Objective Test Items

True or False

True or False
Binomial-choice tests are tests that have only two (2) options such as true or false, right or wrong, good or better, and so on. A student who knows nothing of the content of the examination would have a 50% chance of getting the correct answer by sheer guess work. Although correction-for-guessing formulas exist, it is best that the teacher ensures that a true-false item is able to discriminate properly between those who know and those who are just guessing. A modified true-false test can offset the effect of guessing by requiring students to explain their answer and to disregard a correct answer if the explanation is incorrect.

True or False
Are popular because they are quick and easy to write. Actually, true-false items do take less time to write than good objective items of any other format, but good true-false items are not that easy to write. A test consisting of a series of statements to be marked as true or false. Offering a series of statements each of which is to be judged as true or false; "a true-false test. Take less time to write than good objective items of any other format.

Modified True/False :
-Indicate whether the statement is true or false. If false, change the identified word or phrase to make the statement true.
Example: Magellan was the first Asian to repulse European colonizers in Asia.

Objective 4: The students will recognize whether certain events occurred

TEST ITEMS: Here is a list of incidents in Hucleberry Finn. Circle T it it happened in the story and F if it did not.
1. The thieves were killed in the storm on the river. 2. Jim gained his freedom. 3. Tom broke his leg. T T T F F F

EXERCISE: Put a G in the space next to the items you believe are good truefalse items and P next to the items you feel poor. ____1. High-IQ children get high grades in school. ____2. Will Roger said, I never met a man I didnt like. ____3. If a plane crashed on the Mexican-American border, half the survivors would be buried in Mexico and half in United states. ____4. The use of double negatives is not an altogether undesirable characteristic of diplomats and academicians. ____5. Prayer should not be outlawed in schools. ____6. Of the objective items, true-false items are the least time consuming to construct. ____7. The trend toward competency testing of high school graduates began in the ate 1970s and represents a big step forward for slow learners.

Advantages
Because T-F questions tend to be short, more material can be covered than with any other item format. Thus T-F items tend to be used when a great deal of content has been covered. T-F questions take less time to construct, but avoid taking items directly from the text and modifying them slightly to create an item.

Advantages
Scoring is easier with T-F questions, but avoid having students write true or false or a T or F. Instead have them circle T or F provided for each item.

Disadvantages
T-F questions tend to emphasize rote memorization of knowledge, although sometimes complex questions can be asked using T-F items. T-F questions that the answer to the question or issue is unequivocally true or false. It would be unfair to ask the students to guess at the teachers criteria for evaluating the truth of a statement.

Disadvantages
T-F questions allows for and sometimes encourage a high degree of guessing. Generally, longer examinations are needed to compensate for this.

Suggestions for Writing True-False Items

1. The desired method of marking true or false should be clearly explained before students begin the test. 2. Construct statements that are definitely true or definitely false, without additional qualifications. If opinion is used, attribute it to some source. 3. Use relatively short statements and eliminate extraneous material.

4. Keep true and false statements at approximately the same length, and be sure that there are approximately equal numbers of true and false items. 5. Avoid using double-negative statements. They take extra time to decipher and are difficult to interpret.

6. Avoid the following:

a. verbal clues, absolutes, and complex sentences. b. broad general statements that are usually not true or false without further qualifications. c. terms denoting indefinite degree (for example, large, long time, regularly), or absolutes (for example, never, only, always) d. placing items in a systematic (for example, TTFF, TFTF, and so on). e. taking statements directly from the text and presenting them out of context.