Achievement tests are used by teachers to measure or test the achievements and success achieved in any particular field by a student. Whatever the student learns in school is called his achievement and examinations conducted to test that achievement are called achievement tests.
Classification of Achievement tests
Achievement tests can be prepared on the basis of method like:
(i) Standardized Test
Any test in which the same test is given in the same manner to all test takers, and graded in the same manner for everyone, is a standardized test.
(ii) Teacher Made Test
Principle of Achievement tests
- Achievement tests should measure clearly the objectives that have been formulated ¢In order to construct a good test, every teacher should be able to formulate clear goals especially specific instructional objectives
- Achievement test should be according to the level of students
- Achievement test should include the types of tests items that are most appropriate for measuring the desired learning outcomes.
- Achievement test should be made as reliable as possible
- Achievement tests should improve student learning.
Construction of Achievement Test
1) Planning of test
2) Preparation of a design for the test
3) Preparation of the blue print
4) Preparing Preliminary draft
5) Item analysis
Editing the draft
Try Out
6) Preparing the final draft
7) Establishment of Standardization
Planning of test
- Planning of a test is a first and very important step in the construction of an achievement test.
- For proper planning below points kept in mind
- Subject,
- Level of students,
- Content
- Objective
- Maximum time and Maximum marks
Preparation of a design for the test
In this context, following decisions were taken by the investigator such as:
- Weightage to the objectives of test
- Weightage to Content
- Weightage to the type of questions
- Allotment of time and marking process
Weightage to the objectives of test
| S.No | Objectives | Marks | Percentage |
| 1 | Knowledge | 10 | 20 |
| 2 | Understanding | 6 | 12 |
| 3 | Application | 12 | 24 |
| 4 | Analysis | 10 | 20 |
| 5 | Synthesis | 8 | 16 |
| 6 | Evaluation | 4 | 8 |
| 7 | Total | 50 | 100 |
Weightage to Content
| S.No | Topics | No. Of Ques | Score | % |
| 1 | A | 4 | 10 | 20 |
| 2 | B | 8 | 20 | 40 |
| 3 | C | 8 | 20 | 40 |
| 4 | 20 | 50 | 100 |
Weightage to the type of Ques
| S.No | Types of Items | Number of Ques | Marks | % |
| 1 | Long Answer Type | 2 | 24 | 38% |
| 2 | Short Answer Type | 8 | 26 | 42% |
| 3 | Objective Type | 10 | 10 | 20% |
| Total | 20 | 50 | 100% |
Allotment of Time
¢How much time students will take to complete the test is estimated by this step. While allotment of time a teacher must consider ¢Number of question Type and difficulty level
| S.No | Types of Ques | No. of Ques | Time |
| 1. | Objective Type | 10 | 10 Min |
| 2 | Short Answer Type | 8 | 20 Min |
| 3. | Long Answer Type | 2 | 20 Min |
| Total | 20 | 50 Min |
Blue print of achievement test
| Objective | Knowledge | Understanding | Application | Analysis | Synthesis | Evaluation |
| Type of Q | L S O | L S O | L S O | L S O | L S O | L S O |
| Topic A | 1 (1) | 2(1) | 8(1) | 1(1) | ||
| Topic B | 2(2) | 4(2) | 4(2) | 8(1) | 2(1) | |
| Topic C | 8(1) 2(1) | 4(2) | 1(1) | 3(3) | ||
| Total | ||||||
| L(Long Q) | S(Short Q) | O(Objective Q |
Preliminary draft
- Writing the Questions
- The paper setter write items according to the blue print.
- Make the instructions for each type of question simple and brief.
- It should also checked whether all the questions included can be answered within the time allotted.
- It is advisable to arrange the questions in the order of their difficulty level.
Editing the Draft
Then the item should be edited and reviewed by experts to check the errors in language and defect in words and the level of questions
TRY OUT
After drafting it is time to try out the question paper in actual conditions.
- Proper sitting arrangements.
- Proper light and ventilation and adequate space for invigilation
- Student are able to complete the test in time allotted
- Steps should be taken to reduce the anxiety of the students
- The answer sheets were scored with the help of scoring key which was already prepared by the investigator.
Final Draft
¢After correcting the errors final draft of question paper is made in accordance with the analysis given by experts
¢It is arranged in such a way that students easily read and understand the question paper.
Standardization of Achievement Test
¢Achievement test was further standardized by experimental validation of the test that included establishing reliability and validity.
Reliability
Reliability refers to the consistency of a measure
¢Degree of consistency of test scores obtained by same individual when re-examined with same set of question paper under same environment
Validity
¢Test validity is the extent to which a test accurately measures what it is supposed to measure.
¢Validity tells you how accurately a method measures something. If a method measures what it claims to measure, and the results closely gives the real-world values, then it can be considered valid
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