students in achieveing the objectives of course of study. Third, to diagnose students’ strengths
a
nd weaknesses, to identify what they know and what t
hey don’t know. Fourth, to assisted placement of students by identifying the stage or part of a teaching programme most approppriate
to their ability.
5
Similiarity with Ahman and Glock, they stated the purpose of test is to get quantitative data that is related in increasing
students achievement.
6
From the definition above, the writer can conlude that the purpose of test is to measure, to diagnose, to find out, and to support the ability of students. How well
they can achieve learning objective and how master teacher make a test. Therefore, teacher can improve the test has been made.
3. Criteria of Good Test
The test will be administered should have a good quality. It is important because the test will influence results. The test should be well constructed for
make good result in the end of process. A well constructed means the tests fullfill the criteria of good test such as Validity, Reliability, and Practicality. If the test is
good, the test will give some information about the test takers’ achievement. There are three common criteria to make good test. Such as Validity,
reliability, and practicality.
5
Arthur Hiughes, Testing for language Teacher, Newyork, Cambridge, 2003, p.8
6
Norman E.Gronlund, Measurement and Evaluation in Teaching, fourth edition , New York: Mcmillan Publishing Co., 1981p. 15
a. Validity 1. Definition Validity
To make a test, Validity is one of criteria that is important. Because from validity, the teacher will know the quality of test. The purpose to know the
quality, the teacher can improve the test if the test has bad validity. James Dean Brown defined validity is a criteria of good test that has function
to help the teacher to make decision about the students’ ability. Teacher used
some kinds of test to know the students ability, there are admissions, placement, achievement, and diagnostic test.
7
Beside, definition from Brown, Douglas gave more explanation about Validity, they are:
a. Validity refers to the result of a test or evaluation instrument for a given
group of individuals, not to the instruments itself. Test makers sometimes speak the validity of the test, for the sake of the convenience, but it is more
approppriate to speak of the validity of the test results, or more special, of the validity of the interpretation to be made from the result.
b. Validity is matter of degree. It doesn’t exist in an all or none basis
consequently, test makers should avoid thinking of evaluation results as valid or invalid. Valid is best considered in term of categories that specify
degree, such as high validity, moderate validity, and low validity. c.
Validity is always specific to some particular use. It should be never considered a general quality.
8
Similar to Peter W. Airisian and Michael K.Russel, Validity defines decisions that are made from assessment information, not the assessment approach itself. It
is not approppriate to say the assessment information is valid unless the decisions, purpose, and groups for which it is valid are identified. Assessment information
7
James Dean Brown, Testing in Language Programs, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005,p.220
8
Loc,Cit p. 66-67.
