Item Bank/Question Bank V.Thanikachalam,B.E., M.Tech., Ph.D., M.S., FIE., FIGS Former Professor and Head, CIA, NITTTR Chennai
Concept of Item Bank Validated
test items Prepared for a given curriculum Based on the specific instructional objectives Creation of a bank- an exhaustive list of items For the use of teachers and examiners
Items SUPPLY TYPE ITEMS Fill- up the blanks Short answer questions/one word answer questions SELECTION TYPE ITEMS True /false items or alternative response Matching items Multiple choice items
Essay Type Extended
response Restricted response
Uses of Item Bank Easy
construction of test /examination papers. Quick construction of test instruments using validated items Reduce the cost of preparation Guidance in planning instructions Guidance in the preparation of textbooks Guide the new faculty
Prohibited Use of Item Banks Printing
and supplying to the students Making them available in the libraries Supplying to tutorial colleges Printing and selling in the market Using as guide to teaching
Update the item bank Whenever
the curriculum is revised Whenever new research results are published in the concerned topics Whenever standards are revised Whenever acts or rules or regulations are modified Whenever standards are revised
Essay Type Questions Long
answer /Unrestricted response questions Structured essay questions/restricted response essay questions Higher order abilities Design, analysis, evaluation, planning, Creative proposal
Preparation of Items For
each specific instructional objective Appropriative items are generated Validated by the teachers Model question papers are prepared Tested through a test on the learners Items are analyzed Modified Improved
Content Validity Meaning- How well the test task represents the domain of the tasks to be measured? ď‚Ž Procedure- Compare the test tasks to the specifications describing the domain under consideration ď‚Ž
Criterion –Related Validity  Meaning-How
well test performance predicts future performance or estimates current performance on some valued measures other than the test itself.
Procedure for Testing ď‚Ž Compare
test scores with another measure of a performance obtained at a later date (for prediction) ď‚Ž OR- With another measure of performance obtained concurrently ( for estimating present status)
Construct Validity Meaning - How test performance can be described psychologically ? Procedure – Experimentally determine what factors influence scores on the test.
Competencies and Item Bank Identification
of competencies Selection of evaluation instruments Validity of the instruments Setting standards Planning for the remedial instruction Validating the program objectives
Other Uses of Item Banks Test
instruments for students placement Formative evaluation Diagnostic evaluation Summative evaluation
Prepare Program Educational Objectives ď‚Ž For
each program of instruction, develop Program Educational Objectives, and Course objectives ď‚Ž Validate the objectives through a workshops involving experienced teachers, representatives of employers
Generate a Set of Specific Instructional Objectives State
the acceptable performance Indicate the criteria State the internal conditions Specify the field/external/organizational conditions
Generate The Items ď‚Ž Write
the items based on the specific instructional objectives
Uses of Short-Answer Items Testing
the knowledge of terminology Testing the knowledge of specific facts Testing the knowledge of principles Testing the knowledge of method or procedure Testing the interpretation of the data Testing the key regulations, rules, restrictions
Edit the Items Check
the directions Check the vocabulary and sentence structure Check the appropriateness of the items Avoid unintended clues to the answer Check the units of measurements
Some Common Clues in Test Items Grammatical
inconsistencies Verbal associations Specific determiners (e.g., always ) Phrasing of correct responses Length of correct responses Location of correct responses
Advantages of Short-Answer Items The
students must supply the answer Reduces the possibility of guessing They have to recall the information Calculate /compute to solve the problem
Limitations of Short-Answer Items Unsuitability
for measuring complex learning outcomes Difficulty of scoring (unless the question is very carefully phrased) Can not be machine scored Cost of evaluation is high Takes more time
Suggestions for Constructing Short-Answer Items Word
the item so that the required answer is both brief and definite. Do not take statements directly from textbooks to use as a basis for shortanswer items. A direct question is generally desirable than an incomplete statement
Contd. ď‚Ž Where
the answer is to be expressed in numerical units,indicate the system of units. ď‚Ž Blanks for answers should be in equal length and in a column to the right of the question.
Alternate- Response Items Measures
the ability to identify the correctness of statements of facts, definitions of terms, statements of principles… True/ false items
Advantages ď‚Ž Ease
of construction ď‚Ž A wide sampling of course material
Limitations Limited
learning outcomes that can be measured Susceptibility to guessing (50 %) The reliability of each of item is low The diagnostic value is low The validity of students responses is questionable because of response sets
Suggestions for Constructing Avoid
broad general statements, if they are to be judged true or false. Avoid trivial statements. Avoid the use of negative statements,and especially double negatives. Avoid long, complex sentences.
Contd. Avoid including two ideas in one statement, unless cause-effect relations are being measured. If opinion is used, attribute the source. True and false statements should be approximately equal in length The number of true statements and false statements should be approximately equal.
Matching Items ď‚Ž Consists
of two parallel columns with each word, number, or, symbol in one column (premises) being matched to a word, sentence, or phrase in the other column(responses). ď‚Ž Checks the ability to identify the relationship between two things.
Advantages ď‚Ž Possible
to measure a large amount of related factual material in a short time. ď‚Ž Ease of construction.
Limitations Restricted
to the measurement of factual information based on rote learning Highly susceptible to the presence of irrelevant clues Difficulty in finding homogeneous material that is significant from the viewpoint of learning outcomes.
Suggestions Use
only homogeneous material in a single matching exercise Include an unequal number of responses and premises State the conditions in the use of responses (may be used once/ more than once/ or not at all).
Contd. Keep the list of items to be matched brief and place the shorter responses on the right. Arrange the list of responses in logical order. Indicate in the directions or the basis for matching the responses and premises. Place all of the items for one matching exercise on the same page.
Develop a Test Paper For
each unit of instruction For each course of study
Conduct a Test Specify
the time Specify the marks for each item Select the target learners Watch the progress Note down the quires raised
Evaluate the Items ď‚Ž Determine
the item difficulty
Chance Score Two-choice
items---50% Three-choice multiple-choice item--33% Four-choice multiple –choice item--25% Five-choice multiple-choice item---20%
Prepare a set of question papers for a given course in engineering based on the course objectives ď‚Ž Thank
you