A valid test is always reliable, but a reliable test is not necessarily valid. If a test is measuring what it is supposed to be measuring, it will be
reliable and do so every time. But a reliable test can consistently measure the wrong thing and be invalid.
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c. Practicality
The third characteristic of a good test is practicality or usability in the preparation of a new test. The teacher must keep in mind a number of very
practical considerations which involves economy, ease administration, and interpretation the result.
Economy means that the test is not costly. The teacher must take into account the cost per copy, how many scores will be needed. How long the
administering and scoring of it will take. Ease administration means that the test administrator can perform his
task quickly and efficiently. We must also consider the ease with which the test can be administered.
Ease of interpretation and application JB. Heaton states “The final point concerns the presentation of the test paper it
self”, where possible, it should be printed or type written and appear neat, tidy, aesthetically
pleasing. Nothing is worse and more disconcerting to the testiest than untidy test paper, full of miss spelling, omissions and corrections.” If it
happens, it will be easy for student or testiest easy to interpret the test items”.
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14
L.R Gay, Educational Evaluation and Measurement, New York: Macmillan, Inc., 1985 p. 167.
15
J. Charles Anderson, Claphane Dianne Wall, Language Test Construction Evaluation, Melbourne: Cambridge University Press, 1995, p.187.
B. Item Analysis
Selection of appropriate language items is not enough by itself to ensure a good test. Each question needs to function properly; otherwise, it can weaken the
exam. Fortunately, there are some rather simple statistical ways of checking individuals’ item. This is done by studying the students’ responses to each item.
When formalized this procedure is called “item analysis”.
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An item analysis tells us basically three things: how difficult each item is, whether or not the question
discriminate or tells the difference between high and low students, and which distracters are working as they should. An analysis like this is used with any
important exam- for example, review tests and tests given at the end of a school term or course.
1. The Definition of Item Analysis
Item analysis is usually done for purposes of selecting which items will remain on future revised and improved version of test. There are several
descriptions about item analysis. According to Nitko in his book he stated that, “Item analysis refers to the process of collecting, summarizing, and
using information about individual test items, especially information about pupil’s responses to items.
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Furthermore, Lado defines item analysis is the study of validity, reliability and difficulty of test items taken individually as if
they were separate tests.
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Item analysis usually provides two kinds of information on items: item facility, which helps us decide if test items are at the right level for the target
group, and item discrimination, which allows us to see if individual items are providing information on candidates’ abilities consistent with that provided by
the other items on the test.
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16
Harold S. Madsen, Techniques in Testing, New York: Oxford University Press, 1983, p.180.
17
Anthony J. Nitko, Educational Test and Measurement, an Introduction, New York: Harcourt B Race Jovanovich, Inc, 1983, p. 284
18
Robert Lado, Language Testing, London: Longman Group Limited, 1983, p. 342.
19
Tim McNamara, Language Testing, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000, p. 60
