Matching Item: Suggestion for writing.

Suggestion for Test Writer

 In producing a  Matching Instruments, the test writer should take into consideration a few  factors in constructing this test type.  The guidelines  are as follow:

1. Keep both list of description the the list of options  fairly short  and homogeneous whereby both should fit on the  same page.  Title the list to ensure homogeneity and arrange the descriptions and options in some logical  order. Avoid including too wide a variety in the exercise.
2. Ensure that all the options  are plausible  distractors for each description to ensure  the same classifications  of the listed items.
3. Longer phrases or statements should be used as the lists of descriptions meanwhile the options should use  short phrases , words and symbols.
4. Each of the description in the list should be numbered , and the list of options should be identified by letter.
5. More options than descriptors should be included . If the option list  is longer than the description list , it is harder  for the students to eliminate  options. Always include some options that do not match any of the descriptions, or some that match more than one, or both. 
6. In the  direction, specify the basis for matching  and whether  options can be used more than once. 

Matching Item.

Matching Item

Matching items represent a popular and convenient testing format. A  good Matching test item is not easy to construct . the list of Matching instruments should  be:

1.  Homogeneous

• It is to ensure  to keep away the irrelevancy and could filler items from creeping in. The homogeneity  could actually help to  measure students knowledge of certain field. 
• This will prevent implausible  options from being eliminated by the stiudent, increasing  the chance of guessing correctly . 

     2. Order Of List

• The readers are trained  to read  from left to right, hence the time for the testtaker should be consider. By placing the longer description  in the left column , the students  only reads  the description once and glances down the list of right column only once  and has to reread to find the answer and this will be very time consuming.

    3. Easy Guessing. 

• There should be equal numbers of options and description in each column whereby this will increase  the chances of guessing correctly through elimination and in the end they will get the correct answer through elimination. More choice of description  should be given to the students  in order to enable them to guess correctly.

    4. Poor Direction. 

• Matching direction should be specific. 
• Direction should indicate how the matching should be done. Should lines be drawn? or should letters or numbers be written next to the column? .
• Failure to indicate  how matches  should be done can greatly influenced the scoring .

    5. Too Many Correct Responses and Ambiguous.

• Make sure the stated choices of answer is correct and will not confused the students. 

Sample Test 

Matching: Match the instrument with its description by placing the letter of the 

definition in the space preceding the instrument name. 

1. _____ Feli                                    A. Musical bow 

2. _____ Gbung gbung                B. Harp-lute found in West Africa 

3. _____ Nyeng-nyeng                C. Triangular frame-zither 

4. _____ Koning                            D. Goblet-shaped drum played by
                                                                      master drummer 

5. _____ Kora                                E. Rattles added to an instrument 

6. _____ Ghong-kpal                  F. two headed cylindrical drum

Dichotomous : Second Part

True- False Items

• It is the most popular  type of question most probably because  they are quick and easy to write, or at least  they seems to be. Actually, true-false  item takes less time to write compared to the objectives items of any format,but good true- false  items are not all that easy to write. to some extend,  false- true  items depends on an absolute judgement.
• With every true- false item, regardless  how well or poorly written, the students  has 50%  chance of guessing correctly  even without  readingg the item. 
• There are ways to avoid or reduce  the effects of guessing: 
• Encourage the students to guess when they do not know the correct answer.
• The students should be encouraged to equalise the effect of guessing. 
• Testwise students should prevent from having an unfair  advantage over nontestwise students.
• Students need to revise the false statement. this is to enable the student to alter false item to make them true by identifying the false part and underlining it. 

Suggestion for Writing True - False Items

1.  The method of marking true - false shoul be clearly explained before the students  begin the test
2. Construct statements  that are definitely true  or definitely false , without additional. Attributes the opinions  to some source.
3. Relatively short statements used and avoid avoid extraneous materials.
4. Keep true- false statement  at approximately the same length, and same number of true and false statement.
5. Avoid using double negative statements.This will cause the students to take extra time to decipher  and makes the questions difficult to interpret.
6. Avoid the  following:

• verbal clues, absolutes and complex sentences.
• broad general statement that are usually not true or false without further qualifications.
• terms denoting indefinite  degree ( large, long time, regularly) or absolute ( never, only, always)
• placing items in systematic order
• taking statements directly  from the  text and presenting them out of order.

Dichotomous Items

True  or False   and Yes or No  items  are generally unsatisfactory , as there is a 50%  possibility of getting  any item right by chance alone. In order  to learn anything  about a student`s  ability, it is necessary  to have a large  number of such items in order  to discount  the effects of chance.  The item writer reduces  trhe possibility of correct guessing  by including a third category such as " not given"  or " does not say" . This  can be useful  in a reading  comprehension text , but in a listening comprehension, especially  where the text  is only played once, it can be demanding and can lead to student`s confusion