Writing effective assessment questions
Effective assessment starts with the principle of constructive alignment whereby the
learning and teaching activities are designed to support the learning outcomes, and
the assessment is designed to measure those outcomes (Biggs and Tang, 2007
p50).
Learning and
teaching activities
designed to meet
learning outcomes
Intended
learning
outcomes
Assessment
methods
designed to
assess learning
outcomes
Therefore if the main assessment for a module is an experiment set in a chemistry
laboratory, one would expect that a significant part of the learning on that module
would be practical work in the lab’ building up the skills necessary to conduct safe
and effective experiments. Equally if history students are required to write an essay
drawing on literature and examining artefacts, the module should include hands-on
activities with artefacts and engagement with the literature.
The TAP model
Topics
Actions
Parameters
The TAP model is widely used to ‘unpack’ assignment questions. It
helps students to determine what they need to do, which topics they
need to focus on and how they should limit their answer.
Task 1.
Apply the TAP model to the following assignment questions. Identify the topics,
actions and parameters.
1. Critically appraise one of Haydn’s choral works with specific focus on the
structure of the work, and the relationship between the music and the words.
Compare the nature of this work with that of his contemporaries.
(60 marks)
2. Identify the causes and explain the potential effects of decompression sickness.
Outline the most effective treatment for this condition.
(12 marks)
Zimmerman et al., (1990) define a number of precepts in relation to writing
assessment questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Present a clearly-defined problem based on relevant concept
Determine appropriate level for students
Use simple, precise, and unambiguous wording
Exclude extraneous or irrelevant information
Refrain from providing unnecessary clues to the correct answer
Eliminate any systematic pattern that would allow students to guess answers
correctly
7. Guard against cultural, racial, ethnic, and sexual bias
8. Avoid test items that assume stereotyped behaviour
Task 2.
Review Zimmerman’s precepts (given above) and the ‘Assessment types’ table.
Examine the assessment questions from your own discipline and answer the
following questions:
How well does the type of assessment for your module align with the intended
learning outcomes?
Do any of the assessment questions need to be re-framed to take account of
Zimmerman’s precepts or the TAP model? If so have a go at re-writing them.
How to avoid bad NSS scores and winding up the students!
Felder’s research identifies that students dislike examinations that they perceive to
be unfair (2002). Interestingly he notes that students do not mind difficulty of the
exams per se: in fact ‘the highest evaluations tend to go to some of the more
demanding teachers, not the ones who hand out A’s for mediocre work’.
The characteristics of unfair tests include the following: problems on content not
covered in lectures or homework assignments; problems the students consider tricky,
with unfamiliar twists that must be worked out on the spur of the moment; excessive
length, so that only the best students can finish in the allotted time; excessively
harsh grading, with little distinction being made between major conceptual errors and
minor calculation mistakes; inconsistent grading, so that two students who make the
identical mistake lose different points.
References:
Felder, R. (2002) Designing tests to maximise learning. Professional Issues in Engineering
Education & Practice. 128 (1), 1–3
IndiaBIX (2012) Engineering Mechanics Questions and Answers. Available at:
http://www.indiabix.com/engineering-mechanics/questions-and-answers (Accessed on 9 Oct
2012)
Zimmerman, B., Sudweeks, R., Shelley, M., Wood, B. (1990) How to Prepare Better Tests:
Guidelines for University Faculty. Salt Lake: Brigham Young University Testing Services and
The Department for Instructional Science