Construction and

administration of tools
Objective & essay type test,
Observation checklist and rating scale

SUBJECT:
NURSING EDUCATION

SUBMITTED TO: MRS. Ramandeep Kour

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
Msc (N) Child Health Nursing
GHG College of Nursing Raikot

SUBMITTED BY: Hamani Thakur

MSC (N) 1ST YEAR
G.H.G College OF NURSING, RAIKOT.
 OBJECTIVE TESTS
INTRODUCTION

When questions are framed with reference to the objectives of instruction, the test becomes
objective centered or objective based. This type of test may contain essay type and objective test
items.

An essay type test may be objective centered or objective based, though it may be difficult to
score it objectively. Now a days students denounce essay type examination because of its heavy
fire or strain and also the parents criticize it because of its injurious effects on the physical health
of their children.

To overcome the some of the evil effects of essay type test, objective type tests seem to be very
useful. Most of the educationalogists lay much stress on objective type tests to supplement the
essay type. It may not be objective centered, if it is not planned with reference to the objectives
of instruction.

The objective type test refers to any written test that requires the examinee to select the correct
answer from among one or more of several alternatives or supply two words that demands an
objective judgment when it is scored.

DEFINITIONS

ACCORDING TO R.L.Eble and D.A.Frisbe, 1986, “Objective test is one that can be provided
with a single pre –determined test of correct answers so that objective opinion or judgment in the
scoring procedure is a eliminated.”

Or

According to W Wiersma and G jurs, 1990, “Objective test items the can be objectively
scored items on which persons select a response from a list of opinions.

ADVANTAGES OF OBJECTIVE TYPE TEST:

1. It can be scored objectively and easily. The scoring will not vary from to time to time
examiner to examiner. The mood of the examiner in no way affects scoring.
2. In this type, more extensive and representative sampling cramming of expected questions.
As a result, there is a greater reliability and better content validity.
3. It possesses economy of time as it takes less time to answer than an essay test. It also saves a
lot of time of the scorer.
4. Students like them very much because there is no question as to the accuracy of marks they
receive and there is no choice of bias or favoritism by the teacher.
5. It eliminate extraneous factors such as speed of writing, fluency of expression, literacy style,
good handwriting, neatness etc.
6. It discourage cramming and encourage thinking observation and scrutiny.
7. It creates an incentive for pupils to build a broad base of knowledge, skills and abilities. It is
more educative for the students.
8. It measures the higher mental processes of understanding, application, analysis, prediction
and interpretations.

DISADVANTAGES OF OBJECTIVE TYPE ITEMS:-

1. Objectives like ability to organize matter, ability to present matter logically and in a
coherent fashion, etc cannot be evaluated.
2. Guessing is possible. No doubt the chances of success may be reduced by the inclusion of a
large number of items.
3. The construction of adequate type test items is difficult. It requires special abilities and is
time consuming.
4. Printing cost is considerably greater than that of an essay type test. Use of this type is very
expensive.

CLASSIFICATION OF OBJECTIVE TYPE TESTS:-

There are a number of varieties in objective type tests. The common types which are widely used
are:

Supply type or recall type Selection type or recognition Context dependent type
type

 Short answer  Alternate response test  Pictorial form

 Completion  Multiple choice  Interpretative

 Association  Matching
 SHORT ANSWER TYPE ITEMS
DEFINITION: Short answer items are considered objective items when there is a single correct
answer/ response which can be secured objectively. It can be answered by a word, phrase,
number or a symbol.

or

A short answer test is an objective test in which each item is in the form of a direct question
word or phrase, a specific problem or an incomplete sentence or question. The response must be
supplied by the student rather merely identified from the list of the suggested answers supplied
by the teacher. (KD Hopkins, 1990)

TYPES OF SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS –

1. Unique answer questions

2. Complete type questions
3. Association type questions

1) UNIQUE ANSWER QUESTIONS – Here item is presented in direct question.

Example-

a) Who is founder of nursing?

b) Who is the father of medicine?

2) COMPLETION TYPE QUESTIONS–In this type a incomplete question is used and

asked to fill in the correct words.
Example- MMR is given at…… month.

3) ASSOCIATION TYPE QUESTIONS-Few items are given outside the bracket. Students
are expected to write the exactly related response in bracket.

PRINCIPLES-

1. Use action oriented precise verbs.

2. Each item should deal with important content area.
3. Questions can be as long as possible but answer should be short.
4. Use simple and accurate language in relation to subject matter.
5. Provide the necessary space for answers below each question.
6. If the answer is to be expressed in numerical unit indicate the units in which answer is to be
expected.
7. Guidelines for answering each item should be mentioned very clearly.
SUGGESTIONS FOR CONSTRUCTING SHORT ANSWERS TYPE QUESTION:

1. The intended answer should be thought first and then an appropriate question should be
formed.
2. Sufficient number of short answer question should be asked to cover the content.
3. A direct question is more desirable than an incomplete sentence. It is advantageous to use
direct question instead of incomplete statement because:-
 It may be easier to phrase the question.
 It is more natural to students who are used to answer the teachers question in the
class.
Example:-Incorrect –The blood pressure of normal healthy human being is -------

Correct-What is normal blood pressure of healthy adult?

4. Language of the question should be simple.

5. A scoring key should be prepared.
6. The number of words the answer should contain should be specified.
7. Avoid picking up the statements directly from textbooks.
8. Omit important words. Only keywords should be omitted. The student should be asked to
supply an important fact
9. The response should be very definite. Question should be so framed that the response will
be single word or two or in number.
10. Avoid excessive blanks in single item.
11. Make the blanks of uniform length, so as to avoid giving an irrelevant clue.

ADVANTAGES OF SHORT ANSWERS TYPE QUESTION:

1. Short answer test is easy to construct as it measures only simple learning outcomes.
2. They are very useful for the recall of simple memorized facts and figures and it provides
opportunity for students for guessing the students and required to supply information or
to solve numerical problem.
3. They are used to test lowest level of taxonomy i.e. knowledge of terminology,
classification, etc.
4. A relatively large number of the content can be covered by the inclusion of a large
number of short answer questions.
5. It is useful in evaluating the ability to interpret diagrams, charts and graphs.
6. Marking is relatively objective as compared with essay type of question.
7. There is little scope for the influence of handwriting, spelling, etc.

DISADVANTAGES OF SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTION:

1. They are not suitable for measuring complex learning outcomes.

2. They are not suitable for judging the power of analyzing and reasoning of students.
 MULTIPLE CHOICETYPE TEST ITEMS

DEFINITION: A multiple choice item consists of a problem and a list of suggested solutions.
The problem may be stated as a direct question or an incomplete statement and is called the stem
of the item. The suggested solutions may include words, numbers, and symbols and are called
alternatives. The student is typically requested to read the stem and the list of alternatives and to
select the one correct/best alternative.

TYPES OF MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION:

1. CORRECT ANSWER FORM: It contains three or more choices but only one of them is
correct.
2. BEST ANSWER FORM: In this one or more of all choices may be correct but one of
them is the best answer. The examinee is required to select the best one.
3. MULTIPLE RESPONSE FORM: The correct answer may consist of more than one
choice and examinee is asked to identify all those which are correct.
4. INCOMPLETE STATEMENT FORM: The statement is incomplete and can be
completed by correct response. The examinee is asked to select the correct one.
5. SUBSTITUTION FORM: In this form the word outlined in the statement is to be
substituted by the correct response. Response is given and the examinee is asked to select
the one which can substitute the desired word.
6. COMBINED RESPONSE FORM: Here the choices are different phrases or sentences of
a paragraph. The examinee is required to correct order of the phrases or sentences.

GUIDELINES FOR CONSTUCTING MULTIPLE CHOICE ITEMS

1. The statement should include the following:

 The clearly stated problem.
 Only material which is essential for clarity.
 Novel material t test higher levels.
2. The essence of the problem should be in statement, which consists of a statement the
contains a verb and should be a good short answer item.
3. The option should:
 Be three or more to limit guessing
 Be in topical or quantitative order.
 Be as short as possible but clear.
 Avoid repetition of words
 Be homogenous.
 Make limit use of negative forms.
 Avoid all of these and none of these
 4. The articles ‘a’ or ‘an’ should not be used to introduce alternatives.
5. When an incomplete statement format is used the options should come at the end of
statement.
6. Arrange the alternatives as simple as possible.
7. Avoid highly technical distracters.
8. All responses should be homogenous. Alternatives should appear at the end of statement.
9. The correct answer should not be consistently longer or shorter than distracters.
10. Avoid giving irrelative clues to the correct answers.
11. The key should be as follows:
 The single or most likely correct answer.
 Free of specific determiners.
12. Specific determinants are clues contained in the item but not linked to knowledge of
content.
 Constant position of key in options.
 Length of keys in relation to distracters.
 Opposite options.
 Grammatical inconsistency.
13. Avoid using all of above as an option. None of these above can be used sparingly but with
care.
14. Use four or five options.
15. Whenever an item reflects an opinion some authority must be cited
16. The correct answer should follow a random order.
17. To measure the higher mental process, cast the item in a novel situation.

LIMITATIONS OF MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS:

 They are very difficult to construct.

 It is difficult to find four choices for each items out of which there may be plausible
incorrect answers.
 There is tendency for teachers to write multiple choice items demanding only factual
recall.
 These cannot measure attitude or motor skill.
 .They are not well- adapted to evaluate ability to organize and present ideas.
 Element of guess work is not entirely eliminated.
 They require more for students to respond to.

ADVANTAGES OF MULTIPLE CHOICE ITEMS:

 They are measure from most elementary knowledge level to the most complex level,
understanding, judgment and ability to solve problems.
 They can be scored entirely objectively, quickly and accurately by machines, clerks and
even students themselves.
 They are relatively efficient, reliable than other objective test type items.
 They provide valuable diagnostic information especially if all the responses are plausible
and vary only in their degree of correctness.
 They can be conveniently used for numerous subject matter areas.
 They reduce the effect of guessing because there are 3-4 choices.
 They are objective in scoring
 Its format is helpful in item analysis to find out the area of weakness of the students.

DISADVANTAGES OF MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION:

 Takes long time to construct item.

 Costly, when the group is small to response.
 Limited outcomes at the verbal level.
 It is only deal with the problem solving skills
 Rating scale, checklist and OSCE / OSPE.

Examples of MCQ:
1. Who is invented microscope?
a) Robert Koch
b) Chester Bernard
c) Alexander Fleming
d) Hansen Fredrick
2. Incomplete variety: Microscope was invested by:
a) Robert Koch\
b) Chester Bernard
c) Alexander Fleming
d) Hansen Fredrick
3. The one correct answer format: What is the normal body temperature?
a) 35.2 degree C
b) 36.4 degree C
c) 37degree C
d) 38 degree C
4. Best answer type: Put a tick mark against the best entry.
The value of π can be accurately given by:
a) 3.00
b) 22/7
c) 3.1
d) 3.142
 ESSAY TYPE QUESTION
INTRODUCTION: Essay test is one of the oldest type of tests and have a long history. Essay
test that were in use earlier than 2300 BC. Until the turn of the 20th century essay type test were
almost the only form of written examination.
Essay type tests are most familiar & widely used. They have been used so widely that it is
assumed that everybody understands their meaning. In essay tests the students are free to select,
relate, and present ideas in their own words.

DEFINITION:

 It requires the student to structure a long written response up to several paragraphs.

(William w & Stephan GJ)
 An essay test presents one or more questions or other tasks that require extended written
responses from the persons being tested. (Robert Lebel and David A Frishie, 1986 )

PRINCIPLES FOR PREPARING ESSAY TYPE QUESTION:

 Construct the questions carefully so that the nature of task is clearly defined. Eg: Define
evaluation and method of evaluation.
 Avoid Phrases like discuss briefly.
 Do not give too many lengthy questions.
 Frame the questions simple and clear.
 Maintain arrangement of difficulty while preparing the questions to differentiate the
performance of weak, average and bright students.

CLASSIFICATION OF ESSAY TYPE QUESTION:-

Essay type questionnaire are subdivided into two major types:-

 EXTENDED RESPONSE
 RESTRICTED RESPONSE
 EXTENDED RESPONSE: - In extended response, no restriction is placed on students
as to points he or she will discuss &the type of organization student will use. Student
may select those points that he /she think as most important. Student may organize the
material in whichever way he wishes. Writing skills (style, quality) that this type of
questions makes a greatest contribution.
Examples:
a) Describe the role of evaluation in relation to the curriculum goals.
b) Explain the abortions.
c) Discuss the health care delivery system in India.
d) Describe the cataract.
  RESTRICTED RESPONSE:-Student are more limited or restricted in or as to the
form &scope of his/her answers, because students are specifically told the content in
which his or her answers is to made.
Examples:
a) Discuss the advantage and disadvantage of essay and objective type examination.
b) Discuss the surgical management in pulmonary tuberculosis.
c) Explain the pathophysiology of stress.
d) Explain the functions of Skilled Birth Attendant (SBA).

SUGGESTIONS FOR MAKING ESSAY TYPE QUESTIONS:

 Spell out objectives of evaluation clearly.

 Detail of marks of each question should be accurate.
 Maximum marks allotted and time allotted must be mentioned clearly.
 Expected length of answers of each question should be indicated on paper.
 While preparing questions, it should be kept in mind that the maximum subject matter is
covered.
 There should be no overall choice in the question paper. Choice should be given for each
question.
 Do not start with such words as: list, who, what, whether, because these are likely to be
used in short answer questions.
 It should be a balanced paper in the sense that it includes different types of questions.
(long and short essay)&short &very short answers.
 The examiner should clearly indicate the weight of each part of the question.
 Adopt the length of the response & the complexity of the question and answer to the
maturity level of the student.

SCORING OF ESSAY TYPE QUESTIONS:-

 Describe in advance which factors will be considered in evaluating an essay response.

 Pay attention to significant & relevant suspect of the answers.
 Check the provided marking scheme throughout assessment apply uniform norms for all
papers.
 Grade only one question at a time for all papers to minimize ‘halo effect’ and too
familiar with set of scoring criteria.
 Subject experts should assess the answer booklet is preferable.
 Evaluate the answers without looking at the student’s name.

ADVANTAGES OF ESSAY TYPE QUESTION:

 It shows the students ability to organize content.

 It is useful to testing attitude.
 It measures the student’s ability to apply principles.
  It is easy to construct and administer.
 It can yield very reliable scores.
 It provides deep knowledge and understanding.
 It gives chances for free communication.
 It requires short time for teachers to prepare.
 It can be employed for all the subjects.
 It provides less scope for the use of unfair means.
 It is more economical to use essay type tests than objective tests.

DISADVANTAGES OF ESSAY TYPE QUESTION:

 There is lack of objectivity... They are time consuming.

 The speed of writing may influence the performance of student.
 The quality of writing and language of examinees may influence the examiner.
 Moods of examiner-sometimes examiners too liberal in marking and sometime too
strict.
 Scoring difficulty.
 Only few questions could be used in a test therefore, sampling of content is limited.
 CHECKLIST

Definition: A checklist consists of listing of steps, activities or behavior which the observer
records when an incidence occurs. It is similar in appearance and is classified by some type of
rating scale.
Types of Checklist:

 Procedural checklist, steps that must be followed in order.

 Communicational checklist, associated with both schedule communication e.g. billing
and status.
 Project checklist, steps that must be covered but which have some flexibility in the order
in which they are covered.
Construction of Checklist:
While constructing or preparing checklist following points to be kept in mind:-
 Express each item in clear, simple language.
 Avoid statements wherever possible.
 Make sure that each item should be clearly yes or no, true and false.
 Review the items independently.
Suggestion to follow:

 It should be directly to learning objectives.

 Clearly specify the characteristics to be observed.
 Have a separate checklist for each candidate.
 The student should be evaluated in natural setting and in real situations.
 The observer must be trained how to observe, what to observe and how to record the
observed checklist.
 It should review individual, to discuss strength and weakness of the performance and
formulate the plan to improve the performance.

Utilization of Checklist: while using checklist evaluator should keep in mind following:

 Use checklist only when you are interested in ascertaining whether a particular trait or
characteristics is present or absent.
 Use only carefully prepared checklist for more complex kind or trait.
 Clearly specify the traits or characteristics of behavior to be observed.
 Observe only one student at a time.
 Have a separate checklist for each student, individual observation can be recorded on
master checklist.
 The observer must be trained how to observe, what to observe and how to record the
observed behavior. To making a valid judgment.
Checklist require the observer to judge whether certain behavior of student and clinical practice
has been taken. They can be used most effectively when components of clinical performance can
be specified in detail.
Advantages:

 They are adaptable to some subject matters.

 They are helpful in evaluating those learning activities that involve a procedure process
and some aspects of personal- social adjustments.
 It improve task performance.
 Reduce influence of halo and Rorschach effects.
 Reduce resource use.
 Improve memory recall.
 Set out minimum necessary steps in a process.
 Provide a simple method to record observations.

Disadvantages:

 Evaluations myopia.
 Inappropriate use.
 Fatigue resulting from overuse.
 Unnecessary complexity decreases reliability.
 Burdensome process delays completing evaluation.
For example:
Checklist for evaluation of student’ performance during surgical dressing

Behaviors Place for ( ) tick Remarks

mark
1. Explains procedure
2. Collects necessary equipment
3. Arranges equipment for convenient use
4. Prepare patient
5. Wash hands
6. Maintains aseptic technique
7. Remove dressing
8. Observes condition of wound
9. Cleans wound
10. Applies dressing
11.Remove equipment
12. Makes patient comfortable
13.Complete charting

RATING SCALE
INTRODUCTION:

Rating means judgment of a person from other person, there are so many clinical aspects in the
professionals where performance that do not lend themselves to be evaluated by checklists for
examples important aspects known as attitude or style, where it is a part of all interactions
between nurses and others which includes patients, relatives, village lenders, friends managers.
Fellow members of health team so to evaluate such aspects rating scale is more useful than the
checklist.

Scale can be nominal, ordinal, interval ratio and rating scale. Among all these rating scale finds a
variety of applications.

DEFINITIONS OF RATING SCALE:

“The term rating is applied to the expression an opinion or judgment regarding a situation,
objector character. Opinions are usually expressed on a scale of values. BARR

“Rating technique are the devices by which the judgments may be qualified, a rating scale is a
device by which the opinion concerning a trait can be systematized” K.P. Neeraja

“Rating is a characterized that can occur in varying degrees, the instrument is so designed as to
facilitate the appraisal of number of traits or characteristics reference to the common qualitative
scale of values. B.T. Basavanthappa

TYPES OF RATING SCALE:

1. Descriptive rating scale

2. Numerical rating scale
3. Graphic rating scale
4. comparative rating scale

 Descriptive Rating Scale:-This type scale is generally the most desirable type of scale to
use, Provides each trait a list of descriptive phrases from which rater selects one most
applicable item being rated, selected usually by means of check mark.
Example: - While preparing a blackboard summary, how it was?

Legible, beautiful and Normally readable good- Illegible, bad looking tends
uniform size looking, fluent motion. to draw outline slant
Such specific descriptions contribute to a greater objectivity of the rating process. The
description also helps to clarity and fresher define a particular dimension.

 Numerical Rating Scale: - (Specific rating. Specific category, Itemized rating scale)
This is one of the simplest types of rating scale. The rater assigns a code numbers and
appropriate number to each trait of the person being rated or to the descriptive phrases and
arranged in order of degree, level intensity or frequency with which they indicate possession or
lack of occurrence each trait. The number of specifications depends on the nature of research
problem.

Example: Criteria for the evaluation of student performance in the field.

5. EXCELLENT 4. ABOVE AVERAGE 3. AVERAGE 2. BELOW AVERAGE 1. POOR

 Graphical rating Scale:-

The descriptive phrases are closely corresponding to the numerical points on the printed
horizontally at various points from lowest to the highest.

As in the case of the numerical rating scale, the rater is required to assign some value to a
specific trait. This time, however, instead of using predetermined scale values, the rating are
made in a graphic form a position anywhere along a continuum.

1) Example: Q.1 did the speech show good organization?

1 2 3 4 5

Very Poor Poor Average good Very Good

2) How attentive were you in the class?

1 2 3 4 5

Very inattentive Inattentive moderate Attentive Very Attentive

 Comparative rating scale:-

The rater has clear knowledge of the activities of the given groups or individuals, the position on
the rating scales are expressed in terms of given population or group or in terms of people with
known characteristics. The rater may be asked to specify the comparative ability of a teacher
with reference to the teaching in a college.

PRINCIPLES OF PREPARING RATING SCALES:

1. It should directly relate to the learning objectives.

2. Needs to be confined to the performance areas that can be observed.
3. Clearly define the traits or mode of behaviour.
4. The trait, behaviour should be readily observable, it should be observed in number of
situations.
5. Allow some space in the rating scale to give supplementary remarks.
6. 8-7 rating positions may need to be provided.
7. There should be provision to omit items. The teacher feels unqualified to judge.
8. Pooled rating from more than one observer in the instruments will make the scale more
objective, clear valid and reliable.
9. All rates should be oriented to the specific scale as well as the process of rating in general.
10. The rater should be unbiased and trained.
11. Consider the evaluation setting feedback of students.
12. All raters should be aware that the rating scale is open to errors.
13. Change the ends of the continuum so that the good is not always at the top or at the bottom.
14. Assure the rater to maintain anonymity.

USES OF RATING SCALE:

1. To evaluate skills, product outcomes, activities.

2. To evaluate interests and attitudes of the sample.
3. To assess personal characteristics.

LIMITATIONS FOR RATING SCALES:

 It is difficult or dangerous to fix up rating about many aspects of an individual.

 Halo effect in the judgment may take place.
 Chances like the rater may overestimate the qualities of known persons and underestimate
those of known persons.
 The rater does not want to make extreme judgment chances of subjective evaluation; thus the
scales may become unscientific and unreliable.

ADVANTAGES OF RATING SCALES:

1. Easy to administer and easy to score.

2. Can be used for large group of students.
3. Wide range of applications.
4. Clarity of feed backs from students.
5. Rating scale is a standard device for recording qualitative and quantitative judgments about
the observed performance.
6. They measures specified outcomes or objectives of education deemed to be significant or
more and more important.
7. They can evaluate procedures such as playing an instruments, operating an equipment, or
machine working in laboratory, demonstrating procedures, typing, looking , oral reading,
acting in a play etc.
8. They evaluate products such as typed letters, responses of demonstration, a speech and
sample of hand writing, sample of diagram and art of work performed
9. They will evaluate personal social development.
10. Rating scales help the teachers various traits of students like punctuality, honesty,
enthusiasm, co-operative ness and other personality traits.
11. They are economical and efficient by the users.
12. More comprehensive in the information.
13. Helps to reduce the unreliability and subjectivity that are usually associated with observation
method.

DISADVANTAGES OF RATING SCALES:

1. Can lead to miss use in a consequent decrease in objectivity.
2. Since the scales are fixed and standardized procedures the items or behaviours listed are may
not be consistent with the stated learning objectives, course, and students.
3. There is lack of uniformity with which terms are interpreted by evaluators. This is
particularly true with used to design various intervals in the rating continuum.
4. There are common errors.

COMMON ERRORS OF RATING SCALE:

There are several common sources of error in rating scales. All these sources affect the validity
of a rating. Errors may be due to:-

1. Ambiguity
2. The personality of the rater.
a. Halo effect
b. Personal bias.
c. Logical error.
3. Attitude of the rater
4. Opportunity for adequate observation.
a) Ambiguity: This refers to the wording and meaning of the traits that are measured. Example-
To one rater aggressiveness may be a positive trait that suggest self assertion but to another
its hostility.
 Ambiguity in the form of reference is another rating scale problem. Example what do
words superior, good, inferior etc really mean? They are all relative items.
 To reduce ambiguity the behaviors to be measured should be broken into series of
specific measurable traits.
b) Errors due to personality of the Rater: Commonly there are five errors:
1. Hallo error
2. Generosity error
3. Severity error
4. Central tendency
 5. Logical error
 Hallo error occurs when a rater’s general impression of a person influence his rating.
 Generosity error is committed when a rater favours the high end of the continuum or
desired end of the continuum
 Central tendency occurs when the rater favours middle portion of the scale.
 Logical error occurs when two traits such as intelligence and socioeconomic status are
closely related to each other example. The rater believes that higher the socioeconomic
status higher intelligence and vice versa.
c) Attitude of the rater
Unless the rater is truly believes that there is some value to be derived from rating, they may
consider them only as administrative process and not a conscientious job.

d) Opportunity for adequate observation

This is a serious error it commits when the rater does not know well enough about the pupil. So it
is better not to rate the individual on whom there is no knowledge or little knowledge.

HOW TO IMPROVE THE RATER AND THE RATING SCALE?

1. Identify the educationally significant traits.

2. Define the traits clearly.
3. Avoid technical jargon
4. Express the traits to be rated in terms of questions.
5. Determine how discriminating the scale should be and divide the scale accordingly. Usually
done 3.7 points intervals
6. The rater should know the value of accurate and honest ratings and also the kind of errors
that he commonly commits.
7. Motivate the rater to do his job accurately.
8. Select persons who are unbiased and more objective.
FACTORS IMPROVING THE VALIDITY OF RATING:

1. Take care while constructing the scale and while selecting the rater.
2. Encourage raters not to rate those traits or persons on which, whom they have insufficient
knowledge.
3. Average judge ratings
4. Rate one trait at once.
5. To reduce the hallo error varies the direction of the scale. i.e. have the first position
indicating desirable trait and undesirable trait and vice versa.
OTHER TYPES OF SCALES USED:

1. Rank order scale

2. Paired comparison
3. Attitude Scales
4. Horowitz Scales
 EXAMPLES OF RATING SCALE IN CLINICAL PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS:

Assessment Areas 5 4 3 2 1

1. Clinical skills or
technical skills

2. Planning patient care

3. Organizing skills

4. Interpersonal
relationship

5. Problem solving skills

6. Communication
skills.

7. Attendance

8. Punctuality

9. Responsibility

10. Leadership skills

11. Initiative

12. Appearance,
Grooming, Uniform
 EXAMPLE OF DISCRIPTIVE RATING SCALE: (Using no.7 criteria above)

Item initiative

5. 4. 3. 2. 1.

Always present in class Present in class Frequently Mostly absent Always absent.
and no any absent. but less absent in the only 3-4 days
Frequently classes. present in
absent. classes.

Comments ........................................................................................................................................
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Student’s Signature Instructor’s Signature

Date:

Place:
 BIBLIOGRAPHY:

 Neeraja KP , “Textbook of nursing education,”Jaypee Publishers,1st Edition ,Pp:-421-430

 Dutt Nadita, “ A Textbook Of Communication and Educational Technology,” Pee Vee
Publishers,1s Edition, Pp:-339-349
 Clement I, “Textbook Of Communication and Educational Technology,” Emmess
Publishers, 2nd Edition, Pp:-330-49
 Basavanthappa BT, “Nursing Education,”Jaypee Publishers ,1st Edition, Pp:-477-83
 Sindhu B ,Sankaranarayanan, “Learning and Teaching Nursing,” Jaypee Publishers, 4th
Edition ,Pp:208-230
 www.wekipedia.com
 Hedgerkin L E Teaching and learning in nursing schools, third edition, published by
konark publisher Pp 412-420