Truth be Told..

Summary: True-false test questions are quick and easy to use, but do not always measure learning accurately since there is a 50% chance of getting the right answer. In order for these to be most effective, negatives and extras should be avoided and statements should be short and simple. Matching items can be a great way for students to utilize process of elimination to arrive at the answers and are easy for teachers to score. The negative side to these types of questions is the simple knowledge that it tests. The responses should be put in some type of order so that the student does not pick out a pattern and one set (either answers or questions) should be larger than the other. Interpretive exercises are able to measure more complex learning objectives and the teacher can see if the student is able to interpret printed information, but the grading is still pretty simple. If the student is unable to read well, however, this would be a much more difficult faucet to use for testing.

Chapter 7- Writing Selection Items: True-False, Matching, and Interpretive Exercise

 

Reflection: I think true and false questions can be difficult sometimes if not constructed properly. This chapter helps me see the best way to set this up for my students. Matching is actually my favorite because there are so many options to choose from and it makes the students read through and read again. I would definitely like to use this more in my first grade classroom because it shows kids to look for parts of a whole. The interpretive may be a bit difficult for me to construct for first grade, but I would love to use it by making a graph or a picture story and then have the students go through the answer choices together, since reading in the beginning of the year can be especially rocky.