Supply Type or Subjective Type of Test Items

Supply type items or constructed response tests are classified as:

a. Short answer or completion type
b. Essay type items (restricted response or extended response)
Subjective test items requires the student to organize and present an original answer (essay test) and perform
task to show mastery of learning (performance-based assessment and portfolio assessment) or supply a word
or phrase to answer a certain question (completion or short answer type of test)
Kinds of Subjective Type Test Items:
Completion type or Short answer test
Guidelines in Constructing Completion Type or Short Answer Test:
1. The item should require a single word answer or brief and definite statement. Do not use indefinite
statement that allows several answers.
2. Be sure that the language used in the statement is precise and accurate in relation to the subject
matter being tested.
3. Be sure to omit only key words; do not eliminate so many words so that the meaning of the item
statement will not change.
4. Do not leave the blank at the beginning or within the statement. It should be at the end of the
statement.
5. Use direct question rather than incomplete statement. The statement should pose the problem to the
examinee.
6. Be sure to indicate the units in which to be expressed when the statement requires numerical answer.
7. Be sure that the answer the student is required to produce is factuality correct.
8. Avoid grammatical clues.
9. Do not select textbook sentences.
Example of Completion and Short Answer
Question form Completion form
What do you call a polygon that has five sides? A polygon with five sides is called __________.

Advantages of a Completion or Short Item Test:

1. It covers a broad ranges of topic in a short span of time.
2. It is easier to prepare and less time constructing compared to multiple choice and matching type of
test.
3. It can assess effectively the lower level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. It can assess recall of information,
rather than recognition.
4. It reduces the possibility of guessing the correct answer because it requires recall compared to true or
false items and multiple-choice items.
5. It covers greater amount of contents than matching type test.
Disadvantages of a Completion or Short Answer Test:
1. It is only appropriate for question that can be answered with short responses.
2. There is a difficulty in scoring when the questions are not prepared properly and clearly. The
question should be clearly so that the answer of the student is clear.
3. It can assess knowledge comprehension and application levels in Bloom’s Taxonomy of cognitive
domain.
4. It is not adaptable in measuring complex learning outcomes.
 5. Scoring is tedious and time consuming.

Essay Items
Two types of Essay Items:
B.1. Extended Response Essays- an essay test that allows the students to determine the length and
complexity of the response is called extended response essay item (Kubiszyn and Borich, 2007).
Example: From the statement, “Wealthy politicians cannot offer fair representation to all the people.” What
do you think is the reasoning of the statement? Explain your answer.
B.2. Restricted Response Essays- an essay item that places strict limits on both content and the response
given by the students is called restricted response essay item.
Example. List the major facts and opinions in the first state of the nation address (SONA) of Pres. Benigno
Cojuangco Aquino, Jr. Limit your answer to one page only. The score will depend on the content,
organization and accuracy of answer.
Guidelines in Constructing Essay Test Item:
1. Construct essay question used to measure complex learning outcomes only.
2. Essay question should relate directly to the learning outcomes to be measured.
3. Formulate essay questions that present a clear task to be performed.
4. An item should be stated precisely and it must clearly focus on the desired answer.
5. All student should be required to answer the same question.
6. Number of points and item spent in answering the question must be indicated in each item.
7. Specify the number of words, paragraphs or the number of sentences for the answer.
8. The scoring system must be discussed or presented to the students.
Example of Essay Test Item
1. Choose a leader you admire most and explain why you admire him or her.

Types of Complex Outcomes and Related Terms For Writing Essay Questions
Outcome Sample Verbs
Comparing Compare, classify, describe,
distinguish between, explain,
outline, summarize
Interpreting Convert, draw, estimates,
illustrate, interpret, restate,
summarize, translate
Inferring Derive, draw, estimate, extend,
predict, propose, relate
Applying Arrange, compute, describe,
illustrate, relate, summarize,
solve
Analyzing Break down, describe,
differentiate, divide, list, outline
Creating Compose, design, draw,
formulate, list, present, make up
Sample Questions
Describe the similarities and
differences between Philippine
educational system and
Singaporian educational system.
Summarize briefly the content of
the second SONA of President
Benigno C. Aquino, Jr.
Using the facts presented, what is
most likely to happen when
……?
Solve the solution set of the
equation x2+5x-24=0 using
factoring method.
List and describe the
characteristics of a good
assessment instrument.
Formulate a hypothesis about the
problem “Mathematics attitude
and competency levels of the
education students of U.E”
 Synthesizing Arrange, combine, construct,
design, relate, group
Generalizing Construct, develop, explain,
formulate, make, state
Evaluating Appraise, criticize, defend,
describe, evaluate, explain, judge,
rate, write
Design a scoring guide in
evaluating portfolio assessment
Explain the function of
assessment of learning
Describe the strengths and
weaknesses using performance-
based assessment in evaluating
the performance of the students.

Advantages of Essay Test:

1. It is easier to prepare and less time consuming compared to other paper and pencil test.
2. It measures higher-order thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation)
3. It allows students’ freedom to express individuality in answering the given question.
4. The students have a chance to express their own ideas in order to plan their own answer.
5. It reduces guessing answer compared to any of the objective type of test.
6. It presents more realistic task to the students
7. It emphasizes on the integration and application of ideas.
Disadvantages of Essay Test:
1. It cannot provide an objective measure of the achievement of the students.
2. It needs so much time to grade and prepare scoring criteria.
3. The scores are usually not reliable most especially without scoring criteria.
4. It measures limited amount of contents and objectives.
5. Low variation of scores.
6. It usually encourages bluffing.
Suggestions for Grading Essay Test:
1. Decide on a policy for dealing with incorrect, irrelevant or illegal responses.
2. Keep scores of the previously read items out of sight.
3. The student’s identify should remain anonymous while his/her paper is being graded.
4. Read and evaluate each student’s answer to the same question before grading the next question.
5. Provide students with general grading criteria by which they will be evaluated prior to the
examination.
6. Use analytic scoring or holistic scoring.
7. Answer the test question yourself by writing the idea answer to it so that you can develop the scoring
criteria from your answer.
8. Write your comments on their papers.
Checklist for Evaluating Essay Questions:
Yes No
The test item is appropriate for measuring the intended learning outcomes.
The test item task matches with the learning task to be measured.
The questions constructed measure complex learning outcomes.
It is stated in the questions what is being measured and how the answers are to be
evaluated.
The terminology used clarifies and limits the task.
All students are required to answer the same question.
There is an established time limit to answer each question.
Provisions for scoring answers are given (criteria for evaluating answers).