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Writing Test Items and Tasks

The document discusses writing test items and tasks for language testing. It outlines different types of test items like multiple choice, true/false, matching, completion, short response, and essay items. It also discusses integrating multiple language skills into test tasks to better simulate real-life language use. Developing valid, reliable and practical test items and tasks is important for a good language test.

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Reem
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401 views

Writing Test Items and Tasks

The document discusses writing test items and tasks for language testing. It outlines different types of test items like multiple choice, true/false, matching, completion, short response, and essay items. It also discusses integrating multiple language skills into test tasks to better simulate real-life language use. Developing valid, reliable and practical test items and tasks is important for a good language test.

Uploaded by

Reem
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Language Testing

Writing test items and


tasks
Presenter: Reem Madi
Course Instructor: Dr. Abdulhamid Onaiba
The Outline
 Introduction
 Test techniques
 Types of test items and tasks

 Effects of tasks on test performance


 Developing test items and tasks
 References
Introduction
A good test depends on many aspects, an important
aspect to consider is the construction of the test
techniques; items and tasks.

 What is a test item?


An item of a test is a particular task which the testees
are asked to answer.
Test techniques
Test techniques are ways that highlight language
skills of test takers by eliciting their behavior.
Test techniques should be reliable and valid
indicators of what they are intended to test, they
should also be possible to be reliably scored and
not consume a lot of time nor effort. The test
techniques should also have a beneficial effect
(Hughes,2003).
Types of test items and tasks
 Multiple choice items:
Multiple choice items consist of a stem and a
number of options, and the test takers choose t
correct answer within the options.

Example:
Q. Adolf Hitler died in the year of:
A.1936 B.1945 C.1955
 True or False items:
This type of items consist of a stem and two
options, then test takers decide if the statement is
true or false.

Example:
Q. The past form of the verb “ have” is has.
True
False
 Matching items:
 Completion items:
They are composed of a statement or short
essay with one or several parts of the item
missing, then test takers fill in the missing
part with appropriate answer.

Example:
Q. Complete the following statements:
1. The _______world war started in 1939.
2. Adolf Hitler committed suicide in the year
of _____ .
 Short response items:

Test takers respond to a question or


statement using 1 word or a short statement.

Example:
Q. How did Adolf Hitler die?
By suicide.
 Essay type items:
They are test items that need to be
responded to by writing an essay.
They consist of two types, restricted
response item such as summarizing a text.
The second type is extended response item,
for example test takers are asked to write an
essay about specific topic.
Developing test tasks and items

 The integration of multiple language


skills allows test developers to better simulate
real-life language use situations. This authenticity
of the assessment tasks enables a more direct
interpretive link between test performance and
success in performing real-life language use tasks.
References
 Alderson, C. Clapham, C & Wall, D. (1995). Language test
construction and evaluation: London. Cambridge University
Press.
 Hughes, A. (2003). Testing for language teachers (second
edition): United Kingdom. Cambridge University Press.

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