Deck 15: Classroom Assessment, Grading, and Standardized Testing

Question 1

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.

Answer 1

way the test is scored.

Question 2

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

Answer 2

Multiple-choice

Question 3

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

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

Answer 3

valid.

Question 4

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 5

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 6

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 7

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 8

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) Selecting candidates for a teaching position when only a few openings are available
D) Measuring mastery of basic competencies in addition and subtraction

Question 9

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.

Question 10

Kathy took a 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) Test-retest
B) Split-half
C) Internal consistency
D) Alternate-form

Question 11

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 12

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 13

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 14

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 15

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 16

Criterion-referenced tests are used primarily to assess

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

Question 17

Which of the following statements best illustrates the term measurement as it applies to assessment?

A) Many of Mr. Delano's students are failing his class.
B) Lynette found the solutions to most of the problems.
C) Connor answered 14 out of 15 questions correctly.
D) George achieved one of the highest grades in his algebra class

Question 18

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 19

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 20

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 21

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 22

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.

Question 23

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 24

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 25

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 26

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 27

One procedure that is often helpful for authentic assessment is to ensure that student know in advance what is expected by

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 28

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 29

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 30

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 31

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 32

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

A) Favour 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 33

Traditional testing can be used effectively and efficiently to assess which of the following?

A) Problem-based learning
B) Facts and concepts
C) Exhibits
D) Presentations

Question 34

Which of the following is most likely the best approach concerning the practice of retaining or "holding back" students with failing grades?

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 35

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 36

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 37

What is a common criticism of traditional testing?

A) Traditional tests do not test knowledge as it is applied in real-world situations.
B) Traditional tests cannot be designed to measure students' knowledge.
C) Traditional tests usually lack validity and/or reliability.
D) Traditional tests typically provide subjective measures of knowledge.

Question 38

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 39

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 40

In a situation in which a teacher wants to motivate a student to learn, 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 41

Criterion-referenced assessment is valuable in determining mastery of basic skills.

Question 42

Factors influencing whether a test is good or not include reliability, validity, and the absence of bias.

Question 43

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 44

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 45

Mr. Skiebert gave the same physics test to each of his three senior classes. Analysis of the data revealed the following descriptive statistics: 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 46

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

Question 47

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 48

Which of the following ranks the highest in terms of stanine scores?

A) 90
B) 120
C) 8
D) 1

Question 49

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 50

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 51

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 52

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

Question 53

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 54

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

Question 55

Reliability is the degree to which a test measures what it is supposed to measure.

Question 56

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 57

Measurement is the quantitative component of evaluation.

Question 58

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 59

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 60

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

Question 61

Authentic assessments are procedures that directly assess student performances in "real-life" situations.

Question 62

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

Question 63

The standard error of measurement is related inversely to test reliability, i.e., the smaller the SEM is, the higher the reliability coefficient is.

Question 64

High-stakes testing is what some administrators use to make important decisions about students, teachers, and schools.

Question 65

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

Question 66

Common types of authentic assessments include portfolios and exhibitions.

Question 67

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

Question 68

The median is the score that occurs most often in a distribution.

Question 69

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

Question 70

When using high-stakes tests teachers should be careful not to use the content standards of the local district.

Question 71

Content-related validity refers to the degree to which the test items cover the appropriate topics.

Question 72

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

Question 73

Your text recommends that teachers have communications with students' family members that are not tied to a grade.

Question 74

A percentile rank score of 60 means that a student is performing better than the majority of those taking the test.

Question 75

A T score distribution has a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10.

Question 76

Authentic tests are generally easier than multiple-choice tests to grade objectively.

Question 77

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

Question 78

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

Question 79

Criterion-referenced grading is more appropriate than norm-referenced grading for authentic assessments such as portfolios and exhibitions.

Question 80

Using authentic assessments does NOT guarantee reliability and validity.