Simple Assessment Task

PHY 310 -- Readings for Teaching High School Physics
Illinois State University Physics Teacher Education
Carl J. Wenning, Program Coordinator (semi-retired)
Spring Semester 2021

Writing a good examination is not an easy thing as this task will show. Be certain to read "Simple Assessment" in Teaching High School Physics before you begin. Demonstrate that you have learned the content of your associated reading assignment in Teaching High School Physics.

1. Write a SIMPLE high-school-level summative assessment (a traditional paper-and-pencil examination) for a single chapter or two consecutive chapters of a physics textbook.
2. Prepare a typed document including both questions and answers. Highlight fixed response answers with yellow and give detailed solutions of free response questions. Use an Equation Editor for all math equations.
3. The examination should contain no fewer than 15 questions total; see guidelines below.
4. Avoid trivial, frivolous, and freebie questions.
5. The simple assessment (test) should consist of not less than the following:
   • Multiple-choice questions focusing on simple facts, definitions, etc. (typically 1 point each)
   • Multiple-choice questions that focus on the solution of a simple equation (typically 2 points each) .
   • Free-response questions (variable points) that require a rather more complex solution of a problem such as a two-step problem in which some ingenuity is needed.
     
6. Start by including the name of the course, instructor name, the class period, and a place for the name of student across the top of the page
7. Include directions at the beginning of the examination and each section of question types (e.g., This is an open-book, open-notes test. You may not use the Internet or communicate with others. Watch your units! Circle the letter of the best answer among the multiple-choice questions. Circle the answers to your written problems. When solving problems, show all your work including initial equations and units. No work, no credit!)
8. Lead off each section with question type and point value such as:
   • Multiple-choice questions (1 point each)
   • Less complex problems (2 points each)
   • More complex problems (3-4 points each)
   • Extra Credit (5 points)
9. Questions should be varied in type and difficulty and should assess a wide range of knowledge and skills. Use Bloom's taxonomy, Rhodes' Typology, and TIPERs for help with question types.
10. Each question should be weighted according to difficulty and total point should sum to 25 (that can readily be changed to a percentage).
11. Start writing questions based on your twelve APPROVED student performance objectives, and write additional objectives as needed. Each assessment item should have its own student performance objective.
12. Provide a separate sheet that shows each objective and how it is aligned with its question.
13. Use a wide variety of response fixed-response questions such as multiple-choice, matching, and true/false.
14. Use a smaller number of free-response questions such as short answer, limited-exercise problem, and at least one context-rich problem.
15. Please economize on the use of paper; schools don't have unlimited printing budgets, yet provide room to work questions as necessary.
16. Review your test using the 25-point checklist provided below and submit drafts of your work for comments and later revision.
17. Number all questions sequentially, and format appropriately. Use the following format for fixed-response questions:

1. How much charge is contained within a 10 micro-farad capacitor if it has been charged with a 50-volt DC power supply?

a. 500C
b. 50C
c. 0.5C
d. 0.0005C
e. None of the above is a correct response.

25-pt CHECKLIST (review your test and the associated student performance objectives before submitting)

1. Header contains information about teacher name, course, test label or number, date, place for student name, etc.
2. Test has instructions at top or at beginning of each section as appropriate.
3. The test contains not less than 15 questions.
4. The test includes a variety of question formats.
5. The test is comprehensive with questions addressing entire range of content within chapter(s).
6. The test includes both fix-response and free-response questions.
7. Questions come either from a single chapter or two sequential chapters of a physics textbook.
8. Questions are both qualitative and quantitative types.
9. Questions exhibit a range of difficulty, from easy to difficult.
10. Questions are sequentially numbered.
11. Questions are organized by format into sections.
12. Questions are properly formatted.
13. Questions each have a number of associated points.
14. Questions are clear, concise, and accurate.
15. Questions are not trivial, trick, or gimmick.
16. Questions each have clearly associated with it a written student performance objective (include objectives with number of corresponding questions on a separate page).
17. Questions sum to 25 points
18. Easy questions have lower point values; difficulty questions have higher point value.
19. There is a single correct answer in fixed-response questions.
20. The use of space is economical but provides space for calculations if necessary.
21. Student performance objectives are clearly and accurately written.
22. The test includes within it an answer key in that answers to fixed-response questions are highlighted and problems worked.
23. The answer key built within the test is correct.
24. Equation editor has been used for complex equations.
25. Figures, if used, must be closely associated to the corresponding questions.