Types of test and testing

Types of test and testing

• 1.
  Uzma Bashir Types ofTests and Testing
• 2.
   Why do weneed tests?
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  Test scores educationaldecisions inference Test scores performance/ true ability
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  Testing and Assessment Testsare one form of assessment Assessment: tests, projects, observation of performance, portfolios, etc.
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  Formative vs. summativeassessment Formative assessment:Formative assessment: check progress of learning Summative assessment:Summative assessment: end of program check
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  Types of tests Proficiencytests Achievement tests Diagnostic tests Placement tests
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  Proficiency tests Proficiency testsare designed to measure people’s ability in a language regardless of any training they may had in that language. Measure general ability in a language Regardless of previous training
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  Achievement tests Measure howsuccessful students are in achieving objectives of a lesson/course/curriculum Closely related to the content of a particular lesson/course/ curriculum Syllabus contentSyllabus content approachapproach OR course objectivescourse objectives approach?approach? Final achievement tests / progress achievement tests (formative assessment)
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  Diagnostic tests Identify students’strengths and weaknesses To benefit future instruction Difficult to construct.
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  Placement tests To assignstudents to classes/programs appropriate to their level of proficiency. Define characteristics of each level of proficiency
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  Direct vs. indirecttesting Direct testingDirect testing: -Requires Ss to perform the skill to be measured Indirect testingIndirect testing:: -Measures the abilities underlyingunderlying the skills to be measured -Ex. A writing test that requires Ss to identify grammatical errors in sentences Semi-direct testingSemi-direct testing:: -tape recorded speaking test
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  Problems Direct testing: -practicality (limitedresources) -small sample of tasks Indirect testing: -nature of the trait to be measured -relationship b/w test performance and skills tested
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  Discrete point vs.integrative tests Discrete point testsDiscrete point tests: -Focus on oneone linguistic element at a time -Assumption: language can be broken down into separate element -tend to be indirect Integrative testsIntegrative tests: -Requires to students to combine manymany linguistic elements -Unitary trait/competence hypothesis (Oller)Unitary trait/competence hypothesis (Oller) -tend to be direct -Ex. Composition, dictation, cloze tests, note-taking
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  Norm v.s. Criterion-referencedtests Test type Criterion-Referenced Tests Norm-Referenced Tests Purpose To classify students according to whether they have met the established standards To show how a student’s performance compares to that of other test-takers Result Percentage; descriptive Percentile, grade equivalence Features Comparison with a set criterion. Direct info on what the Ss can do. More motivating. Cut-off score. Not affected by other test- takers’ performance. Comparison with other test- takers. Will be affected by others’ performance. Example
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  Criterion vs. Norm-referencedtests Strengths and weaknesses?
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  Objective vs. subjectivetests Scoring of tests Objective testsObjective tests: -Requires no judgment from the scorer -Ex. Multiple choice, T/F tests Subjective testsSubjective tests: -Requires judgment from the scorer -Ex. Essay questions, composition Different degreesdegrees ofof subjectivitysubjectivity
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  Communicative language testing Communicativenature of tasks Authenticity of tasks