Five Characteristics of a Good Test and Their Definitions. Discussion of the Value of These Characteristics in Ensuring Good Test Practices.

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Abstract We exist in a real world, and in the real world, we encounter some sort of test on a daily basis. A number of tests in the real world are very informal. For instance, my children both at home and school test my patience every day. So far, I know that I am passing. After all, they are still breathing. Other tests, though, are more formal. They are like the tests we receive in school. Not everyone enjoys these more formal tests, but there are steps a teacher can take to make the process of assessment less painful. In order to do this, teachers need to study the characteristics of a good test before constructing and administering one. Unfortunately, some pupils at the primary, secondary and tertiary level of education and teachers abhor tests or exams. Students hate the pressure and worry of studying for and taking tests, especially if they don't know the test material very well. Teachers don't like the time and effort expended in making up a test and then grading it. Never-the-less, testing is a necessary part of the educational process, since it affords an objective tool for measuring the progress and mastery of students in acquiring a skill or subject of learning. Tests in general are either formative or summative. A formative test will assess the student's progress while he or she is learning a corpus of material or a skill. While a summative test, on the other hand, is given after a student has completed study. It evaluates how well a learner has mastered a subject or a skill. A “test” can be defined as a method to determine a student's ability to complete certain tasks or demonstrate mastery of a skill or knowledge of content. Some types would be multiple choice tests, or a weekly spelling test. While it is commonly used interchangeably with assessment, or even evaluation, it can be distinguished by the fact that a test is one form of an assessment.

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