.

2.Preparing the test.

3. Try out of the test.

4.  Reliability of the final test.

5.  Validity of the final test.

6. Preparation of norms for the final test.

7.Preparation of  manual and reproduction of test.

1. Planning – For standardized test a systematic and satisfactory planning is necessary. For this test constructor should carefully fix up the objectives of the test. He should determine the nature of the content or topics and item types like  long answer, short answer, very- short answer type and the types of instructions  like  knowledge, understanding, application, skill have  to be included. A Blue-print should be prepared. The method of sampling, a detailed arrangement for the preliminary administration and the final administration should be determined. A probable length of test, number of questions and time limit of test completion should also be determined. A clear cut instruction for test scoring and its administration procedure should also be determined.

2. Writing the items of the test-

Writing the items of the test is a creative art. It depends upon the item writer’s intuition, imagination, experience and practice.  Requirements of writing  the items are-

a. Complete   mastery over the subject-matter .In order to write correct items test constructer must be fully acquainted with all facts , fallacies, principles and misconceptions of the subject- matter.

b.                    Test writer must be aware of the ability and intelligence level of the persons for whom the test is meant.

c. The item writer must have a large vocabulary so that confusion in writing items may be avoided. The vocabulary used in the items should be simple enough to be understood by all.

d.                    After test items are written they must be arranged properly and assembled into a test. Items should be arranged from easy to difficult.

e.Test constructer should give clear cut instruction about the purpose of test, time limit, procedure of recording the answers.

f.   After writing down the items, they must be submitted to a group of experts of language, subject.

3.Preliminary Administration-

After the modification of items according to suggestions of experts the test is ready for experimental try –out to find out the major weaknesses and inadequacies of the item .It helps in finding out the ambiguous items, non –functioning distractors in multiple-choice questions, very difficult or very easy items. It also helps in determining the reasonable time limit, number of items to be included in the final test, to avoid overlapping and identifying any vagueness in the instructions.

Try-out is done in three stages-

1)          Preliminary try-out-

 It is done individually to improve and modify the language difficulty and ambiguity of items , it is done on around100 individuals and workability of items are observed so that item can be modified.

b)The proper try-out-

It is done on around 400 individuals.Its sample should be similar to those for whom the test is intended.the purpose of this try out is to select good items for the test and reject the poor items. This step includes two activities-

1.Item analysis – A test should neither be too easy nor too difficult, each item should discriminate validity among high and low achievers.The procedure used to judge the quality of an item is called item- analysis.it includes following steps-

.The test paper should be arranged from highest to lowest score.

.27%test papers from highest 27% from lowest end will be selected.

.Then the number of pupils in the upper and lower group whoselected each alternative for each test  item.

After item analysis only good items with appropriate difficulty level and satisfactory discriminating power are retained and form the final test. Desired numbers of items are selected according to blue –print and arranged in order of difficulty in the final draft. Time limit is set.

c) Final try-out –

Final try-out is done on large sample of individuals for estimating the reliability and validity of the test. This final try out indicates how effective the test really will be when it would be administered on the sample for which it really intended.

4. Reliability of the test-

When test is finally composed, the final test is again administered on a fresh sample in order to compute the reliability coefficient. This time also sample should not be less than 100.Reliability is calculated through Test-retest method, split-half method and the equivalent -form method. Reliability shows the consistency of test scores.

5. Validity of the final test-

Validity refers what the test measures and how well it measures. If a test measures a trait that it intends to measure well then the test can be said valid one.It is correlation of test with some outside independent criterion.

6. Norms of the final test-

Test constructor also prepares norms of the test. Norms are defined as average performance. They are prepared to meaningfully interpret the scores obtained on the test for. The obtained scores on test themselves convey no meaning regarding the ability or trait being measured. But when these are compared with norms, a meaningful inference can be immediately drawn. The norms may be age norms, grade norms etc. Similar norms cannot be used for all tests.

7. Preparation of manual and reproduction of the test-

Preparation of manual is the last step in test construction in which psychometric properties of the test norms and references are reported. It gives a clear indication regarding the procedures of the test administration, the scoring methods and time limits. It also includes instructions regarding the test.

 Standardized test assesses the rate of development of student's ability. It helps in diagnosing the learning difficulties of the students.It also helps the teacher to assess the effectiveness of his teaching and school instructional programme.

REFERENCES-

1.Singh ,A.K. (2011) : Tests, Measurements and Research Methods  in Behavioural Sciences , Bharati Bhawan pp 22-24
2. Panda,A. 'Statistics in Psychology and Education' pp 325-334

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