Thorndike (1991) identified three reasons why test construction procedures used by most teachers are "less than optimal:"

1. Few college teachers receive any training in the constructions of tests.
2. Those who do receive training during their education course work retain little of the information—in part because they are not yet teaching and do not apply the information.
3. The time it takes to develop highly valid and reliable tests is so great that few have the time to engage in these processes. This includes item analysis and other test analysis processes.

What’s the Purpose of Using Classroom Tests?

•  Grades for students
• Assist instructors in planning content presentations
• Facilitate and increase students’ learning
• Motivate students to study

Tests ­­ Benefits to Instructors

• They help instructors to think about the really essential course objectives and content
• They send a message to students about what is important
• There is useful feedback about what students have learned or not learned
• There is feedback on whether or not the course objectives were achieved
• They are a valuable indicator of the effectiveness of the instruction
• They are a good way to motivate students

Tests -- Benefits to Students

• Students learn according to how they are tested
• The extent to which students engage in deep or surface learning is their perceptions of what they will be tested on
• The contribution to a student’s store of knowledge by taking an exam is as great minute-by-minute as any other enterprise they engage in
• The feedback is vital to students’ learning. They need to know how their learning is going.

If we accept the premise that primary purpose of classroom testing is to facilitate students’ learning, we will also want to give more frequent tests to provide the most feedback possible (Eble 1986).

 Types of Tests

Norm-Referenced

• On norm-referenced tests, instructors compare students’ scores to one another and rank the students from best to poorest
• The key feature to using norm-referenced tests is to select test items that provide a wide range of scores. Using items that are neither too easy nor too hard does this.

Criterion Referenced Tests

• When scores are compared with some specific standards of acceptable performance. The performance of a student is interpreted with respect to mastery of the content or course objective independently of how other students’ perform.
• This is used when there is a specific body of knowledge or skills that students must know.
• A specific standard is set and those who reach the standard are considered ready to move on or are masters of the material. For example, when 85% of questions are correct.
• These use a range of scores which is usually one criteria of a valid and reliable test is not of importance when using criterion referenced tests. The tests should reflect the material taught, no matter if it is easy or very difficult.

Faculty wanting further information about any of these topics are encouraged to contact Terry Doyle at doylet@ferris.edu

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