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Test (assessment)

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For other uses, seeTest (disambiguation).

!"am redirects here. For the film, see !"am (film).

#tudents take e"ams in $ahatma %andhi #eva &shram, Jaura, 'ndia.

ambodianstudents taking an e"am in order to apply for the on *osco Technical

#chool of #ihanoukvillein +-.
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&mericanstudents in a computer fundamentals class taking a computerbased test

A testor examinationis an assessmentintended to measure a test-taker's knowledge, skill,

aptitude,physical fitness, or classification in many other topics (e.g.,beliefs). A test may beadministered orally, on paper, on a computer,or in a confined area that requires a test taker to

physically perform a set of skills. Tests ary in style, rigor and requirements. !or e"ample, in a

closed book test, a test taker is often required to rely upon memory to respond to specific items

whereas in an open book test, a test taker may use one or more supplementary tools such as areference book or calculator when responding to an item. A test may be administered formally or

informally. An e"ample of an informal test would be a reading test administered by a parent to a

child. An e"ample of a formal test would be a final e"amination administered by a teacher in aclassroom or an #.$. test administered by a psychologist in a clinic. !ormal testing often results

in a gradeor a test score.%&A test score may be interpreted with regards to a normor criterion, or

occasionally both. The norm may be established independently, or bystatisticalanalysis of a

large number of participants.

A standardied testis any test that is administered and scored in a consistent manner to ensure

legal defensibility.%*tandardied tests are often used in education,professional certification,

psychology(e.g., ++#), the military, and many other fields.

A non-standardied test is usually fle"ible in scope and format, ariable in difficulty andsignificance. *ince these tests are usually deeloped by indiidual instructors, the format and

difficulty of these tests may not be widely adopted or used by other instructors or institutions. A

non-standardied test may be used to determine the proficiency leel of students, to motiatestudents to study, and to proide feedback to students. #n some instances, a teacher may deelop

non-standardied tests that resemble standardied tests in scope, format, and difficulty for thepurpose of preparing their students for an upcoming standardied test.%!inally, the frequencyand setting by which a non-standardied tests are administered are highly ariable and are

usually constrained by the duration of the class period. A class instructor may for e"ample,

administer a test on a weekly basis or ust twice a semester. /epending on the policy of the

instructor or institution, the duration of each test itself may last for only fie minutes to an entireclass period.
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#n contrasts to non-standardied tests, standardied tests are widely used, fi"ed in terms of scope,

difficulty and format, and are usually significant in consequences. *tandardied tests are usually

held on fi"ed dates as determined by the test deeloper, educational institution, or goerningbody, which may or may not be administered by the instructor, held within the classroom, or

constrained by the classroom period. Although there is little ariability between different copies

of the same type of standardied test (e.g., *AT or 012), there is ariability between differenttypes of standardied tests.

Any test with important consequences for the indiidual test taker is referred to as a high-stakes

test.

A test may be deeloped and administered by an instructor, a clinician, a goerning body, or atest proider. #n some instances, the deeloper of the test may not be directly responsible for its

administration. !or e"ample, 2ducational Testing *erice(2T*), a nonprofit educational testing

and assessment organiation, deelops standardied tests such as the *ATbut may not directly

be inoled in the administration or proctoring of these tests. As with the deelopment and

administration of educational tests, the format and leel of difficulty of the tests themseles arehighly ariable and there is no general consensus or inariable standard for test formats and

difficulty. 3ften, the format and difficulty of the test is dependent upon the educationalphilosophy of the instructor, subect matter, class sie, policy of the educational institution, and

requirements of accreditation or goerning bodies. #n general, tests deeloped and administered

by indiidual instructors are non-standardied whereas tests deeloped by testing organiationsare standardied.

Contents

/ 0istory + $odern day use of tests

o +./ !ducation

o +.+ 1icensing and certification

o +.2 'mmigration and naturali3ation

o +.4 'ntelligence 5uotient

o +.6 ompetitions

o +.7 %roup memberships

2 Types of tests

o 2./ Written tests

2././ $ultiple choice

2./.+ &lternative response

2./.2 $atching type

2./.4 ompletion type
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GREhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-stakes_testhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-stakes_testhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_Testing_Servicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAThttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Modern_day_use_of_testshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Educationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Licensing_and_certificationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Immigration_and_naturalizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Intelligence_quotienthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Competitionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Group_membershipshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Types_of_testshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Written_testshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Multiple_choicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Alternative_responsehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Matching_typehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Completion_typehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GREhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-stakes_testhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-stakes_testhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_Testing_Servicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAThttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Modern_day_use_of_testshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Educationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Licensing_and_certificationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Immigration_and_naturalizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Intelligence_quotienthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Competitionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Group_membershipshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Types_of_testshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Written_testshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Multiple_choicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Alternative_responsehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Matching_typehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#Completion_type


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2./.6 !ssay

2./.7 $athematical 5uestions

o 2.+ 8hysical fitness tests

o 2.2 8erformance tests

4 Test preparations

6 heating on tests

7 #upport and criticisms of tests

9 #ee also

o 9./ 'nternational e"aminations

- eferences

; Further reading

/ !"ternal links

History

#tudents taking a scholarshipe"amination inside a classroom in /;4

Ancient 4hina was the first country in the world that implemented a nationwide standardied

test, which was called the imperial e"amination.The main purpose of this e"amination was toselect for able candidates for specific goernmental positions.%5The imperial e"amination was

established by the *ui /ynastyin 678 A/and was later abolished by the$ing /ynasty&77

years later in &978. 2ngland had adopted thise"amination systemin &:76 to select specific

candidates for positions in ;er +aesty's 4iil *erice. This e"amination system was later

applied to education and it started to influence other parts of the world as it became a prominentstandard (e.g. regulations to preent the markers from knowing the identity of candidates), of

deliering standardied tests.

Influence of World Wars on Testing


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from the Army Alpha and Army %8*oon after, colleges and industry began using tests to help in acceptingand hiring people based on performance of the test.

Another reason more tests began to come forth was that people were realiing that the distancebetween secondary education and higher education was widening after ==##. #n &98, the first

Adanced lacement (A) test was administered to begin closing the gap between high schoolsand colleges.%6

Modern day use of tests

Education

*ome countries such as the ?nited @ingdom and !rance require all their secondary school

students to take a standardied test on indiidual subects such as the 0eneral 4ertificate of

*econdary 2ducation (04*2)(in 2ngland) and


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grades of an educational institution are then used to determine the status of that educational

institution, i.e., whether it should be allowed to continue to operate in the same way or to receie

funding.

!inally, standardied tests are sometimes used to compare proficiencies of students from

different institutions or countries. !or e"ample, the3rganisation for 2conomic 4o-operation and/eelopment (324/)uses rogramme for #nternational *tudent Assessment (#*A)to ealuate

certain skills and knowledge of students from different participating countries.%&

Licensing and certification

*tandardied tests are sometimes used by certain goerning bodies to determine if a test taker is

allowed to practice a profession, to use a specific ob title, or to claim competency in a specificset of skills. !or e"ample, a test taker who intends to become a lawyer is usually required by a

goerning body such a goernmental bar licensing agency to pass abar e"am.

Immigration and naturalization

*tandardied tests are also used in certain countries to regulate immigration. !or e"ample,

intended immigrants to Australia are legally required to pass a citienship test as part of that

country's naturaliation process.%&5

Intelligence quotient

$ain article: 'ntelligence 5uotient

Competitions

Tests are sometimes used as a tool to select for participants that hae potential to succeed in a

competition such as a sporting eent. !or e"ample, serious skaters who wish to participate in

figure skating competitions in the ?nited *tates must pass official ?.*. !igure *kating tests ustto qualify.%&8

Group memberships

Tests are sometimes used by a group to select for certain types of indiiduals to oin the group.!or e"ample, +ensa #nternational is a high #.$. society that requires indiiduals to score at the

9:th percentile or higher on a standardied, superised #$ test.%&6
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_for_Economic_Co-operation_and_Developmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_for_Economic_Co-operation_and_Developmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_for_Economic_Co-operation_and_Developmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_for_Economic_Co-operation_and_Developmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programme_for_International_Student_Assessmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#cite_note-PISA-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#cite_note-PISA-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_examhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_examhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#cite_note-Australian_Citizenship_-_Australian_Citizenship_test-14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#cite_note-Australian_Citizenship_-_Australian_Citizenship_test-14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence_quotienthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#cite_note-Welcome_to_U.S._Figure_Skating-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#cite_note-What_is_Mensa.3F-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_for_Economic_Co-operation_and_Developmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_for_Economic_Co-operation_and_Developmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programme_for_International_Student_Assessmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#cite_note-PISA-13http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_examhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#cite_note-Australian_Citizenship_-_Australian_Citizenship_test-14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence_quotienthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#cite_note-Welcome_to_U.S._Figure_Skating-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)#cite_note-What_is_Mensa.3F-16


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Types of tests

Written tests

'ndonesian #tudents taking a


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and it proides feedback to the test taker about why distractors were wrong and why correct

answers were right. Ceertheless, there are difficulties associated with the use of multiple choice

questions. #n administratie terms, multiple choice items that are effectie usually take a greattime to construct.%&:As an educational tool, multiple choice items do not allow test takers to

demonstrate knowledge beyond the choices proided and may een encourage guessing or

appro"imation due to the presence of at least one correct answer. !or instance a test taker mightnot work out e"plicitly that , but knowing that , they

would choose an answer close to 5:. +oreoer, test takers may misinterpret these items and in

the process, perceie these items to be tricky or picky. !inally, multiple choice items do not test atest taker's attitudes towards learning because correct responses can be easily faked.

Alternative response

TrueF!alse questions present candidates with a binary choice - a statement is either true or false.This method presents problems, as depending on the number of questions, a significant number

of candidates could get &77G ust by guesswork, and should on aerage get 87G.

Matching type

A matching item is an item that proides a defined term and requires a test taker to match

identifying characteristics to the correct term.%&9

Completion type

A fill-in-the-blank item proides a test taker with identifying characteristics and requires the test

taker to recall the correct term.%&9There are two types of fill-in-the-blank tests. The easier

ersion proides a word bank of possible words that will fill in the blanks. !or some e"ams allwords in the word bank are e"actly once. #f a teacher wanted to create a test of medium

difficulty, they would proide a test with a word bank, but some words may be used more than

once and others not at all. The hardest ariety of such a test is a fill-in-the-blank test in which noword bank is proided at all. This generally requires a higher leel of understanding and memory

than a multiple choice test.


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usually poorly written because test takers may not hae time to organie and proofread their

answers. #n turn, it takes more time to score or grade these items. =hen these items are being

scored or graded, the grading process itself becomes subectie as non-test related informationmay influence the process. Thus, considerable effort is required to minimie the subectiity of

the grading process. !inally, as an assessment tool, essay questions may potentially be unreliable

in assessing the entire content of a subect matter.

Mathematical questions

+ost mathematicsquestions, or calculation questions from subects such aschemistry,physicsor

economicsemploy a style which does not fall in to any of the aboe categories, although somepapers, notably the +aths 4hallengepapers in the ?nited @ingdomemploy multiple choice.

#nstead, most mathematics questions state a mathematical problemor e"ercisethat requires a

student to write a freehand response. +arks are gien more for the steps taken than for thecorrect answer. #f the question has multiple parts, later parts may use answers from preious

sections, and marks may be granted if an earlier incorrect answer was used but the correct

method was followed, and an answer which is correct (gien the incorrect input) is returned.

;igher leel mathematical papers may include ariations on trueFfalse, where the candidate isgien a statement and asked to erify its alidity by direct proof or stating a countere"ample.

hysical fitness tests

The e"amples and perspective in this article may not represent a

!orld!ide vie!of the sub"ect. 8lease improve this articleand discuss the

issue on the talk page. (December 2010)

This article needs additional citations for verification. 8lease help

improve this articleby adding citations to reliable sources. =nsourcedmaterial may be challengedand removed. (January 2009)
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& $innesota >ational %uardsman performs pushups during a physical fitness test.

A physical fitness testis a test designed to measurephysical strength, agility, and endurance.They are commonly employed in educational institutions as part of thephysical education

curriculum, in medicine as part of diagnostic testing, and as eligibility requirements in fields thatfocus on physical ability such asmilitaryorpolice. Throughout the 7th century, scientificeidence emerged demonstrating the usefulness of strength trainingandaerobic e"ercisein

maintaining oerall health, and more agencies began to incorporate standardied fitness testing.

#n the ?nited *tates, theresident's 4ouncil on Houth !itnesswas established in &986 as a wayto encourage and monitor fitness in schoolchildren.

4ommon tests%7%&%include timedrunningor themulti-stage fitness test, and numbers ofpush-

ups, sit-upsFabdominal crunchesandpull-upsthat the indiidual can perform. +ore specialised

tests may be used to test ability to perform a particular ob or role.

erformance tests

A performance test is an assessment that requires an e"aminee to actually perform a task or

actiity, rather than simply answering questions referring to specific parts. The purpose is to

ensure greater fidelityto what is being tested.

An e"ample is a behind-the-wheel driing test to obtain a drier's license. 1ather than only

answering simple multiple-choice items regarding the driing of an automobile, a student is

required to actually drie one while being ealuated.

erformance tests are commonly used in workplace and professional applications, such as

professional certification and licensure. =hen used for personnel selection, the tests might bereferred to as a work sample. A licensure e"ample would be cosmetologists being required to

demonstrate a haircut or manicure on a lie person. The 0roup-


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The process of test construction has been greatly aided in seeral ways. !or one, many test

deelopers were themseles students at one time, and therefore are able to modify or outright

adopt test questions from their preious tests. #n some countries such as the ?nited *tates, bookpublishers often proide teaching packages that include test banks to uniersity instructors who

adopt their published books for their courses. These test banks may contain up to four thousand

sample test questions that hae been peer-reiewed and time tested.%5

The instructor whochooses to use this testbank would only hae to select a fi"ed number of test questions from this

test bank to construct a test.

As with test constructions, the time needed for a test taker to prepare for a test is dependent upon

the frequency of the test, the test deeloper, and the significance of the test. #n general,nonstandardied tests that are short, frequent, and do not constitute a maor portion of the test

taker's oerall course grade or score require do not require the test taker to spend great amounts

preparing for the test.%84onersely, nonstandardied tests that are long, infrequent, and doconstitute a maor portion of the test taker's oerall course grade or score usually require the test

taker to spend great amounts preparing for the test. To prepare for a nonstandardied test, test

takers may rely upon their reference books, class or lecture notes, #nternet, and past e"perience toprepare for the test. Test takers may also use arious learning aids to study for tests such as flash

cardsand mnemonics.%6Test takers may een hire tutors to coach them through the process so

that they may increase the probability of obtaining a desired test grade or score. !inally, test

takers may rely upon past copies of a test from preious years or semesters to study for a futuretest. These past tests may be proided by a friend or a group that has copies of preious tests or

from instructors and their institutions.%B

?nlike nonstandardied test, the time needed by test takers to prepare for standardied tests are

less ariable and usually considerable. This is because standardied tests are usually uniformedin scope, format, and difficulty and often hae important consequences with respect to a test

taker's future such as a test taker's eligibility to attend a specific uniersity program or to enter adesired profession. #t is not unusual for test takers to prepare for standardied tests by relyingupon commercially aailable books that proide in-depth coerage of the standardied test or

compilations of preious tests (e.g., &7 year series in *ingapore). #n many countries, test takers

een enroll in test preparation centers or cram schoolsthat proide e"tensie or supplementaryinstructions to test takers to help them better prepare for a standardied test. !inally, in some

countries, instructors and their institutions hae also played a significant role in preparing test

takers for a standardied test.

Cheating on tests

4heatingon a test is the process of using unauthoried means or methods for the purpose ofobtaining a desired test score or grade. This may range from bringing and using notes during aclosed book e"amination, copying another test taker's answer or choice of answers during an

indiidual test, or een sending a paid pro"y to take the test.

*eeral common methods hae been employed to combat cheating. They include the use of

multiple proctors or inigilators during a testing period to monitor test takers. Test deelopersmay construct multiple ariants of the same test to be administered to different test takers at the
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same time. #n some cases, instructors themseles may not administer their own tests but will

leae the task to other instructors or inigilators, which may mean that the inigilators do not

know the candidates, and thus some form of identification may be required. !inally, instructorsor test proiders may compare the answers of suspected cheaters on the test themseles to

determine if cheating did occur.

Support and criticisms of tests

/espite their widespread use, the alidity, quality, or use of tests, particularly standardied tests

in education hae continued to be widely supported or criticied. Dike the tests themseles,

supports and criticisms of tests are often aried and may come from a ariety of sources such asparents, test takers, instructors, business groups, uniersities, or goernmental watchdogs.

*upporters of standardied tests in education often proide the following reasons for promoting

testing in educationI

Feedback or diagnosis of test taker?s performance@+-A

Fair and efficient@+;A

8romotes accountability@+-A@+;A

8rediction and selection@+-A

'mproves performance@+-A

4ritics of standardied tests in education often proide the following reasons for reising orremoing standardied tests in educationI

>arro

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