achievement examined in the end of the course but the progress achievement examined in the part of the course.
3. Diagnostic test
A diagnostic test is used to identify learners’ strengths and weakness.
According to Wilmar Tinambunan a diagnostic test is intended to diagnose learning
difficulties during
instruction.
11
This definition
gives an
understanding that the diagnostic test is constructed to know the learning difficulties of the student during the instruction, usually this test used in the
first sections before the course is began. 4.
The placement test Placement tests intended to provide information that will help to place
student at the stage or in the part of the teaching programme most appropriate to their abilities. While, JB. Heaton said that a placement test
enables us to sort students into groups according to their language ability at the begining of the course.
12
It can be understood that this test describes someone to entered in the group based their ability or competence in the
begining of the course.
3. The Characteristic of a Good Test
A test can be regarded as a good one, if it fulfills some of characteristic of a good test. Harris in his book Testing english as a second language stated all good
test possess three qualities; validity, reliability, practicality.
13
Therefore, the test will be good if the test contains three elements, they are validity, reliability, and
practicality, if in the test lack of them means the test need observed again.
11
Wilmar Tinambunan, Evaluation of Student Achievement, Jakarta: Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, 1988, p. 8.
12
JB. Heaton, Classroom Testing, New York: Longman Inc., 1990, p. 15
13
David P. Harris, Testing English as a second Language, New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company P. 13.
The first characteristic of a good test is validity. Validity is the extent to which a test measure what is intended to measure.
14
It means that a test which made by teacher is valid if the content of test representing an images on the
indicator and syllabus as a basis reference in learning activity. From the definition above, the writer concludes that validity of the test
means that the test really measure what actually wished to measure. For example if the test is conducted to measure student’s grammar, the test really measure
student’s grammar without concern in another aspect.
Test validity is the most critical factor to be judged in the total program of foreign language testing. A test is valid when it measures effectively what is
intended to measure. For example, if a test is designed by teacher to measure aural comprehension, it must do exactly this and not attempt to measure another skill
such as reading comprehension. The second characteristic of a good test is reliability. According to Douglas
statement a reliable test consistent dependable.
15
It means the test that given to the student when it examined more two times its score must consistent. For
example if the same group of students took the same test twice within two days- without reflecting on the first test before they sat it again-they should get the same
results on each occasion. If they took another similar test, the results should be consistent. Therefore, to be considered reliable, a language test must obtain
consistent result and give consistent information. The third characteristic of a good test is practicality. The test practicality
means that test should be practical in administrating it. Douglas stated that a good test is practical. It is within the means of financial limitations, time
constraints, ease of administration, and scoring and interpretation.
16
The case can be understood that when the teacher design a test, there are a lot of considerations
14
William Wiersma and Stephent G Juts, Educational Measurement and Testing , Boston:Allyn and Bacon, 1990, p. 183.
15
H.Douglas Brown, Teaching by Principle an Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc., 2001, p. 86.
16
Ibid
that need to thought, like financial, time, scoring administration so the teacher will be ease in testing. David P. Harris said about characteristic of practicality,a test
may be highly reliable and valid instrument but still be beyond our means or facilities.
17
It indicates that there are a lot of important consideration that must be thought the teachers when they want to design a test. Economy, ease of
administration and scoring, ease of interpretation be a consideration poits to make a test be practical, so that the test that designed be a valid, consist, and practical
tests.
B. Validity
