CHAPTER – 3

SUPPLY TYPE
TESTS

OBJECTIVES
The completion of this chapter will enable the
students to:

1. Elaborate meaning of completion type test, short

answer type test, restricted response test and
extended response test.
2. Explain merits a nd demerits of completion type
test, short answer type test, restricted response
test and extended response test.
72 ASSESSMENT IN EDUCATION

SUPPLY TYPE TESTS

3.1 COMPLETION TYPE TEST

The completion item requires the student to answer a question or to finish an incomplete
statement by filling in a blank with the correct word or phrase.
EXAMPLE – 1

1. Pakistan came into being on __________.

2. Muhammad Ali Jinnah was the __________.
3. All India Muslim League was established in ___________ at Delhi.
4. First president of All India Muslim League was ____________.
5. Lukhnow pact between All India Congress and All India Muslim League was signed

Advantages in using completion items

Completion items:
1. can provide a wide sampling of content
2. can efficiently measure lower levels of cognitive ability
3. can minimize guessing as compared to multiple-choice or true-false items
4. can usually provide a reliable measure of student achievement or ability
[CHAPTER – 3] SUPPLY TYPE TESTS 73

Limitations in using completion items

Completion items:
i. are difficult to construct so that the desired response is clearly indicated ii. have
difficulty in measuring learning objectives requiring more than simple recall of
information
iii. can often include more irrelevant clues than do other item types iv. are more
time consuming to score when compared to multiple-choice or true-false items
v. are more difficult to score since more than one answer may have to be considered
correct if the item was not properly prepared

Suggestions for writing completion test items

1. Omit only significant words from the statement.
2. Do not omit so many words from the statement the intended meaning is lost.
3. Avoid grammatical or other clues to the correct response.
4. Be sure there is only one correct response.
5. Make the blanks of equal length.
6. When possible, delete words at the end of the statement after the student has
been presented a clearly defined problem.
7. Avoid lifting statements directly from the text, lecture or other sources.
8. Limit the required response to a single word or phrase.

3.2 SHORT ANSWER TYPE TEST

Short answer items are those in which either question are written in their entirety, with the
student supplying a correct response of one word or a short phrase to each question or
incomplete statements are to be completed by fill in the blanks with one word or a short
phrase. In other words it can be said that the short-answer items include completion items
as well as a direct question.
Short answer items are also called supplied response or constructed response items. These
are an effective measure of a student's ability to accurately recall specific, target
information. These items require students to either complete a statement (fill-in-the-blank
or completion items) or answer a direct question using a single word or brief phrase. The
nature of supplied response items lends itself well to the effective assessment of lower level
learning objectives such as knowledge or comprehension of terms and definitions. As
74 ASSESSMENT IN EDUCATION

opposed to traditional objective measures (true-false, matching, multiple-choice, etc.) that

assess the recognition of correct information, short answer items require students to
independently generate their own response. While this type of recall assessment is more
cognitively demanding, the independent nature of the responses makes scoring much more
subjective. Due to the subjective interpretation of short answer items and the increased
challenges in assessing the accuracy of responses, instructors should carefully examine the
utility of short answer items in relationship to their instructional objectives.
Advantages of Short Answer Items
1. Scores less likely to be influenced by guessing.
2. Requires increased cognitive ability to generate answers.
3. Provide diagnostic information when looking at types of errors.
4. Promotes more in-depth study as students must recall answers.
5. Effective for assessing who, what, where, and when information.
6. Relatively easy to construct.
7. Effective as either a written or oral assessment.
8. Quicker for students to complete than multiple-choice questions.

Disadvantages of Short Answer Items

1. Accuracy of assessment may be influenced by handwriting/spelling skills.
2. Subjective nature can make scoring difficult and time consuming.
3. Difficult to write items so that desired knowledge is clear.
4. May overestimate learning due to bluffing.
5. Generally limited to knowledge and comprehension questions.
6. Not suitable for item-analysis.
7. Often criticized for encouraging rote memorization.

Tips for Writing Short Answer Items

1. Questions must be clearly worded so that students understand the nature of
the information being requested. In order to facilitate understanding, phrase
the item so that the required answer is brief and specific. In addition, provide
clear clues to indicate the expected response.
2. To ensure that a short answer question is an effective measure of student
knowledge, require students to fill in important terms or phrases. For
[CHAPTER – 3] SUPPLY TYPE TESTS 75

example, when assessing understanding of definitions, have students supply

the term.
3. When utilizing short answer questions that require a numerical response,
specify the degree of precision that is expected and the relevant units of
measurement.
4. To prevent confusion and make scoring more precise, phrase question so
there is only one answer or a limited range of answers possible. If multiple
answers will correctly complete the item, ensure that there is a preestablished
scoring rubric to deal with variations in response.
5. Leave information to be filled in at or near the end of the question. This type
of arrangement allows for ease of reading and enhances the efficiency of
scoring.
6. Utilize clear, explicit instructions that specify the format of the target answer
(one word, multiple words, etc.) as well as the amount of acceptable variation
(spelling, synonyms, etc.).
7. To prevent confusion and ensure requested information is clear, limit the
number of blanks within each short answer question. In addition, ensure that
blanks are the same physical length to prevent context clues to the correct
answer.
8. Limit the influence of extraneous clues to the correct answer by utilizing
correct, neutral grammar. Avoid providing grammatical clues to the correct
answer (plurals, "a" versus "an," specific modifiers, etc.) and make certain
that all correct responses can fit grammatically in the blank.
9. To reduce the emphasis on rote memorization of trivial information, do not
use direct quotes from the text or lecture. Rather, phrase short answer items
using unique or novel wording.

Ideas to Enhance the Effectiveness of Short Answer Assessments

1. To ensure an accurate measure of target information, use direct questions
rather than fill-in-the-blank or incomplete statements. This type of wording
reduces confusion or ambiguity concerning the request information and
directs students toward the relevant information.
2. One of the benefits of short answer items is that they often encourage more
intensive study of information due to the increased cognitive demands of
recall over recognition. To promote this type of invested studying, award
more credit for short answer items than for lower level recognition items
(true-false, matching, etc.).
76 ASSESSMENT IN EDUCATION

3. While short answer items often target knowledge or comprehension

understanding, effectively developed completion items can also be utilized to
assess application, synthesis, analysis, and evaluation levels. One means of
measuring this type of higher-order understanding is to utilize combinations
of short answer statements within a given paragraph. When implementing the
paragraph format, be sure that desired knowledge is clearly specified.

REVIEW CHECKLIST

Is a short answer item an appropriate assessment of the learning objective?

Does the content of the short answer question measure knowledge appropriate to
the desired learning goal?
Is the item clearly worded and stated in language appropriate to the student
population?
Is there only one clearly correct answer?
Can the item be answered briefly and concisely using a single word or short
phrase?
Does the positioning of the item blank promote efficient scoring?
Does the desired knowledge represent a key word or phrase?
Are there a limited number of blanks in the short answer item?
Do instructions clearly specify the desired knowledge and specificity of
response?

3.3 RESTRICTED RESPONSE TYPE TEST

1. Meaning
A restricted response essay focuses on assessing basic knowledge and understanding, and
generally requires a relatively brief written response. Restricted response essay questions
assess topics of limited scope, and the nature of the question confines the form of the
written response. In other words these items:
a. limits content and response to be given
[CHAPTER – 3] SUPPLY TYPE TESTS 77

b. can limit via how narrowly question is phrased (e.g., as specific as a

shortanswer question)
c. can limit via scope of the problem posed (e.g., with introduction like that of
an interpretive exercise)
d. therefore, can approach the objectivity of short-answer and interpretive
exercises
2. Uses
Restricted-response essays are used for:
a. Learning outcomes not readily assessed objectively.
b. Targeting narrower learning outcomes, such as more specific mental
processes (e.g., draws valid conclusions).
3. Advantages
1. Restricted response items measure complex learning outcomes not measured
by other means.
2. Restricted response items require students to supply, not just identify, the
answer
3. Restricted response items can target specific mental skills
4. Restricted response items can measure writing skills in addition to (or instead
of) knowledge and understanding
5. Restricted response items are easy to construct—but only if you don’t care
what you actually measure and how reliably you do so.
6. Restricted response items contribute to student learning, directly and
indirectly
4. Limitations
1. Unreliability of scoring (unless clear learning outcomes, good scoring
rubrics, practice in scoring)
2. Time-consuming to score—especially if follow guidelines. Can be
impossible if conscientious in scoring, give good feedback, and have many
students
3. Limited sampling of content domain
78 ASSESSMENT IN EDUCATION

EXAMPLE – 2

Restricted-Response Items
1. State two hypotheses about why birds migrate.
2. Summarize the evidence supporting each hypothesis (Worthen, et al., 1993, p. 277).
3. Identify and explain the significance of the following terms. For each term, be sure to define what
it means, explain why it is important in American politics, and link it to other related concepts that
we have covered in class. 1) Conformity costs 2) Voting Age Population (VAP) (Charles Shipan,
UM Department of Political Science, personal communication, February 4, 2008)

A restricted-response item is more specific and provides narrow guidelines for responding
to the item. A restricted-response essay decisively limits the form and content of students'
responses and these essay formats are most likely to be used to assess knowledge,
comprehension, and application types of learning outcomes. An example of a restricted-
response might be posed to students in this way: "Describe three ways in which
communicable diseases might be spread." In this case, the teacher is attempting to check
the recall of important information through students' written communication skills. The
teacher is not planning for the students' demonstration of higher level thinking but intends
to gain a perspective of students' recall and the ability to translate that through written
communication. The verb describe indicates that the mental activity employed by the
student is a lower cognitive action. If the teacher's objective was to assess students' recall
and/or their ability to compose an answer, then the use of this question is right on target.
As with any assessment, there is an assumption that students are provided a high quality
opportunity to learn and the assessment is aligned with those instructional actions. It is
important for teachers to realize in lesson planning that committing to a restrictedresponse
essay that includes a low-level verb severely limits the demonstration of any higher level
thinking on the part of students.
Should teachers limit the use of restricted-response items because they fail to assess higher
order thinking? The answer is no; the use of restricted response questions offers advantages
over objective item formats in the following ways:
1. Students get an opportunity to use written expression as a means to explain
their answers.
2. Making students respond in complete sentences can provide additional
evidence of their depth of understanding. Unlike objective item formats in
[CHAPTER – 3] SUPPLY TYPE TESTS 79

which teachers only see the student answer, more of the student's logic and
understanding is revealed using the essay format.
3. The possibility of guessing the correct answer is removed.
4. Selection item formats (multiple choice, true/false, and matching) have a built
in vulnerability to guessing that is unavailable to students in a short answer
essay. The opportunity to guess the correct answer is especially prevalent in
the T/F format.
5. The teacher believes that students should know and be able to recall this
information instead of simply recognizing it as part of an objective question.
4. Restricted- response formats serve legitimate classroom purposes, but fall short
of assessing higher order thinking in students.

3.4 EXTENDED RESPONSE TYPE TEST

Extended-response item can be used to measure the student's ability to analyze and
respond to complex situations. The response is in the form of a paragraph of prose or a
display of visual and/or verbal material. It gives students the opportunity to generate an
extended response to a question or other stimulus. So these items on the one hand provide
great freedom to the examinees to allow problem formulation, organization, originality and
on the other hand, therefore, shares similar scoring difficulties with performancebased
tasks

Uses
These can be used to:
1. Assess a student's understanding of specific facts and the ability to analyze
and reason through situations about those facts.
2. Assess a student's ability to select, construct, and analyze a graph.
3. Assess a student's ability to analyze a complex problem and to generate a
model or other solution to a particular problem or issue.
4. Assess a student's ability to communicate information collected from a
reading, from an investigation, or from other sources.
Many times, it is used to measure student achievement relative to one or more indicators.
However, in the high school assessment programme, each question will measure only one
indicator. It may take the average student approximately 15 minutes to complete depending
on the complexity of the question.
Extended-response items allow students to construct a variety of strategies, processes,
interpretations, and explanations for a given question, and to provide any information they
consider relevant. The flexibility of an extended-response item can make it less efficient
80 ASSESSMENT IN EDUCATION

for measuring specific learning outcomes than a restricted-response item, but it allows for
greater opportunity to assess students’ organization, integration, and evaluation abilities.
An extended-response essay generally targets synthesis or evaluation levels of
understanding and allows for extensive freedom in the content and format of the response.
The need to develop higher level thinking in students has become a collective call for action
among reformers, policy makers, and teachers. If teachers opt to assess higher order
thinking then they must provide students with an opportunity to respond in an extended-
response format, one that requires analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

Advantages
1. Extended-response items measure complex learning outcomes not measured
by other means.
2. Extended-response items emphasize integration and application of highlevel
skills.
3. Extended-response items can measure writing skills in addition to (or instead
of) knowledge and understanding.
4. Extended-response items easy to construct—but only if you don’t care what
you actually measure and how reliably you do so.
5. Extended-response items contribute to student learning, directly and
indirectly

Limitations
1. Unreliability of scoring (unless clear learning outcomes, good scoring
rubrics, practice in scoring)
2. Time-consuming to score—especially if follow guidelines. Can be
impossible if conscientious in scoring, give good feedback, and have many
students
3. Limited sampling of content domain

Item Writing Guidelines

The item should:
1. Clearly tell students what they are to do and what is expected of them.
2. Clearly tell students where they are to write their response. The amount of
space provided on the answer document should be appropriate for the length
of the expected response.
3. Use simple but authentic vocabulary and good sentence structure. It should
be clear and concise.
[CHAPTER – 3] SUPPLY TYPE TESTS 81

4. Identify the information or material that students should use when preparing
their response. It should focus the students' attention on the particular area of
knowledge or to the specific aspect of the stimulus material that the students
should use.
5. Clearly indicate the scientific skill or process that should be demonstrated in
the response (see CLG 1 and higher order thinking skills).
6. Provide proper cueing to direct the student's thinking and identify
expectations.

EXAMPLE – 3 Extended-Response Items

1. Compare and contrast the social conditions, prevailing political thought, and economic conditions in
the U.S.
2. North and South just prior to the outbreak of the Civil War; defend the issue that you believe was the
most significant catalyst to the war (Worthen, et al., 1993, p. 276).
3. The framers of the Constitution strove to create an effective national government that balanced the
tension between majority rule and the rights of minorities. What aspects of American politics favor
majority rule? What aspects protect the rights of those not in the majority?
Drawing upon material from your readings and the lectures, did the framers successfully balance this
tension? Why or why not? (Charles Shipan, UM Department of Political Science, personal communication,
February 4, 2008).

Tips for Answering Essay Type Questions

The well-organized, neat-appearing individual will usually get the nod over another
equally capable person who is disorganized and careless in appearance. Although other
factors are involved, the analogy to examination writing is a skill. This skill can be
improved by instruction. The student would be advised to follow certain steps in writing
an essay exam.
1. Set up a time schedule
If six questions are to be answered in forty-five minutes, allow yourself only five minutes
for each. When the time is up for one question, stop writing and begin the next one. There
will be 15 minutes remaining when the last question is completed. The incomplete answers
can be completed during the time. Six incomplete answers, by the way, will usually receive
more credit than three completed ones. Of course, if one question is worth more points than
the others you allow more time to write it.
82 ASSESSMENT IN EDUCATION

2. Read through the questions once

Answers will come to mind immediately for some questions. Write down key words,
listings, etc. immediately when they are fresh in mind. Otherwise these ideas may be
blocked (or be unavailable) when the time comes to write the later questions. This will
reduce "clutching" or panic (Anxiety, actually fear which disrupts thoughts).
3. Before attempting to answer a question, look at the directive words
Your instructor may give you specific directions how to write your answer. If he/she wants
you to evaluate a philosophical theory, you won't get full credit if you describe just the
theory. Make sure you know what you are being asked to do.
4. Outline the answer before writing
Whether the teacher realizes it or not, he/she is greatly influenced by the compactness and
clarity of an organized answer. To begin writing in the hope that the right answer will
somehow turn up is time consuming and usually futile. To know a little and to present that
little well is, by and large, superior to knowing much and presenting it poorly--when judged
by the grade it receives. Be sure to follow the directive words, and check your outline to
see that it is logical.
5. Take time to write an introduction and summary
The introduction will consist of the main point to be made; the summary is simply a
paraphrasing of the introduction. A neat bundle with a beginning and ending is very
satisfying to the reader. Be sure that your answer is direct and really answers the question.
6. Take time at the end to reread the paper.
When writing in haste we tend to:
a. Misspell words
b. Omit words or parts
c. Omit parts of questions
d. Misstate dates and figures (1353 written as 1953; $.60 as $60)
7. Qualify answers when in doubt.
It is better to say "Toward the end of the 19th century" then to say "in 1894" when you
can't remember whether it's 1884 or 1894, though approximate, may be incorrect, and will
usually be marked accordingly. When possible, avoid very definite statements. A qualified
statement connotes a philosophic attitude, the mark of an educated man.
[CHAPTER – 3] SUPPLY TYPE TESTS 83

Meaning of Action Verbs for Essay Questions

The following words are commonly found in essay test questions. Understanding them is
essential to success on these kinds of questions. So read these carefully to be able to
understand the intention of examiner:
 ANALYZE:
1. Break into separate parts and discuss,
2. Examine, or
 COMPARE:
1. Examine two or more things.
2. Identify similarities and differences.
3. Comparisons generally ask for similarities more than differences.
 CONTRAST:
1. Show differences.
2. Set in opposition.
 CRITICIZE:
1. Make judgments
2. Evaluate comparative worth.
3. Criticism often involves analysis.
 DEFINE:
1. Give the meaning; usually a meaning specific to the course of subject.
2. Determine the precise limits of the term to be defined.
3. Explain the exact meaning.
4. Definitions are usually short.
 DESCRIBE:
1. Give a detailed account.
2. Make a picture with words.
3. List characteristics, qualities and parts.
 DISCUSS:
1. Consider and debate or argue the pros and cons of an issue.
2. Write about any conflict.
3. Compare and contrast.
 ENUMERATE:
84 ASSESSMENT IN EDUCATION

1. List several ideas, aspects, events, things, qualities, reasons, etc.

 EVALUATE:
1. Give your opinion or cite the opinion of an expert.
2. Include evidence to support the evaluation.
 ILLUSTRATE:
1. Give concrete examples.
2. Explain clearly by using comparisons or examples.
 INTERPRET:
1. Comment upon, give examples,
2. Describe relationships.
3. Explain the meaning. 4. Describe, then
5. Evaluate.
 OUTLINE:
1. Describe main ideas, characteristics, or events.
 PROVE:
1. Support with facts (especially facts presented in class or in the test).
 STATE:
1. Explain precisely.
 SUMMARIZE:
1. Give a brief, condensed account.
2. Include conclusions.
3. Avoid unnecessary details.
 TRACE:
1. Show the order of events or progress of a subject or event.

If any of these terms is still unclear to you, go to your unabridged dictionary. Thorough
knowledge of these words will enable you to give the teacher what she/he is requesting.

Reference: http://www.csbsju.edu/academicadvising/help/essayexm.htm
[CHAPTER – 3] SUPPLY TYPE TESTS 85

Developing Essay Items

Essay items are utilized to measure a student's ability to understand a concept as an
integrated whole, demonstrate higher order learning objectives, and express original,
creative, thinking. Because essays require students to generate their response, they are
considered recall or supply items. Depending on the nature of the learning objective being
assessed, essays may either require extended or restricted responses. An extended-response
essay generally targets synthesis or evaluation levels of understanding and allows for
extensive freedom in the content and format of the response; a restricted-response item is
more specific and provides narrow guidelines for responding to the item. In addition to this
distinction, essay items are classified as subjective assessment as there may be a range of
variability in correct responses. One of the benefits of essays is that they go beyond simple
measurement of content knowledge and offer students the opportunity to demonstrate
judgment, writing style, vocabulary, and insight. The comprehensive nature of essay items
makes them ideal for assessing how students select, organize and evaluate ideas. The main
drawback of essay items is the time and effort required for consistent scoring. With this
restraint in mind, instructors should selectively utilize essays to measure learning goals
that cannot be effectively assessed via objective items.

Advantages
1. Encourages the organization of knowledge, integration of theories, and
expression of opinions.
2. Promotes original, novel thinking.
3. Advantageous for assessing complex learning outcomes such as application,
synthesis and evaluation levels of understanding.
4. Emphasizes the ability to effectively communicate knowledge in a coherent
fashion.
5. Relatively easy to construct.
6. Stimulates increased studying as students cannot answer via simple
recognition.
7. Students less likely to correctly guess answers without some prior knowledge.

Disadvantages
1. Subjective scoring is less reliable, more time consuming, and subject to bias.
2. Grading may be influenced by handwriting, length of response, and writing
skills.
3. Not effective in testing isolated facts or other lower level cognitive objectives.
4. More time consuming to answer so limited content can be assessed.
5. May overestimate learning due to the influence of bluffing.
86 ASSESSMENT IN EDUCATION

Tips for Writing Essay Items

1. Only use essay questions to assess learning outcomes that are difficult to
measure with objective items (such as true-false, multiple-choice, or
matching). This promotes the effective utilization of time and resources by
ensuring that essay questions target a higher order understanding rather than
focusing on individual concepts or details.
2. Try to reduce ambiguity of the requested information by ensuring that each
essay question is focused sufficiently that students know exactly what is
expected of them. It is better to make each item relatively short and increase
the number of items rather than have a few broad essays. For each essay item,
clearly define the expected response by giving students a definite task
(compare, analyze, evaluate, summarize, critique, etc.).
3. Provide students with specific guidelines concerning time limits, amount of
information expected, weighting of each question, and criteria for evaluating
the answers. If answers will be graded on technical issues (grammar, spelling,
punctuation, organization, etc.) as well as content, be sure to specify this in
the instructions.
4. Avoid the use of optional essay items. While students may prefer this
approach, it limits the ability to accurately assess studentsÂ' understanding of
designated learning objectives. In addition, it introduces a variety of factors
(cognitive ability in selecting items, equality of the difficulty level of various
items, different assessment for different students, wasted time spent choosing
an item, etc.) that may hinder the educational value of the assessment.

Ideas to Enhance the Effectiveness of Essay Items:

1. Increase the cognitive demands required to answer the essay by using novel
problems or material that expand upon relevant information. This prevents
the simple processing of factual knowledge and encourages a more active
synthesis of knowledge.
2. Provide adequate information within the essay item to direct the student
toward the desired knowledge. If necessary, use two or three sentences to
introduce the topic or issue of investigation.
3. Require students to demonstrate complete understanding of information by
specifying that answers include supporting evidence for claims and
assertions. Avoid wording essay items in a manner that they can be answered
with non-substantiated opinions or personal ideas.
[CHAPTER – 3] SUPPLY TYPE TESTS 87

Essay Tasks that Promote Demonstration of Higher Order Learning Objectives

Learning Objective Relevant Verbs

Sr.#
1. To understand the similarities and differences compare, contrast, classify, describe,
between related concepts distinguish, explain, outline, summarize,
differentiate, group
2. To interpret data or draw conclusions from a interpret, estimate, draw, convert, illustrate,
range of information restate, summarize, translate, calculate
3. Make assumptions or inferences based on infer, derive, draw, extend, estimate, relevant
information extrapolate, predict, propose, relate,
hypothesize, theorize, deduce
4. To apply knowledge to a novel situation or task apply, arrange, compute, demonstrate,
describe, illustrate, rearrange, relate, summarize
5. To generate a novel idea or response based on create, compose, design, devise, draw,
relevant information formulate, make up, generate, present,
propose, develop
6. To analyze a situation based on pre-established analyze, break down, describe, diagram,
criteria differentiate, divide, list, outline, separate,
structure, critique
7. To evaluate the relevance or value of evaluate, appraise, critique, defend, explain,
information describe, judge, criticize
8. To integrate a body of information integrate, synthesize, arrange, combine,
construct, design, rearrange, regroup, relate,
write, formulate
9. To extend information to formulate broad generalize, construct, develop, explain,
generalizations or assumption formulate, make, propose, state, theorize

Guidelines for Grading Essay Items

When writing each essay item, simultaneously develop a scoring guide or rubric. The
creation of a scoring rubric at this time will ensure that each question clearly targets the
designated learning objective and can be clearly answered. A good rubric should include a
88 ASSESSMENT IN EDUCATION

checklist point system specifying the relative weight of essential content and technical
considerations. Be sure the assessment directions include the criteria for evaluating each
essay.
1. To maintain a consistent scoring system and ensure same criteria are applied
to all assessments, score one essay across all tests prior to scoring the next
essay. In addition to creating a more reliable scoring system, this strategy
increases the efficiency of grading as the instructor has only one set of criteria
to keep in mind.
2. Before scoring essays, review the material students were expected to learn
and skim through a few essays to get a sense of what a typical response might
be. This will promote a realistic match between student knowledge, grading
expectations, and learning objectives.
3. To reduce the influence of the halo effect, bias, and other subconscious
factors, all essay questions should be graded blind to the identity of the
student. Folding over the corner of the front page or implementing a coding
system can effectively conceal students' names. In addition, if there is concern
over recognition of handwriting, older students can use a computer lab to type
responses.
4. Due to the subjective nature of grading essays, the score on one essay may be
influenced by the quality of previous essays. To prevent this type of bias,
reshuffle the order of assessments after reading through each item.
5. Essay items that require students to defend a position, draw a judgment, or
formulate an opinion should be evaluated based on the strength and relevance
of arguments, not on whether or not they agree with the instructor's position.

REVIEW CHECKLIST:
_____ Is an essay item an appropriate assessment of the learning objective?

_____ Does the content of the essay item measure knowledge appropriate to the desired
learning goal?

_____ Do instructions clearly specify the desired format and structure of the answer?

_____ Does the essay question provide a clear description of the requested information?
[CHAPTER – 3] SUPPLY TYPE TESTS 89

_____ Are grading criteria clear and available to students?

_____ Is there enough time for students to complete all essay items?

Reference: http://www.park.edu/cetl/quicktips/shortanswer.html

ACTIVITY
Students will be divided into groups and each group will be entrusted to construct
either completion type test, restricted response items or extended response items.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

MULTIPLE–CHOICE ITEMS
1. The completion item requires the student to:
a. Answer a question
b. Complete a statement by filling in a blank with the correct word or phrase
c. Answer a question or to finish an incomplete statement by filling in a blank with
the correct word or phrase
d. None of the above
2. The main advantage of using completion items is that these can:
a. Provide a wide sampling of content
b. Provide irrelevant clues
c. Be more time consuming
d. Be more difficult
3. Supply of response in form of a correct word, or a short phrase is required in:
a. Short answer items
b. Restricted response items
90 ASSESSMENT IN EDUCATION

c. Extended response items

d. Matching type items
4. Short answer items can measure efficiently students’ ability to:
a. Recall specific information
b. Analyze the information received
c. Synthesize the different bits of information
d. Evaluate the worth of something
5. A brief written response is required in:
a. Short answer type items
b. Restricted response items
c. Extended response items
d. Completion type items
6. Topics of limited scope are assessed by:
a. Short answer type items
b. Restricted response items
c. Extended response items
d. Completion type items
7. The students’ ability to analyze is assessed through:
a. Short answer type items
b. Restricted response items
c. Extended response items
d. Completion type items
8. The students’ ability to respond complex situation is assessed through:
a. Short answer type items
b. Restricted response items
c. Extended response items
d. Completion type items
9. Integration and application of high level skills are stressed in:
a. Short answer type items
b. Restricted response items
c. Extended response items
d. Completion type items
10. The action verb ‘examine’ is used for:
a. Analysis
b. Understanding
c. Application
[CHAPTER – 3] SUPPLY TYPE TESTS 91

d. Synthesis

RESTRICTED RESPONSE ITEMS

1. State meaning of supply type test items 2.
Define the following:
a. Completion Type Items
b. Short Answers
c. Restricted Response Items
d. Extended Response Items
3. Give two examples of each of the following:
a. Completion Type Items
b. Short Answers
c. Restricted Response Items
d. Extended Response Items

EXTENDED RESPONSE ITEMS

1. Explain advantages and disadvantages of completion items
2. Explain advantages and disadvantages of short answer items
3. Explain advantages and disadvantages of restricted response items
4. Explain advantages and disadvantages of extended response items
5. Compare and contrast the major advantages and disadvantages of completion items,
short answer items, restricted response items and extended response items
6. Suggest some measures to improve completion items, short answer items,
restricted response items and extended response items