Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State

Lecture Note on EDU311

Test and its Classification

Written by

Dr Fajobi,
Department of Guidance and Counseling

And
Udemba, E.C
Department of Educational Management and Business Education.

Contents:
 Uses
 Various Types /Classification of Tests
 Intelligence
 Attitude
 Aptitude Classification
 Achievement
Classroom Tests

Essay Tests Objective Tests

 Extended or Free Response Supply Test Item

 Uses of Essay Tests
 Limitations of the Essay Tests
 How to Make Essay Tests less Subjective Short Completion

Selection of Test Items

Arrangement True/False Matching Choice Multiple

 The Advantages/Disadvantages of Essay and Objective Tests
 Teacher Made Test/Standardized Tests
 Blooms Taxonomy of Educational Objectives

INTRODUCTION

Test is an instrument that elicits he abilities of the testee. According to Ubi and Udemba (2021),

Test as an instrument in the hands of any teacher is very important. This is because it is a very

relevant tool in educational measurement and has received an endless interest in education. It is
the tool that enables teachers to place judgment, make decision, check performance, get response

style or picture and determine students ability. It is the collection of questions to measure

performance and ability.

Testing is the process of conducting test to the testees. It the process of presenting a test to the

testees in other to measure their level of change in behaviour.

Types/ Classification of Tests

Test can be classified in many ways some of the bases are:

1. Method of administration: According to the way a test is administrated, we have the

(a) Individual test : This is a test administrates on one-on-one basis, ie one person at a time.

Example: clinical diagnostic test

(b) Group Test: A test administrated to a group of people at the same time.

2. Response demanded: is includes :

(a) Free-response item test (the testees are required to supply the answers) - eg essay

questions

(b) Alternative response items test – (the testees are to select their answers from the

alternatives given by the examiner- eg; multiple choice questions.

3. Time required for the test: is requires speed test and power test.

(a) Speed test is made up of large number of simple items to be answered within a strong

and strict time limit.

(b) The power test is more difficulty items with allotted time limit to allow the testees

complete the test. It is used for more practical or application test.

4. Method of interpreting the scores Here we have

 (a) Norm-referenced: The score is interpreted with reference to the performance of the

group ie ranking style- 1st, 2nd,3rd e.t.c

(b) Criterion–reference test: The scores are interpreted based on a predetermined standard

called the criterion or cut of range. Example the Jamb cut of point.

5. Method of preparation: Here it is based on who construed (prepared) the test items. We

have (a) Teacher-made –test: prepared by the class or subject teacher according to what

he/she taught for a given period. It is also called classroom test.

(c) Standardized achievement test. Prepared by test organizations (Jamb, WAEC, NECO)

according to the syllabus. Eg All external examinations.

6. Classification according to time: This includes;

(a)Formative test used to determine learners’ outcome at the beginning of a programme or

before commencing a programme.

(b) Summative tests are used to determine end –of-course/year achievement

* In summary demanding on the time the test is taken. All the test listed from Nos 1 to 5 can be

either formative, summative.

Other types of Psychological Test

There are several types of psychological test, namely: “AAAID”

1. Achievement tests

2. Attitude tests

3. Aptitude tests

4. Intelligence tests

5. Diagnostic test

1. Achievement Test:
This is a test constructed for the purposes of measuring how far learning of a course objective has

taken place or achieved by the group or individual after a given time. It is also called the

classroom / subject performance test.

2. Attitude Tests: Attitude tests measures an individual or group feelings about an event, person

or object, anxiety, interest, perception, personality. Typically used attitude tests are Thurstone

Scale or Likert Scale so as to measure specific attitudinal items.

3. Aptitude Test: Sometimes these tests must be specially designed for a particular job, but there

are also aptitude tests available that measure general chemical and mechanical aptitudes. Such as

Minnesota Clerical Test (MCT). They are tests constructed for the purposes of measuring the

potential or ability of the individual or group to attain or achieve certain attribute or learning at a

later stage. Aptitude tests are psychological tests to measure specific abilities, such as mechanical

or clerical skills.

4. Intelligence Tests: These tests may be aptitude tests or achievement tests. For example IQ

achievement tests purport to be measures of intelligence, while achievement tests are measures of

the use and level of development of use of the ability. IQ (or cognitive) tests and achievement

tests are common norm-referenced tests. It is calculated by dividing the chronological age (CA)

and the mental age (MA) by 100.

5. Diagnostic Tests: These tests are commonly constructed and Administered on individual or

group for the purposes of investigating or identifying certain personality problem areas in order to

determine needed remedial or counseling intervention.

Uses of Test
1. To provide feedback

2. For placement

3. For measurement, assessment and evaluations

4. For Research pupose.

Major Classification of Test

Basically there are 2 classification of test (1) Objective test-“MMSATC’ (2) Essay test.-‘ER’’

Objective Test: This is made up of test that require very short answers, something just letters and

answers very precise.

It does not allow the testees to express their options

They are easy to mark and difficult to prepare.

It limit the factor of sympatric or bias marking /scoring

There are 6 types of Objective Test:

(1) Completion test (Filling in the blank space): It requires the testees to Filling in the blank space

Merits:

i. It is easy to set

ii. It is easy to mark and score.

Demerit

i. It encourage guessing and cramming

ii. It is difficult to set

(2) True-false test (Yes /No): It requires the testees to pick

Merits:
 i. It is easy to set

ii. It is easy to mark and score.

iii. It can cover wide area of the subject/course content

Demerit

i. It encourage guessing and cramming

(3) Matching test : It requires the matching of two or more statement to the appropriate group.

For this options should be more than the statement.

Eg:

Statement Options

_____ is an instrument to elicit information on changes in behavior Score

_____ is the act of placing judgment on a thing Test

_____ is the act of assigning numbers to a thing Evaluation

Measurement

The testees are expected to draw a line to meet the correct statement to the option

4) Short answer items: It also short and precise, encourage guessing and cramming

It answers the questions with words like; mention, list, stat, enumerate,

(5) Multiple Choice Test (MCT): Test with option. The options are made up of the key (correct

answer) and the distracters (wrong answers).

(6) Arrangement: Answers are expected to be presented in ascending and descending order or

numerical or alphabetical order.

2. ESSAY TEST

This is a test that requires the testees to supply the answers in detail in paragraphs and

pages, well prepared in a manner that makes sense and to convince the examiners of your

ability. It is used to measure complex ability of the student. It is used to test cognitive

domain of student.

Advantages of Essay Test

1. It gives person writing the exam chance to display his/her originality(self expression)

2. It gives room for students to write in details

3. It is easily to set essay question than “OBJ” test

4. It measures students higher level of knowledge

5. There is a tendency for student to be favoured (based on good handwriting, lengthy

statements, and good construction of answers)

Disadvantages of Essay Test

1. It difficult to mark/score

2. It may not allow the coverage of the subject content

3. There is a high tendency for students to be penalized( Based on bad handwriting, poor

language construction)
Types of Essay test

1. Extended response essay test; This kind of essay test requires an in-depth and extensive expression

of answers. It measure high level of cognitive domain. The questions are prepared with words

like; Discuss, elaborate, explain in details e. t.c.

2. Restricted response essay: This test limits the students self expression, they are direct question

that needs direct answers. It measure low level of cognitive domain. Questions for this kind comes

in words like; list, mention, state, define, e.t.c.

How to Make Essay Tests less Subjective

This can be done by using the following test types ; complete test and short answer test

Difference between Teacher made test and standardized test

Teacher made Test Standardized achievement test

1 It is constructed by the subject It is constructed by an examination body

or classroom teacher

2 It is prepared based on the It is prepared based on the syllabus and the

content and objectives of a curriculum in that state or country

subject taught by the subject or

class teacher

3 It is prepared to cover a short It prepared to cover a long period of time

period ie weekly, month or basically yearly.

term, semester

4 It has low reliability estimate It has high reliability estimate

5 It is not commercialize It is commercialized

 6 It is limited to a class It is for a region, state or country to take

the test

Some Rules in test preparation

1. Item Independent: Items(questions) should not give a clue to the answer of

another question.

2. In Objective test: Do not use options that are not closely related

3. Avoid test been bias

4. Statements should be clear and easily for student to comprehend.

Distinctions Between Psychological, Educational And Counselling Tests

Psychological : Example are, intelligence test(IQ) Attitude test. Is a test that measures high or

in-depth mental and/or behavioural characteristics of an individual.

Educational tests: Are teacher made tests and standardized test that measures learning outcomes.

Educational tests are designed to measure what learners have benefited after a given learning

outcome. Example: achievement test, aptitude test.

Counseling tests are psychological or educational tests for counseling purposes. Counseling tests

may be adopted, adapted, modified. Psychological or educational tests or developed by counselor for

counseling uses. Broadly speaking, tests that serves counseling purposes are called counseling tests.

It is difficult to say that, there are no relationships between psychological, educational and

counseling tests. This is because, both psychological, educational and counseling tests focused on

people, clients or learner’s personality.

BLOOMS TAXONOMY OF EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

Taxonomy entails those statement of objectives that the students are expected to gain during and after

instruction. Taxonomy of Educational objective is a framework for classifying statements of what the

teachers wants students to learn as a result of instruction (Eyong , Ugwu, & Udemba , 2021)

Bloom’s identified three domains of educational activities namely;

1. Cognitive (Knowledge and intellectual ability); which has to do with the mental skills, by Benajam

Bloom in 1956

2. Affective (Attitude); which deals with feelings or emotions – by Krathwohl D.R. 1964

3. Psychomotor or physical skills (Skills). – by Simpson E.J. in 1970s.

Categories Of Cognitive: There are six major categories of cognitive processes, starting

from the simplest to the most complex levels, represented with the acronym (KCAASE)

1. Knowledge, - 1st level

2. Comprehension, - 2nd level

3. Application, - 3rd level

4. Analysis, - 4th level

5. Synthesis - 5th level

6. Evaluation - 6th level

1. Knowledge: This is defined as the recall or remembering of previously learned material/ ideas,from

specific facts to complete theories, Knowledge is the lowest level (6th level) of learning outcomes in

the cognitive domain. Examples of terms used in knowledge level are; defines, describes, identifies,

knows, labels, lists, matches, names, outlines, recalls, recognizes, reproduces, selects, states etc.

2. Comprehension: This has to do with the ability to remember and understand or interpreting,

summarizing facts and translating the facts from one form to another, and by estimating future

trends (predicting consequences or effects). Key terms used are; comprehends, converts, defends,

distinguishes, estimates, explains, extends, generalizes, gives an example, infers, interprets,

paraphrases, predicts, rewrites, summarizes, translates etc. (Eyong , Ugwu, & Udemba , 2021)

3. Application: Application deals with the ability to use learned ideals in new and practical

situations. This may include the application of rules, methods, concepts, principles, laws, and theories.

Learning outcomes in this area require a higher level of understanding than those under

comprehension. Keywords used are apply, changes, compute, constructs, demonstrates, discovers,

manipulates, modifies, operates, predicts, prepares, produces, relates, shows, solves, uses etc. (Eyong ,

Ugwu, & Udemba , 2021)

4. Analysis: This refers to the ability to break down ideals into its component parts so that its

organizational structure may be understood. It is the ability to simplify things. Learning outcomes here

represent a higher intellectual level than comprehension and application because they require an

understanding of both the content and the structural form of the ideal. The keywords used are

analyzes, breaks down, compares, contrasts, diagrams, deconstructs, differentiates, discriminates,

distinguishes, identifies, illustrates, infers, outlines, relates, selects, separates etc.

5. Synthesis: This refers to the ability to put parts together to form a new whole. This the ability to be

innovative/inventive. Keywords used are categorizes, combines, compiles, composes, creates,

devises, designs, explains, generates, modifies, organizes, plans, rearranges, reconstructs, relates,

reorganizes, revises, rewrites, summarizes, tells, writes etc. (Eyong , Ugwu, & Udemba , 2021)
6. Evaluation: This is highest level. It is the ability o judge the worth/value of anything. The

judgments are to be based on definite criteria. The keywords used are appraises, compares,

concludes, contrasts, criticizes, critiques, defends, describes, discriminates, evaluates, explains,

interprets, justifies, relates, summarizes, supports etc.

THE AFFECTIVE OR FEELING DOMAIN

This area is concerned with feelings or emotions arranged from simpler feelings to those that are more

complex. It is divided into 5 types in hierarchy order from the simple to complex with an acronym

RRVOC- Receiving, Responding, Valuing, Organization and Characterization of value or value

complex.

1. Receiving: This refers to the learner’s sensitivity to the existence of stimuli awareness, willingness to

receive, or selected attention. Receiving is being aware of or sensitive to the existence of certain ideas,

material, phenomena and being willing to tolerate them. Examples of terminologies used in this

domain are; differentiate, to accept, to listen, to respond to etc.

2. Responding: This refers to the learners’ active attention to stimuli and his/her motivation to learn,

willingness to respond, or feelings of satisfaction. Responding is committed in some small measure to

the ideas, materials, or phenomena involved by actively responding to them. Examples of

terminologies used to describe this domain are; to comply with, to follow, to commend, to volunteer,

to spend leisure time in, to acclaim etc.

3. Valuing: This refers to the learner’s beliefs and attitudes, acceptance, preference, or commitment.

Valuing is willing to be perceived by others as valuing certain ideas, materials, or phenomena.

Example s of key terms used to describe this domain are; to relinquish, to subsidize, to support, to

debate etc.
4. Organization: This refers to the learner’s internalization of values and beliefs involving (i) the

conceptualization of values; and (ii) the organization of a value system. As values or beliefs become

internalized, the leaner organizes them according to priority.

5. Characterization of value or value complex: This refers to the learner’s highest of internalization

and relates to behavior that reflects (i) a generalized set of values; and (ii) a characterization or a

philosophy about life. At this level the learner is capable of practicing and acting on their values or

beliefs.

THE PSYCHOMOTOR OR KINESTHETIC DOMAIN

Psychomotor or Kinesthetic Domain deals with those specific physical functions, reflex actions and

interpretive movements. According to Simpson (1972) the psychomotor domain is characterized by

progressive levels of behaviors from observation to mastery of motor-skills (physical skill and

coordination). The psychomotor domain is measured in terms of practice and it ranges from manual

tasks, such as washing, mopping of floor, to more tedious and complex tasks, such as operating a

complex piece of machinery (Eyong , Ugwu, & Udemba , 2021)

It is composed of seven major categories presented with the acronym (GOSCAMP) Guidance

response, Origination, Set, Complex or Overt response, Adaptation, Mechanism and Perception as

it ranges from simplest to the most complex behaviours as shown in Table 2

Table 2: Simpson (1972) levels of psychomotor domain

Origination

Adaptation

Complex

overt
 response

Mechanism

Guided

response

Set

Perception

A renowned psychologist known as Simpson (1972) built his taxonomy on the work of Bloom and others.

This is explained below.

1. Perception: This has to do with the use of sensory organs or signals to guide and direct motor

activity. Terminologies used are, isolates, detects, chooses, describes, identifies, relates, selects

differentiates, distinguishes etc.

2. Set: These are those mental emotional and physical characteristics that make one ready to do a task.

Keywords used are; describe set are states, reacts, volunteers, moves, proceeds, shows, begins,

displays, explains,

3. Guided Response: It entails trial and error which is associated with practice that can promote

improved performance. The common terminologies associated with this method are responds copies,

traces, follows, reproduce, react etc.

4. Mechanism: This is concerned with the performance act where the actor is use to or habitual to the

task, with confidence and proficiency. Keywords used are constructs, dismantles, displays, fastens,

fixes, manipulates, measures, mends, assembles, mixes, organizes, calibrates etc.

5. Complex Overt Response: it connotes the skillful performance of motor acts that involve complex

movement patterns., with high proficiency and coordination and automatic performance. Keywords

used are calibrates, constructs, assembles, builds, dismantles, displays, fastens, fixes, grinds, heats,

manipulates, measures, mends, mixes, organizes, sketches. Complex movements are possible with a

minimum of wasted effort and a high level of assurance they will be successful etc.
6. Adaptation: In this level, skills are well developed and the individual can modify movement

patterns to fit special requirements. Keywords used are adapts, rearranges, reorganizes, alters,

changes, revises and varies.

7. Origination: This has to do with creating new movement/action patterns to fit a particular situation

or specific problem. The actor exhibits highly developed skills. Terminologies used are arranges,

composes, constructs, , builds, combines, designs, creates etc.

NOTE: Worthy of note is that there are two other popular versions of the psychomotor domain as

proposed by Dave (1970) and Harrow (1972) which are explained below: Dave(1975) listed five

categories of psychomotor domain as presented with the acronym (IMPAN), representing:

Imitation, Manipulation, Precision, Articulation and Naturalisation.

(i) Imitation: Modeling somebody’s behaviour after being manifested. The terminologies like copy,

follow, mimic, repeat, replicate, reproduce, trace etc.

(ii) Manipulation: Being able to perform certain actions by memory or following instructions.

Keywords used are; execute, perform, act build etc.

(iii) Precision: Performing a skill within a high degree of precision. Calibrate, demonstrate, master,

perfectionism etc.

(iv) Articulation: Coordinating and adapting a series of actions to achieve harmony and internal

consistency. Keywords used are combine, customize, adapt, creates, constructs, modifies, formulate

etc.

(v) Naturalisation: Developing mastery of high level performance until it becomes natural, without

needing to think much about it. Keywords used are invent, manage, naturally, design, create, develop

etc.
NOTE: Harrow (1972) categorized psychomotor domain into seven steps which are presented with the

acronym (RFFPPPSN) meaning: Reflex Movements, Fundamental Movements: Fundamental

Movements, Perceptual Abilities, Physical Abilities, Skilled movements AND

Non-discursive communication, these are explained below:

(i) Reflex Movements: Reactions that are not learned, such as involuntary reaction.

(ii) Fundamental Movements: These are the basic movements such as walking, or grasping. grasp an

object, throw a ball, walk etc.

(iii) Fundamental Movements: Basic movements such as walking, or grasping an object, throw a ball,

walk etc.

(iv) Perceptual Abilities: Response to stimuli such as visual, auditory, kinesthetic, or tactile

discrimination. They can be presented in the form of tracking a moving object, recognize a pattern

etc.

(v) Physical Abilities (fitness): Stamina that must be developed for further development such as

strength and agility, endurance etc.

(vi) Skilled movements: Advanced learned movements as one would find in sports or acting. adapt,

constructs, creates, modifies etc.

(vii) Non-discursive communication: Use effective body language, such as gestures and facial

expressions. Terms used are arrange, compose, interpretation etc.

Bloom’s original and revised taxonomy of educational objective

Original domain Revised/new domain

Evaluation Creating

Synthesis Evaluation

Analysis Analyzing

Application Applying

Comprehension Understanding
 Knowledge Remembering

REFERENCES

EYONG E I., UGWU, C. & Udemba e. C. (2021) peanuts to teachers understanding of the practicability of
Taxonomyof Educational objectives, associated Instrument and its classroom application. International
journal of scientific and academic research (ijsar) in june vol,7 page 287.

Jousha M. T. (2012) Fundamentals of Test and Measurement in Education. Anita Press Calabar, Nigeria

Bloom, B.S. (Ed.).Engelhart, M.D., Furst, E.J., Hill, W.H., Krathwohl, D.R. (1956). Taxonomy of
Educational Objectives, Handbook: The Cognitive Domain. New York: David McKay Co Inc.

Dave, Y. (1970).Interpretation of educational measurements. New York: Macmillan.

Harrow, R.O. (1972). Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy.