objective test and essay test differences

Essay Test vs Objective Test

An essay item is one in which the examinee relies upon his memory and past associations to answer the questions in a few words only. Since such items can be answered in whatever manner one likes and these items are also known as free answer items.

Essay items are most appropriate for measuring higher mental processes which involve the process of synthesis, analysis, evaluation, organization and criticism of the events of the past. Essay tests are thus suitable for measuring traits like critical thinking, originality and the ability to integrate synthesis or analyze different events.

Types of essay items

Essay items are of two types

Short answer types
Long answer type / Extended answer essay type

A short answer essay item is one where the examinee supplies the answer In one or two lines and is usually concerned with one central concept.

A long answer essay item is one where the examinee’s answer comprises several sentences. Such an item is usually concerned with more than one central concept.

Suggestions for Writing Good Essay Items

1 – An essay item must contain explicitly defined problems usually essay items are intended to measure the higher mental process as such its essential that they contain problems in clear cut and explicit terms so that every examinee interprets them in more or less the same way. Therefore, essay item is set to be not valid if its interpretation varies among examinees

2 – It must contain such problems whose answers are not very wide. In case a student is asked to answer a problem with a larger content area. He may start writing whatever he knows without making any discrimination in such a situation he may not write about the facts or information needed by the item, thus lowering the validity of the essay item.

3 – Essay items must have clear cut directions or instructions for the examinees the instruction should indicate the total time to be spent on any particular test item. What type of information is required and the likely weight age to be given to each item so that the examinee may pick up the relative importance of the essay questions and accordingly adjust the length of the answer.

4 – Sufficient time should be allowed in the construction of essay items such items measure the higher mental processes and in order that they actually measure what they intend to measure. It is essential that essay items are carefully worded and ordered so that all the items can be interrupted in the same way.

Difference between Essay tests and Objective Tests

1 – In essay items the examinee writes the answer in her/his own words whereas the in objective type of tests the examinee selects the correct answer from the among several given alternatives.

2 – Thinking and writing are important in essay tests whereas reading and thinking are important in objective type tests. In essay tests the examinee answers the questions in several lines. S/he critically thinks over the problems posed by the questions and arranges the idea in sequence and expresses them in writing. In objective type the examinee doesn’t have to write in many cases. He is simply asked to put a tick/mark. However, in order to make a correct choice he is required to read both the stem as well as the alternative answers very carefully and then critically think and decide.

3 – It is difficult to score objectivity and accurately in essay tests whereas in objective tests can be easily scored objectively and accurately.

4 – Essay tests are difficult to evaluate objectively and partially because the answers are not fixed like the answers of objective items because of the variability in the scorer judgment regarding the contents of the answers in the objective types of tests whether of the selection or supply type scoring can be done accurately because the answers are fixed in them. The scoring will also be objective because when the answers are fixed there will obviously be complete interpersonal agreement among the students.

5 – In objective type tests the quality of the item is dependent upon the skill of the test constructor but in essay test the quality of the item is dependent upon the scorer’s skill. Writing item for an objective type test is a relatively difficult task. Only a skilled test constructor can write good objective items. The quality of the test items are bound to suffer. If the test constructor lacks skill in writing items as well as limited knowledge regarding the subject matter items in essay tests are easy to construct. A test constructor is even with a minimum knowledge of writing items can prepare relatively good essay items.

6 – Objective test items no matter how well they are constructed permit and encourage guessing by the examinee whereas essay test items no matter how well they are constructed permit and encourage bluffing by examinees. In objective type test items the probability of guessing can’t be fully nullified. The effect of the guessing is the inflation of the actual score obtained on the test. Guessing is the most obvious when the length of the test is short and the two alternative objectives form is used or when difficult alternative responses are included in multiple choice items or matching items and the length of the test is short.

7 – Assignment of numerical scores in essay test items is entirely in the hands of the scorer whereas assignment of numerical scores in objective type test items is entirely determined by the scoring key of the manual.

Common Points between Essay Tests and Objective Tests

Despite of all these differences following are the common points or main similarities that lie in essay test or objective test.

An element of subjectivity is involved in both objective type as well as essay tests. In objective tests subjectivity is involved in writing the test items in selecting particular criterion for validation of the test. In essay tests subjectivity is involved in writing and selecting the items. The most obvious effect of the subjectivity in essay test is seen in scoring of the essay items.
In both essay tests as well as objective type tests, emphasize is placed upon the objectivity in the interpretation of the test scores. By objectivity is meant the score must mean nearly the same to all observers or graders who have assigned it. If this is not so it means that the scoring lacks objectivity thus reducing the usefulness of the score.
Any educational achievement such as the ability to spell the English words, proficiency in grammar, and performance in history, geography, and educational psychology can be measured through both the essay test and objective type tests.

When the intention is to measure critical thinking, originality and the organizational ability essay tests are preferred but when the intention is to measure the piecemeal knowledge in any subject, objective type tests are preferred.

However, this line of demarcation is fast vanishing now because objective items have been used effectively for measuring achievement representing, critical thinking and originality of the examinees. Likewise, essay items particularly short answer essay items have been successfully used in measuring achievement representing piecemeal knowledge of any subject.

Tags: Essay Test , Essay Test vs Objective Test , Essay Writing , Objective Test , Subjective Test , Writing Good Essay

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17.1: Should I give a multiple-choice test, an essay test, or something entirely different?

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Jennfer Kidd, Jamie Kaufman, Peter Baker, Patrick O'Shea, Dwight Allen, & Old Dominion U students

Jennfer Kidd, Jamie Kaufman, Peter Baker, Patrick O'Shea, Dwight Allen, & Old Dominion U students
Old Dominion University

By Vanessa Rutter

- Benjamin Franklin

Learning Objectives

The student will be able to understand the advantages and disadvantages of multiple-choice tests
The student will be able to understand the advantages and disadvantages of essay tests
The student will be able to provide an example of why multiple-choice or essay tests are used
The student will be better informed of the results produced by multiple-choice, essay, and other tests

Introduction

Throughout school, teachers and other education officials use tests to assess how much information that the students have absorbed. This can be important in different ways depending on how the results will be used.

Figuring out what students have learned in the classroom is an important issue in the education field (Swartz, 2006). Teachers want to know that when they assess what their students have learned that the teachers are using an accurate assessment strategy that will mesh with their learning targets. In the following information, the focus will be on affects of using multiple-choice, essay, or other tests along with why they are used.

Advantages and disadvantages of multiple-choice tests

Multiple-choice testing became popular in the 1900's because of the efficiency that it provided (Swartz, 2006). According to Matzen and Hoyt, "Beginning in 1901, the SAT was a written exam, but as the influence of psychometricians grew in 1926, the SAT became a multiple-choice test" (2006). Until recently, multiple-choice have been favored especially for SAT and ACT testing. For many years now, the SAT test was used for mostly multiple-choice questions and has changed in the past few years so that it now includes an essay section.

Other advantages of multiple-choice tests include how quickly tests can be graded compared to others. There are machines that can quickly grade scantrons as well as bubble sheets that show right and wrong answers quickly for teachers when grading. It is much more cost efficient than having to read over written answers which take time and possibly training depending on who is employed to grade them (Holtzman, 2008).

Others may say that multiple-choice tests are hard. In college, students have said that multiple-choice question tests are long, filled with many words, and very complicated (Holtzman, 2008). Some argue that multiple-choice question tests are based on testing the level of knowledge only and do not show a student's level of comprehension and application of information (Holtzman, 2008). It is hard to judge on a multiple-choice test whether the student guesses the right answer or didn't get the answer right because they were confused and chose one of the other answers (Swartz, 2006).

Advantages and disadvantages of essay tests

Essay tests have started to become more dominant because of the results that come along with it. Essay format questions contain a level of information quality that exceeds that of multiple-choice (Swartz, 2006). According to Swartz (2006), "They provide the opportunity to assess more complex student attributes and higher levels of attribute achievement". Another advantage of an essay is that the teacher can clearly see what the student knows instead of being misconstrued with multiple-choice tests were students can guess the right answers. A student that doesn't do well with test taking may find writing an essay to much more efficient rather than testing knowledge through multiple-choice.

There are also problems associated with essay tests. Administering essay test can be harder and be less cost efficient. There is technology already available for grading multiple-choice tests that take up much less time then grading essay tests. Essays cannot be ran through a bubble sheet optical reader machine that quickly grades scantrons used for multiple choice questions tests. For a professor with over three hundred students, it is much more efficient to use multiple-choice tests than grade three hundred essays. Communication is an important factor as well. For a student that can not write well, they may feel at a disadvantage when being graded by writing an essay. This could be true for someone with a learning disability.

Other Factors to Consider

Bill Goodling, chair of House Education Committee

Multiple-choice and essay tests are not the only test out there. The recently modified SAT test states that if you put the wrong answer you will have points taken off in the multiple-choice section. This is an incentive to not fill in the circle unless the student knows the answer or is pretty sure of themselves. There are also short answer tests and fill in the blank, but the most popular are the ones mentioned before.

Other tests may show an excess of seven different multiple-choice answers to choose from. The first three would be regular answers (A, B, or C). The next three answers will be where a student can get half credit for the answer by choosing D ("A or B"), E ("B or C), or F ("A or C"). Then the student will not get full credit by choosing D, E, or F but half credit by being able to narrow the answer down to the two answers they are certain of. The last choice would be G (I don't know). There the student would get a one-third of the credit for being honest rather than no points for guessing a wrong answer (Swartz, 2006).

In conclusion there are many advantages and disadvantages to both multiple-choice and essay tests. The teacher should pick out what is more suitable according to the classroom. Factors that would favor multiple-choice may be large class size, large amount of knowledge, technology already available for scantrons, less time for grading, and students with low writing scores. Factors that would favor essay tests could include smaller class sizes, many student teacher aides to help grade, assessment of application and comprehension, and students with high writing scores. Other tests are also being developed to bring the most from assessing students comprehension of information.

Exercise $\PageIndex{1}$

1. What is an advantage of using an essay test?

A) It costs less money

B) It contains a higher level of information quality

C) It takes a long time to grade

D) It can be graded with a bubble sheet optical reader

2. What is a disadvantage of using multiple-choice tests?

A) Students can guess the answers

B) Tests require scantrons

C) Tests are easier

D) Tests can be graded faster

3. If a teacher has a large group of students in their class, what kind of test would be less time consuming to grade?

A) Fill in the blank test

B) Essay test

C) Oral test

D) Multiple choice test

4. Multiple-choice tests assess mostly what type of cognitive information from students?

A) Evaluation

B) Application

C) Knowledge

D) Comprehension

Holtzman, M. (2008). Demystifying application-based multiple-choice questions. College Teaching , 56(2), 114-120. Retrieved on March 22, 2009 from EBSCOhost database: http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.odu.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=3&hid=105&sid=ff9aaa2c-b758-4f95-8d5c-8f5a3fcc36c5%40sessionmgr109

Matzen, R. N. Jr., & Hoyt, J. E. (2004). Basic writing placement with holistically scored essays: Research evidense. Journal of Developmental Education , 28(1), 2-4,6,8,20,23,34. Retrieved on March 21, 2009 from EBSCOhost database: http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.odu.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=4&hid=105&sid=ff9aaa2c-b758-4f95-8d5c-8f5a3fcc36c5%40sessionmgr109

Swartz, S. M. (2006). Acceptance and accuracy of multiple choice, confidence-level, and essay question formats for graduate students. Journal of Education for Business , 81(4), 215-220. Retrieved on March 21, 2009 from EBSCOhost database: http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.odu.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=3&hid=105&sid=ff9aaa2c-b758-4f95-8d5c-8f5a3fcc36c5%40sessionmgr109

Academic Development Centre

Objective tests (short-answer and multiple choice questions), using objective tests to assess learning, introduction.

Objective tests are questions whose answers are either correct or incorrect. They tend to be better at testing 'low order' thinking skills, such as memory, basic comprehension and perhaps application (of numerical procedures for example) and are often (though not necessarily always) best used for diagnostic assessment. However, this still affords a great variety of both textual and numerical question types including, but not limited to: calculations and mathematical derivations, mcqs, fill-in-the-blanks questions and short essay (short answer) questions.

LSE (2019).

In brief, objectives tests are written tests that require the learner to select the correct answer from among one or more of options or complete statements or perform relatively simple calculations.

What can objective tests assess?

Objective tests are useful to check that learners are coming to terms with the basics of the subject in order that they have a firm foundation and knowledge. They are useful because:

can test a wide sample of the curriculum in a short time
can be marked easily; technology can assist with this
less reliance on language skills of the students
useful for diagnostic purposes: gaps and muddled ideas can be resolved.

The drawbacks are:

students can guess rather than know
the random nature of the questions does not help build mental maps and networks
writing good questions is not easy
they tend to focus on lower-order processes: recall rather than judge, explain rather than differentiate.

Short-answer

Short answer questions (SAQs) tend to be open-ended questions (in contrast to MCQ) and are designed to elicit a direct response from students. SAQs can be used to check knowledge and understanding, support engagement with academic literature or a particular case study and to encourage a progressive form of learning. They can be used in both formative and summative assessment. SAQs may take a range of different forms such as short descriptive or qualitative single sentence answers, diagrams or graphs with explanations, filling in missing words in a sentence, list of answers. As the name suggests, the answer is usually short. Gordon (2015, p.39)

Depending on the type of question, marking may simply involve checking against a list of correct answers. Alternatively a set of criteria may be used based:

factual knowledge about a topic: have the questions been answered correctly?
numerical answers: will marks be given on the process as well as the product answer?
writing style: importance of language, structure, accuracy of grammar and spelling?

How to design good questions:

express the questions in clear language
ensure there is only one correct answer per question
state how the question should be answered
direct questions are better than the sentence completion
for numerical questions be clear about marks for process as well as product and whether units are part of the answer
be prepared to accept other answers; some of which you may not have predicted.

Multiple choice questions (MCQ)

The Centre for Teaching Excellence (no date) provides useful advice for designing questions including illustrative examples. Those guidelines are paraphrased and enhanced here for convenience.

Definition: A multiple-choice question is composed of three parts: a stem [that identifies the question or problem] and a set of possible answers that contains a key [that is the best answer to the question] and a number of distractors [that are plausible but incorrect answers to the question].

Students may perceive MCQs as requiring memorisation rather than more analytical engagement with material. If the aim is to encourage a more nuanced understanding of the course content, questions should be designed that require analysis. For example, students could be presented with a case study followed by MCQs which ask them to make judgements about aspects of the brief or to consider the application of certain techniques or theories to a scenario.

The selection of the best answer can be focused on higher-order thinking and require application of course principles, analysis of a problem, or evaluation of alternatives, thus testing students’ ability to do such thinking. Designing alternatives that require a high level of discrimination can also contribute to multiple choice items that test higher-order thinking.

When planning to write questions:

General strategies

multiple-choice question tests are challenging and time-consuming to create; write a few questions, after a lecture when the course material is still fresh in your mind
instruct students to select the best answer rather than the correct answer ; by doing this, you acknowledge the fact that the distractors may have an element of truth to them
use familiar language; students are likely to dismiss distractors with unfamiliar terms as incorrect
avoid giving verbal association clues from the stem in the key. If the key uses words that are very similar to words found in the stem, students are more likely to pick it as the correct answer
avoid trick questions. Questions should be designed so that students who know the material can find the correct answer
avoid negative wording.

Designing stems

ask yourself if the students would be able to answer the question without looking at the options. If so, it is a good stem
put all relevant material in the stem
eliminate excessive wording and irrelevant information from the stem

Designing answers

limit the number of answers; between three and five is good
make sure there is only one best answer
make the distractors appealing and plausible
make the choices grammatically consistent with the stem
randomly distribute the correct response.

There are a number of packages that can analyse the results from MCQ tests for reliability and validity. Using the questions for formative purposes can generate the data needed and so pilot questions prior to their use for summative tests. In addition to asking student to give an answer we can also ask for their confidence rating - how sure they are about the answer they are giving. This not only reduces guessing, but also provides feedback to the learner about the extent of their comprehension / understanding.

Using online packages to administer the test allows instant feedback. Once a student has selected an answer they can be told if they are correct or not and be given an explanation of their mistake. Some of these packages select questions on the basis of previous results rather than randomly, which allow a check on whether the learner is gaining from the feedback provided [adaptive testing].

Diversity & inclusion

There is some evidence that males perform better than females in MCQ examinations as they are more willing to guess. Using MCQs for formative rather than summative purposes resolves this. Using short answer questions reduces reliance on language and so is more inclusive for those working in a second language.

Academic integrity

If used for summative purposes one needs to maintain the integrity of the question banks by not allowing copies out of examination room.

When used online it is important to have a large question bank to enable random generation of tests. (Click here for further guidance on academic integrity .)

When used outside of in-person exam conditions assessment may become less secure, as online working could facilitate collusion, or contract cheating, or the use of AI. Randomly generated questions (with different questions or questions in a different order) might mitigate against collusion.

Student and staff experience

Short answer.

Students: are often more familiar with the practice and feel less anxious than many other assessment methods.

Staff: short answer questions are relatively fast to mark and can be marked by different assessors, as long as the questions are set in such a way that all answers can be considered by the assessors. AI can support feedback generation.

They are also relatively easy to set.

Multiple choice questions

Students: good to enable self-assessment, particularly online e when the feedback is instant

Staff: are quick to mark, and be grouped into re-usable questions banks and efficient approach to testing large numbers of students.

Tests lower levels of learning and may encourage surface approaches to learning. Rather like mcqs, to make this approach test higher levels it is the structure of the questions that becomes more complex rather than the content of the question itself.

If short answer questions are to be used in summative assessment they tend to be used alongside longer essays and other longer forms of assessment and thus time management is crucial.

It is very important to be very clear about the type of answers that you expect because these are open-ended and students are free to answer any way they choose; short-answer questions can lead to long answers if you are not careful.

It is challenging to write questions that test higher order learning; the question structure tends to become more complex rather more than the content being tested (see Question Pro in Useful resources below). Students need practice before taking a summative mcq examination so that they are being tested on their knowledge of the material and not on their understanding of the question type.

Taking full advantage of the feedback may be more time consuming for students than actually answering questions; but this is one of their strengths.

Multiple choice question writing is expensive in terms of time, but once a good item bank has been established then the use of the questions, and their marking, is of low demand in terms of time.

Short answer questions are relatively fast to mark and can be marked by different assessors, as long as the questions are set in such a way that all alternative answers can be considered by the assessors.

Useful resources

Multiple Choice

Question Pro: Multiple choice questions.

https://www.questionpro.com/article/multiple-choice-questions.html

Moodle Docs

https://docs.moodle.org/37/en/Multiple_Choice_question_type

Vanderbilt University, Center for Teaching. Writing Good Multiple Choice Test Questions

https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/writing-good-multiple-choice-test-questions/Ce

Short Answer

Open University: Types of assignment: Short answer questions

https://help.open.ac.uk/short-answer-questions

Moodle docs: short-answer question types

https://docs.moodle.org/37/en/Short-Answer_question_type

Annotated bibliography

Class participation

Concept maps

Essay variants: essays only with more focus

briefing / policy papers
research proposals
articles and reviews
essay plans

Film production

Laboratory notebooks and reports

Objective tests

short-answer
multiple choice questions

Oral presentations

Patchwork assessment

Creative / artistic performance

learning logs
learning blogs

Simulations

Work-based assessment

Reference list

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For questions or information:

Choosing between Objective and Subjective Test Items

Multiple-Choice Test Items

True-false test items, matching test items, completion test items, essay test items, problem solving test items, performance test items.

Two Methods for Assessing Test Item Quality
Assistance Offered by The Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL)
References for Further Reading

I. Choosing Between Objective and Subjective Test Items

There are two general categories of test items: (1) objective items which require students to select the correct response from several alternatives or to supply a word or short phrase to answer a question or complete a statement; and (2) subjective or essay items which permit the student to organize and present an original answer. Objective items include multiple-choice, true-false, matching and completion, while subjective items include short-answer essay, extended-response essay, problem solving and performance test items. For some instructional purposes one or the other item types may prove more efficient and appropriate. To begin out discussion of the relative merits of each type of test item, test your knowledge of these two item types by answering the following questions.

Quiz Answers

1 Sax, G., & Collet, L. S. (1968). An empirical comparison of the effects of recall and multiple-choice tests on student achievement. J ournal of Educational Measurement, 5 (2), 169–173. doi:10.1111/j.1745-3984.1968.tb00622.x

Paterson, D. G. (1926). Do new and old type examinations measure different mental functions? School and Society, 24 , 246–248.

When to Use Essay or Objective Tests

Essay tests are especially appropriate when:

the group to be tested is small and the test is not to be reused.
you wish to encourage and reward the development of student skill in writing.
you are more interested in exploring the student's attitudes than in measuring his/her achievement.
you are more confident of your ability as a critical and fair reader than as an imaginative writer of good objective test items.

Objective tests are especially appropriate when:

the group to be tested is large and the test may be reused.
highly reliable test scores must be obtained as efficiently as possible.
impartiality of evaluation, absolute fairness, and freedom from possible test scoring influences (e.g., fatigue, lack of anonymity) are essential.
you are more confident of your ability to express objective test items clearly than of your ability to judge essay test answers correctly.
there is more pressure for speedy reporting of scores than for speedy test preparation.

Either essay or objective tests can be used to:

measure almost any important educational achievement a written test can measure.
test understanding and ability to apply principles.
test ability to think critically.
test ability to solve problems.
test ability to select relevant facts and principles and to integrate them toward the solution of complex problems.

In addition to the preceding suggestions, it is important to realize that certain item types are better suited than others for measuring particular learning objectives. For example, learning objectives requiring the student to demonstrate or to show , may be better measured by performance test items, whereas objectives requiring the student to explain or to describe may be better measured by essay test items. The matching of learning objective expectations with certain item types can help you select an appropriate kind of test item for your classroom exam as well as provide a higher degree of test validity (i.e., testing what is supposed to be tested). To further illustrate, several sample learning objectives and appropriate test items are provided on the following page.

After you have decided to use either an objective, essay or both objective and essay exam, the next step is to select the kind(s) of objective or essay item that you wish to include on the exam. To help you make such a choice, the different kinds of objective and essay items are presented in the following section. The various kinds of items are briefly described and compared to one another in terms of their advantages and limitations for use. Also presented is a set of general suggestions for the construction of each item variation.

II. Suggestions for Using and Writing Test Items

The multiple-choice item consists of two parts: (a) the stem, which identifies the question or problem and (b) the response alternatives. Students are asked to select the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. For example:

Sample Multiple-Choice Item

*correct response

Advantages in Using Multiple-Choice Items

Multiple-choice items can provide...

versatility in measuring all levels of cognitive ability.
highly reliable test scores.
scoring efficiency and accuracy.
objective measurement of student achievement or ability.
a wide sampling of content or objectives.
a reduced guessing factor when compared to true-false items.
different response alternatives which can provide diagnostic feedback.

Limitations in Using Multiple-Choice Items

Multiple-choice items...

are difficult and time consuming to construct.
lead an instructor to favor simple recall of facts.
place a high degree of dependence on the student's reading ability and instructor's writing ability.

Suggestions For Writing Multiple-Choice Test Items

Item alternatives.

13. Use at least four alternatives for each item to lower the probability of getting the item correct by guessing.

14. Randomly distribute the correct response among the alternative positions throughout the test having approximately the same proportion of alternatives a, b, c, d and e as the correct response.

15. Use the alternatives "none of the above" and "all of the above" sparingly. When used, such alternatives should occasionally be used as the correct response.

A true-false item can be written in one of three forms: simple, complex, or compound. Answers can consist of only two choices (simple), more than two choices (complex), or two choices plus a conditional completion response (compound). An example of each type of true-false item follows:

Sample True-False Item: Simple

Sample true-false item: complex, sample true-false item: compound, advantages in using true-false items.

True-False items can provide...

the widest sampling of content or objectives per unit of testing time.
an objective measurement of student achievement or ability.

Limitations In Using True-False Items

True-false items...

incorporate an extremely high guessing factor. For simple true-false items, each student has a 50/50 chance of correctly answering the item without any knowledge of the item's content.
can often lead an instructor to write ambiguous statements due to the difficulty of writing statements which are unequivocally true or false.
do not discriminate between students of varying ability as well as other item types.
can often include more irrelevant clues than do other item types.
can often lead an instructor to favor testing of trivial knowledge.

Suggestions For Writing True-False Test Items

In general, matching items consist of a column of stimuli presented on the left side of the exam page and a column of responses placed on the right side of the page. Students are required to match the response associated with a given stimulus. For example:

Sample Matching Test Item

Advantages in using matching items.

Matching items...

require short periods of reading and response time, allowing you to cover more content.
provide objective measurement of student achievement or ability.
provide highly reliable test scores.
provide scoring efficiency and accuracy.

Limitations in Using Matching Items

have difficulty measuring learning objectives requiring more than simple recall of information.
are difficult to construct due to the problem of selecting a common set of stimuli and responses.

Suggestions for Writing Matching Test Items

5. Keep matching items brief, limiting the list of stimuli to under 10.

6. Include more responses than stimuli to help prevent answering through the process of elimination.

7. When possible, reduce the amount of reading time by including only short phrases or single words in the response list.

The completion item requires the student to answer a question or to finish an incomplete statement by filling in a blank with the correct word or phrase. For example,

Sample Completion Item

According to Freud, personality is made up of three major systems, the _________, the ________ and the ________.

Advantages in Using Completion Items

Completion items...

can provide a wide sampling of content.
can efficiently measure lower levels of cognitive ability.
can minimize guessing as compared to multiple-choice or true-false items.
can usually provide an objective measure of student achievement or ability.

Limitations of Using Completion Items

are difficult to construct so that the desired response is clearly indicated.
are more time consuming to score when compared to multiple-choice or true-false items.
are more difficult to score since more than one answer may have to be considered correct if the item was not properly prepared.

Suggestions for Writing Completion Test Items

7. Avoid lifting statements directly from the text, lecture or other sources.

8. Limit the required response to a single word or phrase.

The essay test is probably the most popular of all types of teacher-made tests. In general, a classroom essay test consists of a small number of questions to which the student is expected to demonstrate his/her ability to (a) recall factual knowledge, (b) organize this knowledge and (c) present the knowledge in a logical, integrated answer to the question. An essay test item can be classified as either an extended-response essay item or a short-answer essay item. The latter calls for a more restricted or limited answer in terms of form or scope. An example of each type of essay item follows.

Sample Extended-Response Essay Item

Explain the difference between the S-R (Stimulus-Response) and the S-O-R (Stimulus-Organism-Response) theories of personality. Include in your answer (a) brief descriptions of both theories, (b) supporters of both theories and (c) research methods used to study each of the two theories. (10 pts. 20 minutes)

Sample Short-Answer Essay Item

Identify research methods used to study the S-R (Stimulus-Response) and S-O-R (Stimulus-Organism-Response) theories of personality. (5 pts. 10 minutes)

Advantages In Using Essay Items

Essay items...

are easier and less time consuming to construct than are most other item types.
provide a means for testing student's ability to compose an answer and present it in a logical manner.
can efficiently measure higher order cognitive objectives (e.g., analysis, synthesis, evaluation).

Limitations In Using Essay Items

cannot measure a large amount of content or objectives.
generally provide low test and test scorer reliability.
require an extensive amount of instructor's time to read and grade.
generally do not provide an objective measure of student achievement or ability (subject to bias on the part of the grader).

Suggestions for Writing Essay Test Items

4. Ask questions that will elicit responses on which experts could agree that one answer is better than another.

5. Avoid giving the student a choice among optional items as this greatly reduces the reliability of the test.

6. It is generally recommended for classroom examinations to administer several short-answer items rather than only one or two extended-response items.

Suggestions for Scoring Essay Items

Examples essay item and grading models.

"Americans are a mixed-up people with no sense of ethical values. Everyone knows that baseball is far less necessary than food and steel, yet they pay ball players a lot more than farmers and steelworkers."

WHY? Use 3-4 sentences to indicate how an economist would explain the above situation.

Analytical Scoring

Global quality.

Assign scores or grades on the overall quality of the written response as compared to an ideal answer. Or, compare the overall quality of a response to other student responses by sorting the papers into three stacks:

Read and sort each stack again divide into three more stacks

In total, nine discriminations can be used to assign test grades in this manner. The number of stacks or discriminations can vary to meet your needs.

Try not to allow factors which are irrelevant to the learning outcomes being measured affect your grading (i.e., handwriting, spelling, neatness).
Read and grade all class answers to one item before going on to the next item.
Read and grade the answers without looking at the students' names to avoid possible preferential treatment.
Occasionally shuffle papers during the reading of answers to help avoid any systematic order effects (i.e., Sally's "B" work always followed Jim's "A" work thus it looked more like "C" work).
When possible, ask another instructor to read and grade your students' responses.

Another form of a subjective test item is the problem solving or computational exam question. Such items present the student with a problem situation or task and require a demonstration of work procedures and a correct solution, or just a correct solution. This kind of test item is classified as a subjective type of item due to the procedures used to score item responses. Instructors can assign full or partial credit to either correct or incorrect solutions depending on the quality and kind of work procedures presented. An example of a problem solving test item follows.

Example Problem Solving Test Item

It was calculated that 75 men could complete a strip on a new highway in 70 days. When work was scheduled to commence, it was found necessary to send 25 men on another road project. How many days longer will it take to complete the strip? Show your work for full or partial credit.

Advantages In Using Problem Solving Items

Problem solving items...

minimize guessing by requiring the students to provide an original response rather than to select from several alternatives.
are easier to construct than are multiple-choice or matching items.
can most appropriately measure learning objectives which focus on the ability to apply skills or knowledge in the solution of problems.
can measure an extensive amount of content or objectives.

Limitations in Using Problem Solving Items

require an extensive amount of instructor time to read and grade.
generally do not provide an objective measure of student achievement or ability (subject to bias on the part of the grader when partial credit is given).

Suggestions For Writing Problem Solving Test Items

6. Ask questions that elicit responses on which experts could agree that one solution and one or more work procedures are better than others.

7. Work through each problem before classroom administration to double-check accuracy.

A performance test item is designed to assess the ability of a student to perform correctly in a simulated situation (i.e., a situation in which the student will be ultimately expected to apply his/her learning). The concept of simulation is central in performance testing; a performance test will simulate to some degree a real life situation to accomplish the assessment. In theory, a performance test could be constructed for any skill and real life situation. In practice, most performance tests have been developed for the assessment of vocational, managerial, administrative, leadership, communication, interpersonal and physical education skills in various simulated situations. An illustrative example of a performance test item is provided below.

Sample Performance Test Item

Assume that some of the instructional objectives of an urban planning course include the development of the student's ability to effectively use the principles covered in the course in various "real life" situations common for an urban planning professional. A performance test item could measure this development by presenting the student with a specific situation which represents a "real life" situation. For example,

An urban planning board makes a last minute request for the professional to act as consultant and critique a written proposal which is to be considered in a board meeting that very evening. The professional arrives before the meeting and has one hour to analyze the written proposal and prepare his critique. The critique presentation is then made verbally during the board meeting; reactions of members of the board or the audience include requests for explanation of specific points or informed attacks on the positions taken by the professional.

The performance test designed to simulate this situation would require that the student to be tested role play the professional's part, while students or faculty act the other roles in the situation. Various aspects of the "professional's" performance would then be observed and rated by several judges with the necessary background. The ratings could then be used both to provide the student with a diagnosis of his/her strengths and weaknesses and to contribute to an overall summary evaluation of the student's abilities.

Advantages In Using Performance Test Items

Performance test items...

can most appropriately measure learning objectives which focus on the ability of the students to apply skills or knowledge in real life situations.
usually provide a degree of test validity not possible with standard paper and pencil test items.
are useful for measuring learning objectives in the psychomotor domain.

Limitations In Using Performance Test Items

are difficult and time consuming to construct.
are primarily used for testing students individually and not for testing groups. Consequently, they are relatively costly, time consuming, and inconvenient forms of testing.
generally do not provide an objective measure of student achievement or ability (subject to bias on the part of the observer/grader).

Suggestions For Writing Performance Test Items

Prepare items that elicit the type of behavior you want to measure.
Clearly identify and explain the simulated situation to the student.
Make the simulated situation as "life-like" as possible.
Provide directions which clearly inform the students of the type of response called for.
When appropriate, clearly state time and activity limitations in the directions.
Adequately train the observer(s)/scorer(s) to ensure that they are fair in scoring the appropriate behaviors.

III. TWO METHODS FOR ASSESSING TEST ITEM QUALITY

This section presents two methods for collecting feedback on the quality of your test items. The two methods include using self-review checklists and student evaluation of test item quality. You can use the information gathered from either method to identify strengths and weaknesses in your item writing.

Checklist for Evaluating Test Items

EVALUATE YOUR TEST ITEMS BY CHECKING THE SUGGESTIONS WHICH YOU FEEL YOU HAVE FOLLOWED.

Grading Essay Test Items

Student evaluation of test item quality , using ices questionnaire items to assess your test item quality .

The following set of ICES (Instructor and Course Evaluation System) questionnaire items can be used to assess the quality of your test items. The items are presented with their original ICES catalogue number. You are encouraged to include one or more of the items on the ICES evaluation form in order to collect student opinion of your item writing quality.

IV. ASSISTANCE OFFERED BY THE CENTER FOR INNOVATION IN TEACHING AND LEARNING (CITL)

The information on this page is intended for self-instruction. However, CITL staff members will consult with faculty who wish to analyze and improve their test item writing. The staff can also consult with faculty about other instructional problems. Instructors wishing to acquire CITL assistance can contact [email protected] .

V. REFERENCES FOR FURTHER READING

Ebel, R. L. (1965). Measuring educational achievement . Prentice-Hall. Ebel, R. L. (1972). Essentials of educational measurement . Prentice-Hall. Gronlund, N. E. (1976). Measurement and evaluation in teaching (3rd ed.). Macmillan. Mehrens W. A. & Lehmann I. J. (1973). Measurement and evaluation in education and psychology . Holt, Rinehart & Winston. Nelson, C. H. (1970). Measurement and evaluation in the classroom . Macmillan. Payne, D. A. (1974). The assessment of learning: Cognitive and affective . D.C. Heath & Co. Scannell, D. P., & Tracy D. B. (1975). Testing and measurement in the classroom . Houghton Mifflin. Thorndike, R. L. (1971). Educational measurement (2nd ed.). American Council on Education.

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The Difference Between Subjective and Objective Assessments

To design effective exams, educators need a strong understanding of the difference between objective and subjective assessments. Each of these styles has specific attributes that make them better suited for certain subjects and learning outcomes. Knowing when to use objective instead of subjective assessments, as well as identifying resources that can help increase the overall fairness of exams, is essential to educators’ efforts to accurately gauge the academic progress of their students.

Subjective Assessment

According to EnglishPost.org , “Subjective tests aim to assess areas of students’ performance that are complex and qualitative, using questioning which may have more than one correct answer or more ways to express it.” Subjective assessments are popular because they typically take less time for teachers to develop, and they offer students the ability to be creative or critical in constructing their answers. Some examples of subjective assessment questions include asking students to:

Respond with short answers.
Craft their answers in the form of an essay.
Define a term, concept, or significant event.
Respond with a critically thought-out or factually supported opinion.
Respond to a theoretical scenario.

Subjective assessments are excellent for subjects like writing, reading, art/art history, philosophy, political science, or literature. More specifically, any subject that encourages debate, critical thinking, interpretation of art forms or policies, or applying specific knowledge to real-world scenarios is well-suited for subjective assessment.

Objective Assessment

Objective assessment, on the other hand, is far more exact and subsequently less open to the students’ interpretation of concepts or theories. Edulytic defines objective assessment as “a way of examining in which questions asked has a single correct answer.” Mathematics, geography, science, engineering, and computer science are all subjects that rely heavily on objective exams. Some of the most common item types for this style of assessment include:

Multiple-choice
True / false
Fill in the Blank
Assertion and reason

Which Kinds of Programs Use Which Exam Types?

Objective assessments are popular options for programs with curricula structured around absolutes or definite right and wrong answers; the sciences are a good example. If there are specific industry standards or best practices that professionals must follow at all times, objective assessments are an effective way to gauge students’ mastery of the requisite techniques or knowledge. Such programs might include:

Engineering

Subjective assessments, on the other hand, lend themselves to programs where students are asked to apply what they’ve learned according to specific scenarios. Any field of study that emphasizes creativity, critical thinking, or problem-solving may place a high value on the qualitative aspects of subjective assessments. These could include:

Arbitration

How Can Educators Make Their Assessments More Objective?

Creating objective assessments is key to accurately measuring students’ mastery of subject matter. Educators should consider creating a blueprint for their exams to maximize the objectivity of their questions. It can be easier to write objective items when using an exam blueprint. Building an exam blueprint allows teachers to track how each question applies to course learning objectives and specific content sections, as well as the corresponding level of cognition being assessed.

Once educators have carefully planned out their exams, they can begin writing questions. Carnegie Mellon University’s guide to creating exams offers the following suggestions to ensure test writers are composing objective questions.

Write questions with only one correct answer.
Compose questions carefully to avoid grammatical clues that could inadvertently signify the correct answer.
Make sure that the wrong answer choices are actually plausible.
Avoid “all of the above” or “none of the above” answers as much as possible.
Do not write overly complex questions. (Avoid double negatives, idioms, etc.)
Write questions that assess only a single idea or concept.

ExamSoft Can Help Improve the Objectivity of Your Exams

One important, and frequently overlooked, aspect of creating objective assessments is the manner in which those assessments are scored. How can teachers ensure that essay or short-answer questions are all evaluated in the same manner, especially when they are responsible for scoring a substantial number of exams? According to an ExamSoft blog titled “ How to Objectively Evaluate Student Assignments ,” “a rubric that lists the specific requirements needed to master the assignment helps educators provide clear and concise expectations to students, stay focused on whether those requirements have been met, and then communicate how well they were met.” Using rubric and assessment programs offers the following benefits for educators:

Electronically link rubrics to learning objectives and outcomes or accreditation standards.
Generate comprehensive reports on student or class performance.
Share assessment data with students to improve self-assessment.
Gain a more complete understanding of student performance, no matter the evaluation method.

Ultimately, employing rubric and assessment software gives both instructors and students a clearer picture of exam performance as it pertains to specific assignments or learning outcomes. This knowledge is instrumental to educators’ attempt to improve teaching methods, exam creation, grading — and students’ ability to refine their study habits.

Creating objective assessments will always be an important aspect of an educator’s job. Using all the tools at their disposal is the most effective way to ensure that all assessments objectively measure what students have learned, even when the content is subjective.

Learn more about ExamSoft’s rubric solution .

EnglishPost.org: What Are Subjective and Objective Tests?

Edulytic: Importance of Objective Assessment

Carnegie Mellon University: Creating Exams

ExamSoft: How to Objectively Evaluate Student Assignments

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Multiple Choice and Other Objective Tests

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TIP Sheet MULTIPLE CHOICE AND OTHER OBJECTIVE TESTS

General Statements about Objective Tests

Objective tests require recognition and recall of subject matter.
The forms vary: questions of fact, sentence completion, true-false, analogy, multiple-choice, and matching.
They tend to cover more material than essay tests.
They have one, and only one, correct answer to each question.
They may require strict preparation like memorization.

Before Answering

Listen carefully to oral directions.
Notice if there is a penalty for guessing.
Glance quickly through the entire test.
Observe point values of different sections.
Budget your time.
Read the instructions and follow them.
Write your name on each page of the test.

While Answering

Read all directions carefully.
Read each question carefully.
If allowed to, underline key words.
Answer the easy questions first.
Skip questions that stump you. Mark them to come back later.
If you have time at the end, go back to the questions you marked.
Do not go back over every question. Reread only the ones that you were unsure of.
Do not second-guess yourself. Change an answer only if you are absolutely sure your first answer was wrong. The odds are in your favor that your first answer was right.
Make sure you have answered all the questions.
If you have no idea of the answer, guess!

STRATEGIES FOR TAKING OBJECTIVE EXAMS

Prepare thoroughly for all of your exams. There is no real substitute for studying. Start studying for your final exam the first day of class.

Use a variety of study strategies. Know your preferred learning style and take advantage of it!

Pay no attention to students who finish early. Do not automatically presume that students who finish early did well on the test (they often leave early because they didn't study enough!)

Plan on being the last one to leave. That way you can relax and make the most of your time.

Ignore what other students are saying before and after the exam.

Consider all alternatives in a multiple choice question before making your decision.

Always guess if there is no penalty for guessing.

Do not guess if there is a penalty for guessing and you have no basis on which to make a good choice.

Eliminate options which are known to be incorrect and choose from the remaining options.

Look for information in test items that will help you answer other questions.

Pay close attention to key words on True-False Tests.

a. Closed words (such as never , only , always , all , none , and most ) are often (but not always) indicators of a false statement because they restrict possibilities.

b. Open words (such as usually , frequently , mostly , may , and generally ) are often (but not always) found in true statements.

STEPS TO REMEMBER

To help you score as high as possible on all exams we have devised a plan of attack called SCORER. Each letter in the word stands for an important rule in test-taking. SCORER is based on the experience of many teachers and students and on research findings -- it might work for you!

S - Schedule your time.

C - Clue words help.

O - Omit the difficult questions.

R - Read carefully.

E - Estimate your answers.

R - Review your work.

S - The first letter in SCORER reminds you to SCHEDULE your time.

Consider the exam as a whole. How long is it? How many sections? How many questions? Are there especially easy or very difficult sections or questions? Estimate roughly the time needed for each section. Schedule your time.

For example, in a 50-minute test containing 20 questions you can spend about 50 divided by 20 or 21 minutes on each question. If you start at 9 AM you should be one-third finished by 9:17 halfway by 9:25 working on question 16 by 9:40. If you lag much behind these times you will run out of time before you finish the test.

C - The second letter in SCORER reminds you to watch for CLUE WORDS.

Almost every question has built-in clues to what is wanted. In a true-false test the Instructor must make up questions that are absolutely true or absolutely false. If he asks: "An unhappy childhood produces a neurotic adult. (True or False?)," he has a question he cannot grade. The more you know about psychology the more difficult this question is to answer. It is sometimes true, sometimes not: true for some people, false for others.

"An unhappy childhood always produces a neurotic adult." Vs. "An unhappy childhood never produces a neurotic adult." Vs. "An unhappy childhood sometimes produces a neurotic adult."

The first two are clearly false and the last is clearly true. The words always, never, and sometimes are called clue words.

"All men are taller than all women." "Some men are taller than women." "Men are never taller than women." "Men are usually taller than women." "Men are sometimes taller than women."

Answers: False, True, False, True, True

The clue words are all, some, never, usually, sometimes. These words are a key to answering objective test questions.

Some clue words such as all, every, none, exactly, always, and never indicate that the statement is absolutely true. Exceptions are not allowed. If they appear in a statement it must be true in every case to be true at all. For example:

"All squares have four equal sides." (That's a definition.)

"Every insect has six legs." (if it has more or less than six it is not an insect.)

"Politicians are invariably dishonest." (That means there has never been an honest politician. We're not certain, but we think this is false.)

Other clue words such as many, most, some, usually, few, or often are qualifiers. They indicate a limited range of truth.

"Some apples are green." (Sure, some apples are also yellow, pink, and even red.)

All clue words are red lights for test takers. When you see one, STOP and learn what it is telling you.

O - The third letter in SCORER reminds you to OMIT the DIFFICULT QUESTIONS.

A test is not the sort of semi-fatal illness you fall into; it is a battle to be planned, fought, and won. You size up the enemy, look at the terrain, check out his artillery, develop your strategy, and attack at the place you have the best chance of success. The 0 rule in SCORER says that to score high on tests you should find the easiest questions and answer them first. Omit or postpone the more difficult ones later.

The procedure for an objective exam is the following:

Move rapidly through the test.
When you find an easy question or one you are certain of, answer it.
Omit the difficult ones on this first pass.
When you skip a question, make a mark in the margin. (Do not use a red pencil or pen. Your marks could get confused with the grader's marks).
Keep moving. Never erase. Don't dawdle. Jot brief notes in the margin for later use if you need to.
When you have finished the easy ones return to those with marks, and try again.
Mark again those answers you are still not sure of.
In your review (that's the last R on SCORER) you will go over all the questions if time permits.

R - The fourth letter of SCORER reminds you to READ CAREFULLY.

As we have already explained, it is very important that you read the directions carefully before you begin. It is also very important that you read each question completely and with care.
Read all of the questions. Many students, because they are careless or rushed for time, read only part of the question and answer it on the basis of that part. For example, consider the statement "Supreme Court decisions are very effective in influencing attitudes." If you disagree with some Supreme Court decisions you may mark it false after reading the first six words. The political scientist knows it is true. He is not asking you whether the Court is doing a good job, only what the effects of its decisions are.
Read the question as it is. Be careful to interpret the question as the instructor intended. Don't let your bias or expectation lure you into a false reading. For example, the statement "Once an American, always an American." may be marked true by a super-patriot who believes it should be true. Legally, it is not true.
Read it logically. If the statement has several parts, all parts must be true if the statement is to be true. The statement, "George Washington was elected president because he was a famous film star." is false. (Not in 1776. Today it might be possible.) The statement, "Chlorine gas is a greenish, poisonous, foul-smelling, very rare gas used in water purification," is false. (It is not rare.)

E - The E in SCORER reminds you to ESTIMATE.

Your instructor may never admit it, but you can go a long way on an objective exam by guessing.

On most true-false or multiple-choice tests, your final score is simply the number you answer correctly. Wrong answers are ignored. There is not a penalty for guessing. On some tests you may have points subtracted from your score for wrong answers. Be certain you know how the test will be scored. If the test directions do not make it perfectly clear, ask your instructor.

If there is no penalty for guessing, be certain you answer every question even if you must guess.
If you have plenty of time, proceed as we have already outlined: omit or postpone the difficult questions, answer the easy ones first, return to the difficult ones later. Guess on any you do not know. (But be careful. Your instructor may be upset if you start flipping a dime and shouting "Heads" and "Tails" during the exam.)
If the test is a long one and you are pressed for time, answer the easy ones, guess at the difficult ones.
If guessing is penalized, then do not guess on true-false questions and make an educated guess on multiple-choice questions only if you can narrow the possibilities down to two. Guess at completion or fill-in questions if you have any idea of what the answer is. Part of a correct answer may earn some credit.
"Guesstimating" is an important part of test-taking.

R - The last letter in SCORER is a reminder to REVIEW your work.

Use every minute that is available to you. Anyone who leaves the exam room early is either very foolish or super-confident. Review everything you have done.
Return to the double-checked, difficult questions. Reread them. Look for clue words. Look for new hints. Then go to the checked questions and finally to the unmarked ones if there is still time.
Don't be too eager to change answers. Change only if you have a good reason for changing.
Be certain you have considered all questions.

It is most important to build up your knowledge and understanding of the subject through systematic study, reading, and class work. SCORER is designed to help you do you best with what you know.

__________________________________________

What is an essay test?

An essay test is a type of exam that requires students to provide detailed answers in essay format.

This type of test is designed to assess students’ ability to provide specific information and to gauge their understanding of a subject.

The majority of students prefer the multiple-choice test over the essay exam, as it is generally easier to prepare for and complete.

However, the essay test can be a more effective assessment tool, as it allows instructors to get a more detailed picture of student understanding.

For example, an essay question on a history test might ask students to describe the significance of a specific event.

This would allow the instructor to evaluate not only the student’s knowledge of the event itself, but also their ability to draw connections and explain its importance.

In short, the essay test is a valuable assessment tool that can help instructors gauge student understanding of complex topics.

Is essay test is easy to score?

While essay tests may take longer to score than multiple choice exams, there are a number of advantages to essay test-taking.

For one, essay questions tend to be more reflective of real-world scenarios and problem-solving than multiple choice questions.

As a result, they tend to be a better gauge of critical thinking skills.

Additionally, essay questions give students the opportunity to showcase their writing ability, which is important in many college and career fields.

Finally, because essay questions are usually worth more points than multiple choice questions, they can have a significant impact on a student’s final grade.

For all these reasons, students should not be discouraged by the prospect of taking an essay test.

With some preparation and practice, they can learn to thrive in this testing format.

What is difference between objective and subjective?

It is important to understand the difference between objective and subjective information when considering the reliability of sources.

Objective information is based on facts and can be verified through research.

This type of information is often found in academic journals or other reliable sources.

Subjective information, on the other hand, is influenced by personal preferences, experiences or beliefs.

This type of information is often found in opinion pieces or blog posts. It is important to consider the source of information when evaluating its reliability.

Objective information from a reliable source is more likely to be accurate than subjective information from a less reliable source.

Why is subjectivity different from objectivity?

Subjectivity is a type of personal bias, where an individual’s opinions or feelings influence their perceptions of a situation.

In contrast, objectivity is the belief that facts and data are not influenced by personal feelings or emotions.

In order to make objective decisions, it is important to remove personal biases from the equation.

This can be difficult to do, as humans are naturally inclined to be subjective. However, it is possible to train oneself to be more objective by considering all the evidence and factors involved in a situation before making a decision.

Additionally, it can be helpful to seek out input from others who may have different perspectives.

By being aware of our own subjectivity and making an effort to be objective, we can help ensure that our decisions are based on sound logic and evidence rather than on personal biases.

What is the best way to score an essay type of test?

When it comes to essay tests, there are two main scoring systems that teachers can use: holistic and analytical.

Holistic scoring is a more general assessment of the entire essay, while analytical scoring focuses on specific elements of the writing.

Both methods have their own advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to decide which one will work best for your class before you create your rubric.

When creating the rubric, be sure to specify the criteria that you’ll be evaluating and how many points each criterion is worth.

It’s also important to choose descriptive names for each category, such as Organization or Development of Ideas, to avoid confusion when you’re grading.

When scoring the essays, it’s important to score one item at a time and to avoid interruptions so that you can give each student’s work the attention it deserves.

By taking these steps, you can ensure that your students receive fair and accurate grades on their essay tests.

Why is subjectivity is different from objectivity?

Subjectivity is different from objectivity in a few key ways. First, subjective refers to something that does not provide the complete image or is simply the person’s perspective.

In contrast, an objective statement is based on observations and facts.

Second, opinion based statements are based on beliefs, assumptions or opinions, and are therefore influenced by emotions and personal sentiments.

Finally, objective statements are often more reliable than subjective ones since they are not biased by personal feelings or experiences.

As a result, it is important to be aware of the differences between subjective and objective statements in order to make sure that you are getting accurate information.

What’s the difference between objective and subjective?

In everyday life, people often use the terms “objective” and “subjective” interchangeably. However, there is a important distinction between these two terms.

Objective refers to something that is not influenced by personal opinions or biases. In other words, it is based on facts and objective evidence.

Subjective, on the other hand, refers to something that is based on personal opinion or preferences.

In other words, it is not based on facts or evidence. This doesn’t mean that subjective things are necessarily inaccurate or untrue.

However, it is important to be aware of the difference between these two terms in order to properly evaluate information.

What are the difference between objective and subjective test?

Objective questions are those that can be answered independently of the opinions or views of the person taking the test. They tend to focus on specific factual information and require concrete answers.

Subjective questions, on the other hand, are those that require the test taker to draw on their own opinions and views.

These questions often ask for personal interpretations or judgments, and there is usually not one right or wrong answer.

In general, objective questions are easier to create and grade, but subjective questions can be more revealing of a person’s true knowledge and understanding.

What is the difference between objectivity and subjectivity in research?

In research, the objectivity and subjectivity of data, information, and results are important considerations. Objective data is based on fact and can be measured.

It is not influenced by personal beliefs or feelings. In contrast, subjective data is based on opinion and feelings.

It is influenced by personal beliefs and assumptions. When conducting research, it is important to consider both objective and subjective data in order to get a complete picture.

Objective data provides an unbiased view of a situation, while subjective data can provide insights into how people feel about a particular topic.

Both types of data are important in research and should be considered when making conclusions.

There are two basic types of tests: objective and essay. Objective tests require a word or short phrase answer, or the selection of an answer from several available choices that are provided on the test.

Essay tests require answers to be written out at some length. The student functions as the source of information. Which type of test is better for you depends on your strengths and weaknesses.

If you prefer not to have to think too hard about the answers, then go for an objective test. If you like to have more time to ponder over questions and write out longer responses, choose an essay test.

Whichever type of test you decide on, make sure you practice so that you can do your best on exam day!

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Objective vs. Subjective Test: Choosing the Right Assessment Method for Your Needs

objective test and essay test differences

Tests are a key tool in education for assessing students’ learning progress and knowledge acquisition. Teachers can employ several types of tests to measure students’ understanding of a topic or subject, ranging from multiple-choice exams to essay questions. One of the most important concerns in education is whether objective or subjective tests are more appropriate for this goal. Objective tests often feature questions with a single correct answer, while subjective assessments encourage students to demonstrate their understanding in their own words. So, Objective vs. Subjective Test, which is the right choice?

In this post, we will look at the strength and limitations of these objective and subjective types of examinations and their impact on teaching and learning.

Let’s look at what they are first:

Objective tests are the most basic assessment methods that feature questions with a single correct response to evaluate foundation and knowledge of the learners.

Objective tests aim to evaluate areas of student achievement that are complex and qualitative, using questions that may have one or more correct answers and may have more than one way of expressing it.

These assessments (either objective or subjective) are often categorized as summative (this form of assessment aims to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark) or formative (It monitors student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning.)

Which is better, Objective or Subjective tests?

Objective Tests

An objective test is a method of evaluation in which questions asked have a single correct answer. Objective questions typically include true/false, multiple choice, and matching questions. Objective assessment is crucial as it can effectively measure each level of a student’s ability, from basic recall to complex synthesis.

It is far more precise, leaving less room for the pupils to interpret hypotheses or concepts. Objective assessment is a method of examination where each question has a single right answer. Subjects that rely largely on objective tests include geography, mathematics, physics, engineering, and computer science.

Types of Objective Tests

Multiple-Choice
Fill in the Blank
Assertion and Reason

Features of Objectives Tests

Objective testing lends itself to specific tasks since these questions are designed to be answered fast; they also allow teachers to test students on various topics. Furthermore, statistical student, cohort, and question performance analysis are possible.

The ability of objective tests to assess a wide variety of learning is often underestimated. Objective tests examine fact-finding, knowledge, application of terms, and questions requiring short or numerical answers.

One common concern is that objective tests cannot measure learning beyond basic understanding.

However, questions built with imagination can challenge students and test higher levels of learning. For example, students can receive case studies or data collection and be invited to provide analysis by responding to questions.

Problem-solving can also be evaluated with the proper type of questions.

Another concern is that objective tests translate into inflated scores because of conjecture. However, the effects of guessing may be eliminated by a combination of question design and rating techniques. It becomes irrelevant mainly with the right amount of questions and distractions. If not, there is an opportunity to encourage and measure the value of this skill.

There are, however, limitations in what objective tests can assess. They cannot test the ability to communicate, the ability to build arguments, or the ability to give initial responses. Tests must be carefully constructed to avoid the decontextualization of knowledge (Paxton 1998). It is always wise to use objective testing as only one of a variety of assessment methods within a module. However, in times of increasing student numbers and declining resources, objective tests can complement the assessments available to teachers or lecturers.

Strengths of Objective Tests

Reliability: Objective tests are more trustworthy than subjective tests since they do not allow for human bias or interpretation.

Efficiency: Machines can swiftly and efficiently evaluate objective assessments, saving instructors time and effort.

Objectivity: Objective tests provide an accurate and objective assessment of a student’s performance and knowledge.

Validity: When well-designed, objective examinations can accurately evaluate specific knowledge or skills. Objective examinations can be standardized, which means that all students are given the same questions with the same answer alternatives, ensuring fairness and equity in the evaluation process.

Flexibility: Objective assessments can evaluate various information and skills, from basic recall to higher-order thinking abilities.

Limitations of Objective Tests

The higher-order thinking skills evaluation is limited: Objective exams could be more effective in measuring higher-order thinking skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. These abilities necessitate complicated responses that subjective inquiries cannot convey.

Content coverage is limited: Objective tests are only helpful in assessing knowledge that can be quantified and examined objectively. This limits their ability to examine more comprehensive concepts that require interpretation and analysis.

Student attitudes and values are not assessed objectively: Objective tests do not examine attitudes and values, which are vital components of a student’s overall development. They can only assess what pupils know, not how they feel about what they know.

Potential for guessing: Objective examinations are prone to guessing because students can occasionally predict the correct answer by eliminating possibilities or making an educated guess. This can have an impact on the validity of the test results.

Limited Feedback: Objective assessments provide students with limited feedback because they objective assessment reprocess do not let students provide information about the reasons behind the correct answer or how to improve. As a result, pupils may not fully comprehend the material and may be unable to enhance their performance.

Subjective Tests

EnglishPost.org defines “Subjective tests aim to assess areas of students’ performance that are complex and qualitative, using questions which may have more than one correct answer or more ways to express it.” Subjective assessments are popular because they typically take less time for teachers to develop and allow students to be creative or critical in constructing their answers.

Simply put, a subjective test is one in which the answer is not customarily predefined. A subjective test is assessed via an opinion. Also, students must assess their intended audience when preparing to write subjectively.

Types of Subjective Tests

Short Answer Type
Long Answer Type
Conversation or Problem-Solving

Features of Subjective Tests

This assessment is excellent for writing, reading, art/art history, philosophy, political science, or literature. Specifically, subjects encouraging critical thinking, debate, and applying thorough knowledge to real-world scenarios are most suited for interpreting art forms.

Strengths of Subjective Tests

Flexibility: In terms of the types of responses allowed, subjective tests tend to be more versatile than objective tests. They can measure various abilities and characteristics, such as creativity, problem-solving, communication skills, and critical thinking.

Insight: Subjective tests can provide useful information about how people approach and solve challenges. Subjective exams can provide a more complete and nuanced view of an individual’s talents by studying the mental processes and rationale behind their responses.

Real-world relevance: Many subjective exams are meant to imitate real-world events, making them more relevant to the skills and talents required in specific jobs or situations.

Personalization: Subjective exams can be customized to the individual, making it easier to identify areas of strength and weakness. This personalization can also motivate students to participate in the testing procedure.

Subjective assessments frequently allow for open-ended responses, which can provide a more thorough view of an individual’s abilities and mental processes. This is especially beneficial for measuring sophisticated or subtle skills.

Limitations of Subjective Tests

Potential for bias: Because subjective tests rely on a person’s judgement or a group of individuals, bias approach can impact the outcomes. This bias can be caused by personal opinions, preferences, or other variables unrelated to the skills or talents being examined.

Limited objectivity: Unlike objective examinations, which rely on specific, measurable criteria, subjective assessments are frequently more susceptible to interpretation. This can make it difficult to compare results across individuals or groups or to assess the testing method’s dependability.

Time-consuming: Subjective assessments can take longer to conduct and evaluate than objective tests, especially if they entail open-ended responses or require individualized assessment.

Lack of standardization: Because subjective tests rely on one’s judgement, there is frequently a need for more standardization in terms of testing techniques and criteria utilized. This can make it challenging to assure consistency and reliability across multiple testing scenarios.

Difficulty in generalizing results: Subjective assessments frequently focus on specific, context-dependent skills or talents, making it difficult to generalize results to different contexts or circumstances.

Effects of objective tests and subjective on the teaching and learning process:

As explained in Englishpost.org , the washback or backwash effect refers to the effect testing has on teaching and learning processes, which can be good or negative. However, the testing system’s legality can impact the course material and how it is communicated to administrators, teachers, students, and parents, either favourably or unfavourably.

The washback effect becomes negative when a mismatch between abilities or content is taught and tested. A multiple-choice examination, for example, hinders attempts to teach valuable skills such as speaking and writing in the classroom. On the flip side, the washback effect has a beneficial influence on students’ and teachers’ attitudes towards practising productive skills in the classroom if the accomplishment test contains both spoken and written portions.

Subjective tests are far more complicated and costly to plan, administer, and analyze properly, but they can be more valid. Writing aptitude exams are often subjective because they ask a reviewer to rate the level of writing, which involves subjective assessment. For example, when students are required to generate a comprehensive paragraph, such as a complaint letter, they must consider their target audience and make decisions about the content, register, and format. Teachers can assist students by emphasizing the significance of analyzing the problem and pinpointing crucial elements in the content, register, and format.

Objective tests provide answers that are either correct or incorrect and can be scored objectively. In contrast, subjective tests are evaluated using predetermined criteria and involve a certain degree of judgement on the part of the evaluator. Objective tests can include text-based true/false questions, multiple-choice questions, and fill-in-the-blank questions.

Marking objective tests together in the classroom is an effective strategy to enhance their use. This strategy allows students to discuss answers, justify their decisions, and assist one another in understanding the material.

Here’s a short yet easily understandable and well-elaborated difference by Byju’s:

Objective Assessment Vs Subjective Assessment

To summarise, while objective and subjective assessments have advantages, it is critical to assess their relative strengths and weaknesses in the context of the learning goals and objectives. Subjective tests provide a broader view of a student’s learning abilities and can help to build critical thinking and writing skills, but objective tests are useful for measuring knowledge of facts and can be administered and graded swiftly. Ultimately, the test format should be determined by the unique learning objectives and the desired outcomes.

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Understanding Objective Tests in Psychology: Characteristics and Applications

Objective tests are an integral part of psychology, providing valuable insights into an individual’s personality, intelligence, and aptitude. In this article, we will explore the characteristics and applications of objective tests, including their standardized administration, objective scoring, and high reliability.

We will also discuss the different types of objective tests, such as personality, intelligence, aptitude, and interest inventories, as well as their various methods of administration.

We will delve into the uses of objective tests in psychology, including clinical assessment, employment selection, educational placement, and research and evaluation.

Whether you are a psychology student or simply curious about the world of objective tests, this article will offer a comprehensive understanding of their significance in the field of psychology.

1 Key Takeaways:
2 What Are Objective Tests in Psychology?
3.1 Standardized Administration
3.2 Objective Scoring
3.3 High Reliability
3.4 Wide Range of Applications
4.1 Personality Tests
4.2 Intelligence Tests
4.3 Aptitude Tests
4.4 Interest Inventories
5.1 Paper and Pencil Format
5.2 Computerized Format
5.3 Online Format
6.1 Clinical Assessment
6.2 Employment Selection
6.3 Educational Placement and Diagnosis
6.4 Research and Evaluation
7.1 What are objective tests in psychology?
7.2 What are the characteristics of objective tests?
7.3 What are the most common applications of objective tests in psychology?
7.4 What is the difference between objective and projective tests?
7.5 What are some examples of objective tests?
7.6 What are the limitations of objective tests?

Key Takeaways:

Objective tests in psychology are standardized assessments designed to measure specific traits or abilities in a consistent and unbiased manner.
Characteristics of objective tests include standardized administration, objective scoring, high reliability, and wide range of applications.
These tests are commonly used in clinical assessment, employment selection, educational placement and diagnosis, and research and evaluation.

What Are Objective Tests in Psychology?

Objective tests in psychology refer to standardized measures designed to assess various traits and characteristics of individuals objectively, often through self-report or informant ratings, contributing to the empirical assessment of personality and behavior.

These tests play a crucial role in minimizing subjective bias and providing quantifiable data for psychological analysis and intervention.

Theoretical models such as the trait theory and social cognitive theory guide the development and interpretation of objective tests, ensuring their validity and reliability.

Notable figures in psychology, including John B. Watson, have significantly contributed to the conceptualization and application of objective tests.

Empirical research and advancements in psychometrics have further enhanced the utility and precision of these assessments.

What Are the Characteristics of Objective Tests?

The characteristics of objective tests in psychology encompass standardized administration, objective scoring, high reliability, and a wide range of applications, reflecting their validity in measuring various traits, behaviors, and emotions, and aligning with diverse theoretical and methodological approaches.

Objective tests, as advocated by prominent figures such as McGregor and McAdams, are designed to objectively measure specific aspects of an individual’s psychological makeup. Their high reliability ensures consistent results, enhancing their credibility in psychological assessments.

These tests are versatile, suitable for assessing a wide array of personality characteristics and behaviors, including intelligence, aptitude, and emotional responses. Their standard administration and scoring methodologies contribute to their objectivity, minimizing subjective interpretations and biases.

Standardized Administration

Standardized administration of objective tests ensures consistency and uniformity in the application of personality measures, contributing to the validity and reliability of psychological assessment.

This process involves following established protocols for test administration, including precise instructions and timing. By adhering to these standards, psychologists can minimize potential sources of error and bias, thereby enhancing the accuracy of the results.

The role of standardized administration in ensuring the validity of personality measures has been emphasized by leading figures in psychology, such as John B. Watson, who stressed the importance of rigorously controlled testing conditions.

The NOBA series in psychology also supports the use of standardized administration to uphold the integrity of psychological assessment.

Objective Scoring

Objective scoring in psychological assessments enables the quantification of behaviors, emotions, and motives, allowing for diverse theoretical and methodological approaches to be applied in the evaluation of personality tests and informant ratings.

This approach is essential for ensuring the validity and reliability of psychological assessments, as it facilitates the objective measurement of complex human attributes.

By utilizing standardized scoring criteria, psychologists and clinicians can effectively assess an individual’s personality traits, emotional patterns, and psychological well-being.

This facilitates a more nuanced understanding of an individual’s psychological makeup, thereby enhancing the accuracy and precision of diagnostic processes.

High Reliability

High reliability of objective tests ensures consistent and dependable measures of personality traits, behaviors, and emotions, supporting the empirical validation of theoretical models and methodological strategies.

When objective tests exhibit high reliability, it indicates that the results are highly consistent and stable over time, across different raters or observers, and under varied conditions.

This consistency is crucial for ensuring that the measures captured truly reflect the constructs being assessed, such as personality traits, behaviors, or emotional states.

By providing dependable and accurate measurements, high reliability enhances the credibility of psychometric assessments, further bolstering the empirical validation of various theoretical models and methodological strategies.

Wide Range of Applications

Objective tests in psychology have a wide range of applications, spanning from personality tests to projective assessments, reflecting their adaptability across diverse theoretical models and methodological approaches within the field.

These assessments are integral in understanding an individual’s traits and dimensions of personality, thereby aiding in clinical diagnosis, career counseling, and organizational behavior analysis.

Notable figures associated with these approaches, such as Carl Rogers in humanistic psychology and Sigmund Freud in psychodynamic psychology, have contributed significantly to the advancement of objective testing methods.

Objective tests find utility in behavioral observations, intelligence quotient measurements, and vocational assessments, offering comprehensive insights into various aspects of human behavior and cognition.

What Are the Types of Objective Tests?

The types of objective tests in psychology include personality tests, intelligence tests, aptitude tests, and interest inventories, each designed to measure specific traits and characteristics, as proposed by leading figures such as Goldberg, Bagby, Taylor, and Gamez.

Personality tests, such as the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI) developed by Goldberg, aim to assess various dimensions of an individual’s personality. These dimensions include openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Meanwhile, intelligence tests, like the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales developed by Alfred Binet and Théodore Simon, are used to measure cognitive abilities. These abilities include reasoning, problem-solving, and comprehension.

Aptitude tests, such as the Differential Aptitude Test (DAT) designed by Taylor and Russell, are specifically focused on assessing a person’s potential for acquiring particular skills or performing specific tasks.

Interest inventories, including the Strong Interest Inventory developed by E.K. Strong Jr., are utilized to gauge an individual’s preferences and inclinations towards certain career paths and activities.

These objective tests play a crucial role in providing valuable insights into different aspects of an individual’s psychology. They contribute to the understanding of human behavior and thought processes.

Personality Tests

Personality tests aim to assess an individual’s behaviors, emotions, and motives, reflecting diverse theoretical models and methodological strategies, as proposed by prominent figures such as Meyer , Kurtz , Little , and Loevinger .

The purpose of these assessments encompasses providing insights into an individual’s psychological makeup, enhancing self-awareness, and facilitating well-considered choices in various areas of life, ranging from career choices to personal relationships.

These tests find application in clinical settings to diagnose and treat mental health issues, in organizational contexts for recruitment and team-building, and in educational institutions to guide students toward suitable academic paths.

Over time, these famous figures have significantly contributed to the development and refinement of these tests, paving the way for their widespread utilization and continuous improvement.

Intelligence Tests

Intelligence tests are designed to measure cognitive abilities and problem-solving skills within diverse theoretical models and methodological strategies, as proposed by notable figures such as Tatsuoka and Eber .

Intelligence tests serve the fundamental purpose of evaluating an individual’s intellectual potential. They provide valuable insights into their analytical and reasoning capabilities.

These tests administer standardized tasks and questions to capture various cognitive domains, such as memory, processing speed, language skills, and spatial reasoning.

The results obtained from these assessments enable professionals in fields such as psychology, education, and human resources to make informed decisions. This includes placement, cognitive interventions, and career guidance.

Aptitude Tests

Aptitude tests focus on assessing specific skills and abilities, reflecting diverse theoretical models and methodological strategies, as proposed by influential figures such as Patrick and Curtin .

These tests are designed to measure an individual’s potential for acquiring a particular set of skills or performing specific tasks, providing valuable insights into their cognitive and problem-solving abilities.

The application of aptitude tests extends to various professional contexts, including education, employment, and career guidance, offering a standardized means of evaluating candidates’ strengths and limitations.

Moreover, Patrick and Curtin’s pioneering contributions have significantly shaped the evolution and refinement of these assessment tools, contributing to their widespread use and acceptance in diverse fields.

Interest Inventories

Interest inventories evaluate an individual’s preferences and inclinations, reflecting diverse theoretical models and methodological strategies, as proposed by notable figures such as Tellegen and Cattell .

Derived from psychological theories and empirical research, interest inventories aim to provide a comprehensive assessment of an individual’s interests, values, and motivations .

This evaluation is essential for career counseling, vocational guidance, educational planning, and personal development.

By understanding an individual’s preference profile, professionals and educators can effectively guide them toward suitable career paths, educational pursuits, and personal growth opportunities.

In contemporary society, interest inventories have become integral tools in aiding individuals in making informed decisions about their professional and personal lives.

How Are Objective Tests Administered?

Objective tests are administered through various formats, including paper and pencil, computerized, and online formats, aligning with diverse theoretical models and methodological strategies, as proposed by influential figures such as McCrae and Costa.

The use of different formats for objective tests allows for the adaptation to various testing environments and the needs of test-takers.

Paper and pencil tests provide a traditional and tangible method, while computerized and online formats cater to the advancements in technology and the increasing demand for remote assessment.

McCrae and Costa’s comprehensive Five-Factor Model (FFM) has greatly influenced the administration of objective tests, offering a framework to measure personality traits across various cultures and age groups.

This model has provided a basis for the development of objective tests that align with universal theories of personality.

Paper and Pencil Format

The paper and pencil format is a traditional method for administering objective tests, reflecting diverse theoretical models and methodological strategies, as proposed by influential figures such as Meyer, Kurtz, and Srivastava.

The paper and pencil format has been a staple in testing environments due to its alignment with diverse theoretical concepts and methodological strategies.

This format, championed by figures like Meyer, Kurtz, and Srivastava, has stood the test of time, providing a tangible and reliable method for conducting objective tests.

With its roots in classic psychological principles and measurement theories, this traditional format offers a sense of familiarity and stability for test-takers.

Emphasizing the physical act of marking answers on paper, it has been integrated effectively with various theoretical models, demonstrating its adaptability across different educational settings.

Computerized Format

Computerized formats provide a modern approach to administering objective tests, aligning with diverse theoretical models and methodological strategies, as proposed by influential figures such as McCrae and Costa.

By utilizing computerized formats, test administrators can ensure greater standardization of test administration, scoring, and data analysis.

McCrae and Costa’s research on the use of these formats has demonstrated their efficacy in promoting fairness and reducing bias in testing processes.

The integration of computerized formats allows for efficient item banking, adaptive testing, and precise measurement, contributing to the enhancement of test validity and reliability.

Online Format

The online format offers a convenient and accessible means of administering objective tests, aligning with diverse theoretical models and methodological strategies, as proposed by influential figures such as Bagby, Taylor, and Gamez.

Utilizing the online format provides flexibility in test administration, catering to the needs of a wide range of learners. Its compatibility with various theoretical models, including behaviorism, constructivism, and cognitivism, offers a comprehensive approach to assessment.

Bagby, Taylor, and Gamez have contributed significantly to the development and application of online testing methods, emphasizing the importance of accessibility and reliability.

The online format allows for efficient data analysis, enabling educators to make informed decisions based on objective test results.

What Are the Uses of Objective Tests in Psychology?

Objective tests in psychology serve various purposes, including clinical assessment, employment selection, educational placement and diagnosis, as well as research and evaluation, aligning with diverse theoretical models and methodological strategies, as proposed by influential figures such as McCrae and Costa.

In clinical psychology, objective tests are used to measure psychological symptoms and personality traits. They help with diagnostic decision-making and treatment planning.

In employment settings, these tests are crucial in predicting job performance and work-related outcomes for candidates.

In educational contexts, they play a role in identifying students’ cognitive abilities, learning styles, and academic potential.

Clinical Assessment

Objective tests play a crucial role in clinical assessments, contributing to the empirical evaluation of psychological measures within diverse theoretical models and methodological strategies proposed by influential figures such as Meyer, Kurtz, and Goldberg.

These tests offer standardized measures to assess various aspects of an individual’s cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning. This allows for a comprehensive understanding of their psychological well-being.

The objectivity of these assessments, rooted in their structured format and scoring, enhances the reliability and validity of the clinical evaluations. This aids in making informed diagnostic and treatment decisions.

Employment Selection

Objective tests aid in employment selection processes, providing empirical measures aligned with diverse theoretical models and methodological strategies, as proposed by influential figures such as McCrae and Costa.

The utilization of objective tests, such as personality assessments and skills evaluations, allows organizations to quantify and compare candidate attributes objectively. This helps in reducing the reliance on subjective judgment which can be biased.

McCrae and Costa’s work on the Big Five personality traits has significantly influenced the development and application of these tests, shaping the understanding of how personality impacts job performance.

Educational Placement and Diagnosis

Objective tests contribute to educational placement and diagnosis, offering empirical measures within diverse theoretical models and methodological strategies, as proposed by influential figures such as Taylor, Gamez, and Chmielewski.

These tests play a crucial role in providing objective data to inform decisions regarding students’ academic placement and learning needs.

They offer standardized tools to assess cognitive abilities, academic achievement, and psychological functioning, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of a student’s strengths and areas that require support.

Notably, Taylor’s work on individualized assessment approaches has significantly influenced the development of objective testing, ensuring that assessment tools are tailored to meet the specific needs of each student.

Gamez and Chmielewski’s contributions have further advanced the application of objective tests in educational settings, emphasizing the importance of utilizing multiple sources of data to create a holistic understanding of a student’s academic and emotional functioning.

Research and Evaluation

Objective tests are instrumental in research and evaluation, providing empirical measures aligned with diverse theoretical models and methodological strategies proposed by influential figures such as Kotov and Ruggero .

The utilization of objective tests in research and evaluation has been pivotal in yielding quantitative data to substantiate findings and conclusions.

These tests offer a systematic approach to acquiring objective and replicable measurements, which are essential in enhancing the reliability and validity of research outcomes.

The pioneering work of Kotov and Ruggero has significantly influenced the contemporary application of objective tests, establishing a foundation for rigorous and evidence-based research processes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are objective tests in psychology.

Objective tests in psychology refer to standardized measures used to assess an individual’s personality, behavior, or cognitive abilities. These tests are typically paper-and-pencil or computer-based and have a set of predetermined questions with multiple-choice or true/false answers.

What are the characteristics of objective tests?

Objective tests are characterized by their standardization, reliability, and validity. They are standardized in terms of their administration and scoring procedures, and they have established norms for interpretation. They also have high levels of reliability, meaning they produce consistent results, and validity, meaning they measure what they are intended to measure.

What are the most common applications of objective tests in psychology?

Objective tests are used for a variety of purposes in psychology, including psychological assessment, research, and clinical diagnosis. They may also be used in hiring and selection processes, educational settings, and forensic evaluations.

What is the difference between objective and projective tests?

Objective tests are based on a set of predetermined questions with predetermined responses, whereas projective tests use ambiguous stimuli to elicit responses from individuals that are then interpreted by a trained professional. Objective tests are also more standardized and have stronger evidence for reliability and validity.

What are some examples of objective tests?

Some examples of objective tests include the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). These tests are commonly used in clinical and research settings to assess personality traits, cognitive abilities, and mental health.

What are the limitations of objective tests?

While objective tests have many strengths, they also have some limitations. These include the potential for response bias, cultural bias, and oversimplification of complex psychological constructs. Additionally, some individuals may intentionally manipulate their responses, making it difficult to accurately assess their true characteristics.

Julian Torres is a health psychologist specializing in the psychological aspects of chronic illnesses and health behavior change. His work emphasizes the importance of psychological well-being in physical health and the integration of behavioral science into healthcare practices. Julian’s articles focus on strategies for managing stress, promoting healthy lifestyles, and navigating the emotional challenges of living with chronic conditions. He is a strong advocate for a holistic approach to health, combining psychological insight with medical care.

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Objective & Subjective Assessment: What’s the Difference?

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Developing effective online assessments is highly nuanced, requiring a large amount of thought and preparation. For educators, creating effective assessments means understanding which approaches to testing are most suitable in differing learning scenarios or for different curriculum units. Objective and subjective assessment are two styles of testing that utilize different question types to gauge student progress across various contexts of learning. Knowing when to use each is key to helping educators better support and measure positive student outcomes.

Both objective and subjective assessment approaches can be applied to common testing types, such as formative, diagnostic, benchmark, and summative assessments. In this post, we break down the differences between subjective and objective testing, when these approaches may be most suitable, and how an assessment system can support fair and accurate measurement of student results.

What is Objective vs. Subjective Assessment?

In the classroom, objective and subjective assessments are two common methods used by teachers to evaluate student learning. Objective tests, such as multiple-choice tests and fill-in-the-blank exercises, are designed to measure students’ knowledge and understanding of specific facts and concepts. These assessments are typically graded using a rubric or automated scoring rules, which allows for consistent and fair evaluation across all students.

Subjective assessments, on the other hand, require students to apply their knowledge and demonstrate critical thinking skills. Examples of subjective assessments include essays, portfolios, capstone projects, and oral presentations. These assessments are typically graded based on the quality of the student’s work, rather than on specific correct answers.

Both objective and subjective assessments have their advantages and disadvantages. Objective assessments are typically faster and easier to grade, and they provide a clear and precise evaluation of student knowledge. However, they may not capture the full range of a student’s understanding and can be limited in their ability to assess higher-order thinking skills.

Subjective assessments, on the other hand, provide a more comprehensive evaluation of a student’s knowledge and skills. They can assess critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving abilities, and can be used to evaluate complex tasks and projects. However, subjective assessments can be more time-consuming to grade, and they may be subject to bias and inconsistency in evaluation.

When to Use Objective Assessments

Objective assessments are best used in the classroom when there is a need to evaluate students’ knowledge and understanding of specific facts or concepts. Here are some situations where objective assessments may be appropriate:

Testing for basic knowledge: Objective assessments, such as multiple-choice tests and fill-in-the-blank exercises, can be effective in testing students’ understanding of basic concepts and knowledge.
Evaluating content mastery: When you need to evaluate students’ mastery of specific content, objective assessments can help provide a clear and precise evaluation of student knowledge.
Assessing understanding of terminology: Objective assessments can be used to test students’ knowledge and understanding of specific vocabulary and terminology used in a particular subject.
Providing quick feedback: Objective assessments can be easily graded and provide students with quick feedback on their understanding of the material, allowing them to identify areas where they need to focus their study efforts.

There are several benefits to using objective assessments in the classroom, it is important to match assessment needs with the purpose of the assessment. Objective assessments are typically quicker and can provide accurate information about what a student knows or has learned at a surface level. Facts, processes, and memorized skills are all easily assessed with objective assessment, some other benefits include:

Clear and Precise Evaluation
Efficient and Time-Saving
Less Subjectivity
Transparency
Preparation for Standardized Testing

Objective assessments are a useful tool in the classroom for evaluating students’ knowledge and understanding of specific facts and concepts. However, it is important to balance the use of objective assessments with other types of assessments to provide a well-rounded evaluation of student learning.

Using Subjective Assessments in Context

Subjective assessments are best used in the classroom when there is a need to evaluate students’ ability to apply knowledge, demonstrate critical thinking skills, and express creativity. Here are some situations where subjective assessments may be appropriate:

Testing for critical thinking: Subjective assessments, such as essays, projects, and oral presentations, can be effective in testing students’ ability to analyze and synthesize information, evaluate arguments, and express opinions.
Assessing problem-solving skills: Subjective assessments can be used to evaluate students’ problem-solving abilities and their ability to think outside of the box to come up with creative solutions to complex problems.
Evaluating creativity: Subjective assessments can be used to evaluate students’ creativity and originality in their work, such as in art, music, and creative writing assignments.
Assessing communication skills: Subjective assessments can be used to evaluate students’ communication skills, such as their ability to present ideas clearly and persuasively in a public speaking or debate format.

While there is a time and place for objective assessment, many times a teacher will get a much more complete picture of what a student can do through subjective assessment. While these assessments take more time to develop and grade, they are often meaningful learning experiences themselves . Benefits of subjective assessments include:

A complete picture of learning
Multiple opportunities to demonstrate learning
More inclusive of all students
Can reduce bias in testing
Allows for continual growth

In essence, subjective assessments are useful in creating a holistic and potentially more accurate picture of what a student can do. It also enables students to demonstrate how they can use learning in context rather than simply answering questions correctly on a test.

Develop Practical Applications

The reality is that no teacher should assess only using one style of test, there is a time for objective assessment and a time for subjective assessment. Giving objective assessment early on in a unit can inform a teacher as to what the students know with regard to background knowledge or terminology, it also gives the educator a good idea of where the student is starting at. However, moving from objective to subjective assessment gives the students opportunities to show what they know in real-life scenarios.

Digital learning platforms make it easier for teachers to develop and implement both subjective and objective assessments across a wide variety of content areas. Open Assessment Technologies provides technology designed to provide adaptive learning and assessment to students at all levels. To learn more about how Open Assessment Technologies can improve student learning click here .

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EnglishPost.org

What are Objective and Subjective Tests?

A test or examination is an assessment intended to measure a test -taker’s knowledge, skill, aptitude, physical fitness, or classification in many other topics.

A test may be administered orally, on paper, on a computer, or in a confined area that requires a test taker to physically perform a set of skills.

Almost everybody has experienced testing during his or her life. Grammar tests, driving license test etc.

Table of Contents

Type of Tests

Objective and subjective tests: characteristics, what effects do tests have on the teaching and learning process, type of objective questions, type of subjective questions, english teaching related posts.

Understanding the different types of testing, the kinds of results they provide, and how they complement one another help teachers determine what the best course of action is.

There are two general types of tests:

Objective tests aim to assess a specific part of the learner’s knowledge using questions which have a single correct answer.
Subjective tests aim to assess areas of students’ performance that are complex and qualitative, using questioning which may have more than one correct answer or more ways to express it

These are some characteristics of objective and subjective tests:

Objective Tests characteristics:

They are so definite and so clear that a single, definite answer is expected.
They ensure perfect objectivity in scoring.
It can be scored objectively and easily.
It takes less time to answer than an essay test

Subjective Tests Characteristics

Subjective items are generally easier and less time consuming to construct than are most objective test items
Different readers can rate identical responses differently, the same reader can rate the same paper differently over time

The “washback or backwash effect is the effect that testing has on the teaching and learning processes.

The effect can be positive or negative.

The validity of the testing process can influence the content of our courses, and the way we teach, in a direction that is either with or against the better judgment of the administrators, teachers, students, and parents.

From the point of view of testing, the washback effect becomes negative when there is a mismatch between what we the material / abilities we teach, and what is tested.

For example, an achievement test that is only multiple choice has a negative washback effect on any attempt to teach productive skills such as speaking and writing in class.

On the other hand, if the achievement test includes both spoken and written parts, the washback effect has a positive influence on students (and teachers) attitudes to practicing productive skills in the classroom.

These are some types of objective question that you can find in tests

Multiple- Choice Items
True- False Items
Matching Items
Assertion-Reason Items

Subjective questions are questions that require answers in the form of explanations.

Subjective questions include:

Essay questions
Short answers
Definitions
Scenario Questions
Opinion Questions.

Make sure that you check some of these posts before you go

These are some posts related to teaching listening:

Stages for Teaching Listening
Best Pre-Listening Activities
Best While-Listening Activities
Best Post-Listening Activities
What Types of Listening are there?

These are some posts for teaching methodology:

Presentation, Practice and Production Framework
Teacher-Centered Instruction
Student-Centered Instruction
Tips to Reduce Teacher Talking Time

These are some assessment related posts

How to Assess Reading Skills
How to Assess Speaking Skills
How to Assess Writing Skills

I am Jose Manuel, English professor and creator of EnglishPost.org, a blog whose mission is to share lessons for those who want to learn and improve their English

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Essay test: types, advantages and limitations | statistics.

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After reading this article you will learn about:- 1. Introduction to Essay Test 2. Types of Essay Test 3. Advantages 4. Limitations 5. Suggestions.

Introduction to Essay Test:

The essay tests are still commonly used tools of evaluation, despite the increasingly wider applicability of the short answer and objective type questions.

There are certain outcomes of learning (e.g., organising, summarising, integrating ideas and expressing in one’s own way) which cannot be satisfactorily measured through objective type tests. The importance of essay tests lies in the measurement of such instructional outcomes.

An essay test may give full freedom to the students to write any number of pages. The required response may vary in length. An essay type question requires the pupil to plan his own answer and to explain it in his own words. The pupil exercises considerable freedom to select, organise and present his ideas. Essay type tests provide a better indication of pupil’s real achievement in learning. The answers provide a clue to nature and quality of the pupil’s thought process.

That is, we can assess how the pupil presents his ideas (whether his manner of presentation is coherent, logical and systematic) and how he concludes. In other words, the answer of the pupil reveals the structure, dynamics and functioning of pupil’s mental life.

The essay questions are generally thought to be the traditional type of questions which demand lengthy answers. They are not amenable to objective scoring as they give scope for halo-effect, inter-examiner variability and intra-examiner variability in scoring.

Types of Essay Test:

There can be many types of essay tests:

Some of these are given below with examples from different subjects:

1. Selective Recall.

e.g. What was the religious policy of Akbar?

2. Evaluative Recall.

e.g. Why did the First War of Independence in 1857 fail?

3. Comparison of two things—on a single designated basis.

e.g. Compare the contributions made by Dalton and Bohr to Atomic theory.

4. Comparison of two things—in general.

e.g. Compare Early Vedic Age with the Later Vedic Age.

5. Decision—for or against.

e.g. Which type of examination do you think is more reliable? Oral or Written. Why?

6. Causes or effects.

e.g. Discuss the effects of environmental pollution on our lives.

7. Explanation of the use or exact meaning of some phrase in a passage or a sentence.

e.g., Joint Stock Company is an artificial person. Explain ‘artificial person’ bringing out the concepts of Joint Stock Company.

8. Summary of some unit of the text or of some article.

9. Analysis

e.g. What was the role played by Mahatma Gandhi in India’s freedom struggle?

10. Statement of relationship.

e.g. Why is knowledge of Botany helpful in studying agriculture?

11. Illustration or examples (your own) of principles in science, language, etc.

e.g. Illustrate the correct use of subject-verb position in an interrogative sentence.

12. Classification.

e.g. Classify the following into Physical change and Chemical change with explanation. Water changes to vapour; Sulphuric Acid and Sodium Hydroxide react to produce Sodium Sulphate and Water; Rusting of Iron; Melting of Ice.

13. Application of rules or principles in given situations.

e.g. If you sat halfway between the middle and one end of a sea-saw, would a person sitting on the other end have to be heavier or lighter than you in order to make the sea-saw balance in the middle. Why?

14. Discussion.

e.g. Partnership is a relationship between persons who have agreed to share the profits of a business carried on by all or any of them acting for all. Discuss the essentials of partnership on the basis of this partnership.

15. Criticism—as to the adequacy, correctness, or relevance—of a printed statement or a classmate’s answer to a question on the lesson.

e.g. What is the wrong with the following statement?

The Prime Minister is the sovereign Head of State in India.

16. Outline.

e.g. Outline the steps required in computing the compound interest if the principal amount, rate of interest and time period are given as P, R and T respectively.

17. Reorganization of facts.

e.g. The student is asked to interview some persons and find out their opinion on the role of UN in world peace. In the light of data thus collected he/she can reorganise what is given in the text book.

18. Formulation of questions-problems and questions raised.

e.g. After reading a lesson the pupils are asked to raise related problems- questions.

19. New methods of procedure

e.g. Can you solve this mathematical problem by using another method?

Advantages of the Essay Tests:

1. It is relatively easier to prepare and administer a six-question extended- response essay test than to prepare and administer a comparable 60-item multiple-choice test items.

2. It is the only means that can assess an examinee’s ability to organise and present his ideas in a logical and coherent fashion.

3. It can be successfully employed for practically all the school subjects.

4. Some of the objectives such as ability to organise idea effectively, ability to criticise or justify a statement, ability to interpret, etc., can be best measured by this type of test.

5. Logical thinking and critical reasoning, systematic presentation, etc. can be best developed by this type of test.

6. It helps to induce good study habits such as making outlines and summaries, organising the arguments for and against, etc.

7. The students can show their initiative, the originality of their thought and the fertility of their imagination as they are permitted freedom of response.

8. The responses of the students need not be completely right or wrong. All degrees of comprehensiveness and accuracy are possible.

9. It largely eliminates guessing.

10. They are valuable in testing the functional knowledge and power of expression of the pupil.

Limitations of Essay Tests:

1. One of the serious limitations of the essay tests is that these tests do not give scope for larger sampling of the content. You cannot sample the course content so well with six lengthy essay questions as you can with 60 multiple-choice test items.

2. Such tests encourage selective reading and emphasise cramming.

3. Moreover, scoring may be affected by spelling, good handwriting, coloured ink, neatness, grammar, length of the answer, etc.

4. The long-answer type questions are less valid and less reliable, and as such they have little predictive value.

5. It requires an excessive time on the part of students to write; while assessing, reading essays is very time-consuming and laborious.

6. It can be assessed only by a teacher or competent professionals.

7. Improper and ambiguous wording handicaps both the students and valuers.

8. Mood of the examiner affects the scoring of answer scripts.

9. There is halo effect-biased judgement by previous impressions.

10. The scores may be affected by his personal bias or partiality for a particular point of view, his way of understanding the question, his weightage to different aspect of the answer, favouritism and nepotism, etc.

Thus, the potential disadvantages of essay type questions are :

(i) Poor predictive validity,

(ii) Limited content sampling,

(iii) Scores unreliability, and

(iv) Scoring constraints.

Suggestions for Improving Essay Tests:

The teacher can sometimes, through essay tests, gain improved insight into a student’s abilities, difficulties and ways of thinking and thus have a basis for guiding his/her learning.

(A) White Framing Questions:

1. Give adequate time and thought to the preparation of essay questions, so that they can be re-examined, revised and edited before they are used. This would increase the validity of the test.

2. The item should be so written that it will elicit the type of behaviour the teacher wants to measure. If one is interested in measuring understanding, he should not ask a question that will elicit an opinion; e.g.,

“What do you think of Buddhism in comparison to Jainism?”

3. Use words which themselves give directions e.g. define, illustrate, outline, select, classify, summarise, etc., instead of discuss, comment, explain, etc.

4. Give specific directions to students to elicit the desired response.

5. Indicate clearly the value of the question and the time suggested for answering it.

6. Do not provide optional questions in an essay test because—

(i) It is difficult to construct questions of equal difficulty;

(ii) Students do not have the ability to select those questions which they will answer best;

(iii) A good student may be penalised because he is challenged by the more difficult and complex questions.

7. Prepare and use a relatively large number of questions requiring short answers rather than just a few questions involving long answers.

8. Do not start essay questions with such words as list, who, what, whether. If we begin the questions with such words, they are likely to be short-answer question and not essay questions, as we have defined the term.

9. Adapt the length of the response and complexity of the question and answer to the maturity level of the students.

10. The wording of the questions should be clear and unambiguous.

11. It should be a power test rather than a speed test. Allow a liberal time limit so that the essay test does not become a test of speed in writing.

12. Supply the necessary training to the students in writing essay tests.

13. Questions should be graded from simple to complex so that all the testees can answer atleast a few questions.

14. Essay questions should provide value points and marking schemes.

(B) While Scoring Questions:

1. Prepare a marking scheme, suggesting the best possible answer and the weightage given to the various points of this model answer. Decide in advance which factors will be considered in evaluating an essay response.

2. While assessing the essay response, one must:

a. Use appropriate methods to minimise bias;

b. Pay attention only to the significant and relevant aspects of the answer;

c. Be careful not to let personal idiosyncrasies affect assessment;

d. Apply a uniform standard to all the papers.

3. The examinee’s identity should be concealed from the scorer. By this we can avoid the “halo effect” or “biasness” which may affect the scoring.

4. Check your marking scheme against actual responses.

5. Once the assessment has begun, the standard should not be changed, nor should it vary from paper to paper or reader to reader. Be consistent in your assessment.

6. Grade only one question at a time for all papers. This will help you in minimising the halo effect in becoming thoroughly familiar with just one set of scoring criteria and in concentrating completely on them.

7. The mechanics of expression (legibility, spelling, punctuation, grammar) should be judged separately from what the student writes, i.e. the subject matter content.

8. If possible, have two independent readings of the test and use the average as the final score.

Merits and Demerits of Objective Type Test
Types of Recall Type Test: Simple and Completion | Objective Test

Educational Statistics , Evaluation Tools , Essay Test

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Answers to all questions

What is the difference between objective and essay test?

Table of Contents

1 What is the difference between objective and essay test?
2 What are the types of essay test?
3 What is the advantage of essay test?
4 What is an objective test in a test?

Objective items include multiple-choice, true-false, matching and completion, while subjective items include short-answer essay, extended-response essay, problem solving and performance test items. Essay exams require more thorough student preparation and study time than objective exams.

What is a essay test?

An essay test is an assessment technique that requires students to thoroughly respond to a question or prompt by developing, organizing, and writing an original composition. The purpose of an essay test is to assess students abilities to construct a logical, cohesive and persuasive writing piece.

What is an objective type test?

An objective test is a test that has right or wrong answers and so can be marked objectively. Objective tests are popular because they are easy to prepare and take, quick to mark, and provide a quantifiable and concrete result. For example. True or false questions based on a text can be used in an objective test.

What are the types of essay test?

Types of Essay Test:

Selective Recall.
Evaluative Recall.
Comparison of two things—on a single designated basis.
Comparison of two things—in general.
Decision—for or against.
Causes or effects.
Explanation of the use or exact meaning of some phrase in a passage or a sentence.

What are the characteristics of objective test?

Objective-type tests have two characteristics viz.: They are pin-pointed, definite and so clear that a single, definite answer is expected. ADVERTISEMENTS: 2. They ensure perfect objectivity in scoring.

What are the characteristics of essay test?

Characteristics of essay test:

The length of the required responses varies with reference to marks and time. For e.g.: Bed papers where there are 10marks, 5marks and 3 marks questions so the length of the answers varies accordingly.
It demands a subjective judgment:
Most familiar and widely used:

What is the advantage of essay test?

Essay type tests provide a better indication of pupil’s real achievement in learning. The answers provide a clue to nature and quality of the pupil’s thought process. That is, we can assess how the pupil presents his ideas (whether his manner of presentation is coherent, logical and systematic) and how he concludes.

What is the difference between an objective summary and an objective summary?

The Career Coach Says : The objective usually is short, one or two sentences long. The most effective objective is specific about the position and type of employment desired. It focuses on you, what job or career you are looking for. The summary, on the other hand, highlights your qualifications for a job.

What is the difference between essay items and objective type tests?

1 – In essay items the examinee writes the answer in her/his own words whereas the in objective type of tests the examinee selects the correct answer from the among several given alternatives. 2 – Thinking and writing are important in essay tests whereas reading and thinking are important in objective type tests.

What is an objective test in a test?

CONCEPTS Definitions TYPES 4. Objective test items are items that can be objectively scored items on which person select a response from the list of options. DEFINITIONS An objective test is a test that has right or wrong answers and so can be marked objectively.

What is the effect of subjectivity in essay tests?

In essay tests subjectivity is involved in writing and selecting the items. The most obvious effect of the subjectivity in essay test is seen in scoring of the essay items. In both essay tests as well as objective type tests, emphasize is placed upon the objectivity in the interpretation of the test scores.

How many blanks are there in an objective test?

COMPLETION TYPE An objective type test that includes series of sentences which certain important words of phrase has been omitted for the students to fill in a sentence may contain one or more blanks and the sentences may be disconnected or organized into a paragraph. Each blanks counts one point 31.

What are the differences between objective test and essay test?

In an 'objective' test, such as a test consisting entirely of multiple choice questions every answer is unambiguously correct or incorrect (if the test has been devised properly). If, however, candidates are required to write essays, there is always scope for individual markers to assess the essays subjectively. For example, an essay may be grammatically sound and the style may be good, but it may contain little substance. In such cases some markers may by impressed by the superficialities of the essay and not be fully aware how ill informed the student is.

Add your answer:

Difference between objective and essay type test?

There are quite a few different differences between objective type tests and essay type tests. Many objective tests are multiple choice while essays are essays for example.

Merits and demerits of essay type test?

What are the objective type test

What's the similarties and differences between multiple choice test and essay test?

a multiple choice gives you the chance to guess

Why objective type test cannot replace essay type test?

Objective type tests are limited in their ability to assess higher-order thinking skills like critical thinking and creativity, which are often required in real-world situations. Essay type tests allow students to demonstrate their understanding in their own words and provide more opportunity for depth of knowledge to be assessed. Additionally, essay type tests provide more flexibility for students to demonstrate their unique perspectives and insights.

Difference of essay and objective type of test?

Essay type of answers will be contain likely pots of full water. But one thing we can use and learn from the particular type of field. Totally different objective type of test from the essay type. Objective type of answers shall be available in the formulae, So we can choose any one answer blindly. Sometime it will be correct or not; also we cannot assume it correctly. Essay type of test is must for knowledge develop. Otherwise we will loss other subject of knowledge.

What is a non-objective test?

Non objective test means it is subjective and involves theoretical questions. So it has a large subject of opinion my the person examining the test.an example of this would be an essay testan example of an OBJECTIVE test would be a multiple choice test.This is easily confused with another definition of the word objective, which is something or someone that is not easily influenced. However in terms of education a non objective test has little biased, and an objective test isn't due to bias.

What is objective tests?

What is non test, comparison between objective type and essay type tests.

the questions frammed in essay type test are charachterized with thier demand from students to respond by providing quite lengthy.descriptive detailed and ellaborated answers while questions frammed in objective type test are characterised with thier demand from students to respond by just writing one aur two words or numerals,filling up the blanks or choosing one out of multiple given responses.

What is the objective of doing the baeyer's test?

To identify between saturated and unsaturated compound.

What is a test essay prompt?

A prompt is a stimulus -- something that causes a person to respond. So a test essay prompt is an essay question on a test.

Identify test objective test?

the objective of an identity test is to determine if the identity of a person is true

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Published: 24 April 2024

Clinical decision making: validation of the nursing anxiety and self-confidence with clinical decision making scale (NASC-CDM ©) into Spanish and comparative cross-sectional study in nursing students

Daniel Medel ORCID: orcid.org/0009-0007-5883-295X 1 ,
Tania Cemeli ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6683-3756 1 ,
Krista White ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4179-5383 2 ,
Williams Contreras-Higuera ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4872-1590 3 ,
Maria Jimenez Herrera ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-2599-3742 4 ,
Alba Torné-Ruiz ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8072-1953 1 , 5 ,
Aïda Bonet ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7382-114X 1 , 6 &
Judith Roca ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0645-1668 1 , 6

BMC Nursing volume 23 , Article number: 265 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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Decision making is a pivotal component of nursing education worldwide. This study aimed to accomplish objectives: (1) Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric validation of the Nursing Anxiety and Self-Confidence with Clinical Decision Making (NASC-CDM©) scale from English to Spanish; (2) Comparison of nursing student groups by academic years; and (3) Analysis of the impact of work experience on decision making.

Cross-sectional comparative study. A convenience sample comprising 301 nursing students was included. Cultural adaptation and validation involved a rigorous process encompassing translation, back-translation, expert consultation, pilot testing, and psychometric evaluation of reliability and statistical validity. The NASC-CDM© scale consists of two subscales: self-confidence and anxiety, and 3 dimensions: D1 (Using resources to gather information and listening fully), D2 (Using information to see the big picture), and D3 (Knowing and acting). To assess variations in self-confidence and anxiety among students, the study employed the following tests: Analysis of Variance tests, homogeneity of variance, and Levene’s correction with Tukey’s post hoc analysis.

Validation showed high internal consistency reliability for both scales: Cronbach’s α = 0.920 and Guttman’s λ2 = 0.923 (M = 111.32, SD = 17.07) for self-confidence, and α = 0.940 and λ2 = 0.942 (M = 80.44, SD = 21.67) for anxiety; and comparative fit index (CFI) of: 0.981 for self-confidence and 0.997 for anxiety. The results revealed a significant and gradual increase in students’ self-confidence ( p =.049) as they progressed through the courses, particularly in D2 and D3. Conversely, anxiety was high in the 1st year (M = 81.71, SD = 18.90) and increased in the 3rd year (M = 86.32, SD = 26.38), and significantly decreased only in D3. Work experience positively influenced self-confidence in D2 and D3 but had no effect on anxiety.

The Spanish version (NASC-CDM-S©) was confirmed as a valid, sensitive, and reliable instrument, maintaining structural equivalence with the original English version. While the students’ self-confidence increased throughout their training, their levels of anxiety varied. Nevertheless, these findings underscored shortcomings in assessing and identifying patient problems.

Peer Review reports

Decision making in nursing is a critical process that all nurses around the world use in their daily practice, involving the assessment of information, the identification of health issues, the establishment of care objectives, and the selection of appropriate interventions to address the patient’s health problems [ 1 , 2 ]. Nursing professionals must effectively apply their knowledge, skills, and clinical judgment to ensure the delivery of safe and high-quality care within the context of complex and ever-evolving situations [ 3 ]. For nearly 25 years, clinical decision-making has been highlighted as one of the key aspects of nursing practice [ 2 , 4 ].

Decision making in nursing does not follow a linear relationship that culminates in the decision made; instead, it has a circular nature that repeats through data collection, alternative selection, reasoning, synthesis, and testing [ 5 ]. Expert nurses, moreover, possess the ability to discern patterns and trends within clinical situations, providing them with a general overview of patient issues and facilitating decision making [ 6 ]. In this iterative and dynamic process, a solid knowledge base, clinical experience, reliable information, and a supportive environment are crucial pillars underpinning clinical decisions [ 7 ]. Therefore, nursing students, during their educational journey, require the support of others in decision making [ 4 ] and adequate training that optimizes their learning opportunities [ 8 ]. Clinical decision-making forms the cornerstone of professional nursing practice [ 9 ].

The process of decision making regarding patient care integrates theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience [ 10 ]. This practical experience has been instrumental in augmenting analytical skills, intuition, and cognitive strategies essential for determining sound judgment and decision-making in complex situations [ 11 ]. Although students’ clinical experience is limited, some of them work as nursing assistants or in support roles. This profile of nursing student is quite common [ 12 ]. Hence, prior work experience in healthcare should be considered in nursing students.

Additionally, it has been suggested that emotional factors, such as heightened levels of anxiety and low self-confidence, may influence clinical decision-making processes [ 13 ]. The Nursing Anxiety and Self-Confidence with Clinical Decision Making (NASC-CDM©) scale is used to make a self-report of how they feel about students’ self-confidence and anxiety levels during clinical decision-making [ 14 ] On one hand, nursing students frequently grapple with elevated stress and anxiety, which adversely affect their learning process [ 15 ]. Conversely, self-confidence is defined as a person’s self-recognition of their abilities and capacity to recognize and manage their emotions [ 16 ]. Self-confidence can foster well-being by strengthening positive emotions among nursing students [ 17 ]. In this regard, one of the leading authors in the study of self-confidence is Albert Bandura (1977) [ 18 ]. He employs the term self-efficacy to describe the belief that one holds in being capable of successfully performing a specific task to achieve a given outcome. Consequently, it can be considered a situationally specific self-confidence [ 19 ]; however, these terms are related to potential emotional barriers in decision making [ 20 ].

In line with the aforementioned, and as a rationale for this study, it should be noted that the NASC-CDM© scale offers significant contributions. Firstly, it highlights the ability to address self-reported levels of self-confidence and anxiety, both independently and interrelatedly, as these two are two distinct constructs with relevant effects on clinical decision making. This separation allows for a more comprehensive and precise understanding of the context [ 21 ]. Secondly, it is worth noting that the scale can be administered to both students and professionals [ 22 ]. The results obtained through this scale enable the identification of areas in which students need improvement and provide nursing educators the opportunity to develop strategies to strengthen students’ clinical decision-making skills [ 14 ].

The absence of a validated Spanish version of the Nursing Anxiety and Self-Confidence with Clinical Decision Making (NASC-CDM©) scale poses a significant challenge for researchers and educators. This limitation hinders the accurate assessment of self-confidence and anxiety levels among Spanish-speaking nursing students and professionals in both clinical decision-making both academic and healthcare settings. In heath research, the availability of reliable measurement tools is crucial to ensure accuracy and comparability across cultural and linguistic contexts [ 23 ]. Moreover, it is noteworthy that the NASC-CDM© scale is not only accessible in English [ 14 ] but also in other languages such as Turkish [ 24 ] and Korean [ 22 ], Therefore, its availability in Spanish presents numerous opportunities for cross-cultural comparisons in academic and healthcare settings, as well as between academic and clinical researchers.

Hence, this study aims to address two deficits in the Spanish context: first, to validate the NASC-CDM© scale in Spanish, and second, to employ it to assess self-confidence and anxiety levels in decision making among nursing students by academic year and the influence of prior work experience. By achieving these objectives, the study seeks to provide educators with essential insights to enhance the teaching and learning process in both academic and environments. Additionally, it aims to offer support students in enhancing their decision-making skills, ultimately fostering the development of proficient healthcare professionals capable of delivering care. Therefore, this study was designed to achieve three primary objectives: (1) To perform a cross-cultural and psychometric validation of the Nursing Anxiety and Self-Confidence scale with the Clinical Decision Making (NASC-CDM©) from English to Spanish Nursing Anxiety and Self-Confidence with Clinical Decision Making– Spanish (NASC-CDM-S©) scale.; (2) To compare groups of nursing students from their first to fourth academic year in terms of anxiety and self-confidence in their decision-making processes; and (3) To Investigate the potential impact of the participants’ work experience on their decision-making abilities. Hence, concerning objectives 2 and 3, the following hypothesis was posited: participants in higher academic years and participants with work experience have higher levels of self-confidence and lower levels of anxiety in their decision-making processes.

This study adopted a quantitative cross-sectional and analytical approach.

Setting and sampling

The study population comprised nursing students from the Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Lleida (Spain). The nursing degree program in Spain consists of 240 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits, approximately equivalent to 6000 h, distributed across 4 academic years (60 ECTS per year, totaling 1500 h per year). One ECTS credit corresponds to 25–30 study hours (Royal Decree 1125/2003). The first year primarily focuses on theoretical training in basic sciences, with more specific nursing sciences covered in higher years. Clinical practices gradually increase, with the fourth year being predominantly practical (1st year 6 ECTS, 2nd year 12 ECTS, 3rd year 24 ECTS, and 4th year 39 ECTS).

A convenience sample of 301 participants was used, representing a non-probability sampling method [ 25 ]. The sample size aligns with the recommended person-item ratio, with a minimum of 10 subjects per item for general psychometric approaches and 300–500 for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) or conducting propriety analysis [ 23 ]. The NASC-CDM© scale contains 27 items. Inclusion criteria were nursing students from all four academic years who were willing to participate, and no exclusion criteria were specified. Participants received no compensation, and their participation was voluntary.

Instrument and variables

The original version of the NASC-CDM© tool was developed by White [ 14 , 21 ]. The use of this tool for the study was authorized in May 2022 through email communication with the instrument’s creator.

Regarding the original instrument, it is noteworthy that it was validated through an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with 545 pre-licensure nursing students in the United States. The analysis revealed moderate convergent validity and significant correlations between the self-confidence and anxiety variables that constitute two separate sub-scales within the same instrument. The instrument achieved a Cronbach’s α of 0.98 for self-confidence and 0.94 for anxiety [ 14 , 21 ]. This instrument comprises 27 items and uses a 6-point Likert scale for responses (1 = Not at all; 2 = Only a little; 3 = Somewhat; 4 = Mostly; 5 = Almost completely; 6 = Completely). Scores range from 27 to 162 points. The EFA results confirmed a scale with three dimensions (D1, D2, and D3):

D1 (Using resources to gather information and listening fully) includes statements about recognizing clues or issues and assessing their clinical significance. This dimension comprises 13 items, with a minimum score of 13 and a maximum of 78.

D2 (Using information to see the big picture) includes statements about determining the patient’s primary problem. This dimension contains 7 items, with a minimum score of 7 and a maximum of 42.

D3 (Knowing and acting) includes statements about performing interventions to address the patient’s problem. This dimension consists of 7 items, with a minimum score of 7 and a maximum of 42.

Based on the original tool, the questionnaire used in this study consisted of two parts. It included the following variables: (a) sociodemographic data such as age (numeric), gender (male, female, non-binary), academic year (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th), university entrance pathway (secondary school, training courses, other university degrees, over 25–45 years old), and participants’ work experience in healthcare (Yes or No); and (b) 27 paired statements about students’ perceptions of their level of self-confidence and anxiety (dependent variable) in decision making as per the translated NASC-CDM©. Regarding work experience, it should be noted that some nursing students work in healthcare facilities as nursing assistants or in support roles during their nursing studies.

Instrument validation

The tool presented by White [ 14 ] underwent translation and adaptation, following the guidance provided by Sousa & Rojjanasrirat [ 23 ] and Kalfoss [ 26 ]. In the forward-translation (English to Spanish) and back-translation phases, two independent bilingual translators participated, who were not part of the research team and who usually work with health-related translations. The back-translated version of the scale was reviewed and approved by the tool’s creator (Dr. White). These steps ensured content validity.

In the expert panel phase, 5 expert nurse educators from our university who were not part of the research team, with a doctoral degree and more than 5 years of teaching experience, assessed content relevancy. The scale proposed by Sousa & Rojjanasrirat [ 23 ] (1 = not relevant, 2 = unable to assess relevance, 3 = relevant but needs minor alteration, 4 = very relevant and succinct), along with the Kappa index were used to assess agreement. The educators rated the 27 items between 3 and 4. The concordance analysis yielded a score of 0.850, which, as per Landis & Koch [ 27 ], is considered nearly perfect. Only some expressions were modified for better cultural adaptation while retaining the original meaning of the statements. Finally, a pilot test was conducted during the pre-testing phase, involving 20 students, to assess comprehension and completion time. The students encountered no comprehension difficulties, and the average response time was 13 min. Therefore, it was concluded that the questionnaire was feasible in terms of time required taken and clarity of the questions/answers [ 28 ].

This validation process concludes with the psychometric testing of the prefinal version of the translated instrument. During this phase, the psychometric properties are established using a sample from the target population, in this case, nursing students [ 23 ]. The psychometric characteristics examined include: (1) the reliability of internal consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient (α) and Guttman split-half coefficients (λ2); (2) criterion validity, where the concurrent validity of the new version of the instrument was assessed against the original version via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and (3) for construct and structural validity, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and CFA were conducted to demonstrate the discriminant validity of the instrument by comparing groups within the sample.

Data collection

Data collection took place between May 2022 and June 2023. The lead researcher in a classroom administered the questionnaire in a paper format. Response times ranged from 10 to 15 min.

Data analysis

A descriptive statistical analysis of the participants’ study variables was conducted. Reliability was determined using Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient (α) and Guttman split-half coefficients (λ2) for both sub-scales (self-confidence and anxiety) and their respective dimensions (D1, D2, D3). Cronbach’s provides a measure of item internal consistency, while Guttman split-half coefficient assesses the extent to which observed response patterns align with those expected from a perfect scale [ 29 ]. Item correspondence was reviewed by repeating the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using the extraction and rotation methods outlined by the tool’s creator [ 14 , 21 ]. Factor validity was confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), where a value ≥ 0.9 of the fit indices (comparative fit index (CFI), Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI), Bentler-Bonett Non-normed Fit Index (NNFI), and Bollen’s Incremental Fit Index (IFI) indicate reasonable fit [ 30 ]. The root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) and the unweighted least square (ULS) estimator was used Likert ordinal data [ 31 ]. Sample adequacy was also reviewed using Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO), Bartlett’s sphericity test, and average variance extracted (AVE).

Normality tests for self-confidence and anxiety data distribution ( N = 301) were performed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (K-S = 0.043 and 0.41; p >.05) and multivariable normality (Shapiro-Wilk = 0.993 and 994; p >.05). The results indicated that all dimensions followed a normal distribution. Consequently, parametric tests such as Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) and group comparison tests (t-Student) were employed. To analyze differences in self-confidence and anxiety among students by academic year (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th), the following tests were conducted: analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests, homogeneity of variance tests, and Levene’s test applying Tukey’s post hoc correction to p -values for combined groups correction for combined groups. Effect sizes were determined using Cohen’s d for t-student tests and eta-squared (η²) for ANOVA tests.

Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 24 and JASP 0.18.1. A significance level was set at p <.05 for all analyses.

The results are presented in 4 sections: (1) Descriptive data of the participants, (2) Psychometric validation study of the NASC-CDM© questionnaire in Spanish (NASC-CDM-S©), (3) Comparative analysis of self-confidence and anxiety in decision making by academic year, and (4) The impact of students’ work experience on their decision-making processes.

Descriptive data of the participants

The nursing study involved 301 participants, mostly women who entered through high school. The sample comprised students from the 1st year of the degree (28.57%, with an average age of 20.43 years), 2nd year (38.54%, with an average age of 21.10 years), 3rd year (3.29%, with an average age of 23.90 years), and 4th year (19.60%, with an average age of 22.92 years). Nearly 2/3 of the participants entered the nursing program from secondary school, and just over 50% had work experience in healthcare. See Table 1 for Sample Characteristics.

The set of items showed high internal consistency reliability in both sub-scales. In self-confidence, Cronbach’s α = 0.920, and Guttman’s λ2 = 0.923 (M = 111.32, SD = 17.07) and in anxiety the values were α = 0.940 and λ2 = 0.942 (M = 80.44, SD = 21.67). The KMO adequacy measure was 0.921 for self-confidence and 0.946 for anxiety, and Bartlett’s sphericity was highly significant, resulting in a p -value not exceeding 0.05, indicating a significantly different item correlation matrix (self-confidence χ2 = 4250.632, p <.001; anxiety χ2 = 5612.051, p <.001). In addition, the average variance extracted (AVE) index exceeded 0.50, confirming the suitability of the original variables in both sub-scales for structure detection.

To confirm the validity of the factors, agreement of item alignment with the dimensions of the original tool was first examined through EFA (factor loading > 0.4), followed by a confirmatory analysis of the entire scale using CFA. Repeating the EFA, as conducted by White (2011) using alpha factoring extraction and Promax rotation with 3 factors (no eigenvalue), the total variance explained in both scales was 48.30% in self-confidence and 55.30% in anxiety, with an average of 51.80%. The agreement between the items in the resulting factor structure matrix from the EFA and the original matrix were very similar for the anxiety sub-scale (89.90%) but only moderately similar for the self-confidence sub-scale (59.30%), where items did not fall within the same dimensions.

Given the low result, a CFA was conducted based on the dimensions proposed by White (2011). The goodness-of-fit indicators of the model were: (CFI, IFI = 0.981, TLI, NNFI = 0.979, and RMSEA = 0.052) for self-confidence and (CFI, TLI, NNFI, IFI = 0.997 and RMSEA = 0.024) for anxiety. This indicates that the three-factor model retains the description with the original items.

Table 2 shows the estimated factor loadings by dimension and item, illustrating the robust composition of the dimensions with no item elimination. Although items Q5, Q27 and Q11 had factor loadings below 0.60, their KMO values were ≥ 0.80, indicating adequate sampling.

Highly significant correlations were found regarding criterion validity and relevance ( p <.001). Correlations within the dimensions within the same scale (D1, D2, D3) were positive, whereas the paired correlations between self-confidence and anxiety were inversely correlated, as increased confidence was associated with decreased anxiety: (D1 r = −.500), (D2 r = −.500) and (D3 r = −.532).

Comparative analysis of self-confidence and anxiety in decision making by academic year

The overall results for self-confidence and anxiety by academic year indicated that students significantly and gradually increased their self-confidence ( p =.049) as they progressed from the 1st year (M = 108.22, SD = 14.96) to the 4th year (M = 115.54, SD = 16.28). However, anxiety was higher in the 1st year (M = 81.71, SD = 18.90) and increased in the 3rd year (M = 86.32, SD = 26.38) (Table 3 ).

Table 4 shows statistically significant differences in dimensions D2 and D3 for self-confidence and D3 for anxiety.

Dimension D1 - using resources to collect information and listening carefully

The post hoc Tukey test results indicate no statistically significant differences between academic years in dimension D1 (Table 4 ). Students in higher academic years did not obtain significantly higher self-confidence or lower anxiety scores (Fig. 1 a). The self-confidence means were similar across all 4 groups, while the anxiety mean had varying values. The highest anxiety was observed in the 3rd year (M = 37.67; SD = 14.63), and the lowest was in the 4th year (M = 31.76; SD = 10.82), although the differences were not statistically significant ( p =.178).

Comparison graphics of different dimensions of different Academic years ( a ) D1. Using resources to collect information and listening carefully: Post Hoc Comparisons Academic year (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) ( b ) D2. Using information to see the big picture: Post Hoc Comparisons Academic year (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th). ( c ) D3. Knowing and acting: Post Hoc Comparisons Academic year (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th)

Dimension D2 - using information to see the big picture

Students in the higher academic years (3rd and 4th) obtained significantly higher self-confidence scores (M = 28.69; SD = 5.44) compared to the lowest, which is from the 1st year (M = 25.40; SD = 5.33) (Table 4 ; Fig. 1 b). There was a downward trend in anxiety in the later years, but it was not significant. Once again, the highest mean anxiety was observed in the 3rd year (M = 23.42; SD = 6.80) and the lowest in the 4th year (M = 20.44; DS = 6.39).

Dimension D3 - knowing and acting

This is the only dimension where a balance was maintained: self-confidence increased with academic years, while anxiety decreased. Significant differences in self-confidence scores were observed between the 1st year (M = 23.70; SD = 4.85) and the 4th year (M = 27.13; SD = 5.47). At the same time, anxiety significantly decreased between the 1st year (M = 25.93; SD = 5.90) and the 4th year (M = 22.85; SD = 6.36) (Table 4 ; Fig. 1 c).

Effect of students’ work experience on their decision-making processes

A comparative test was conducted between groups based on work experience to identify explanatory variables regarding the extent of self-confidence and anxiety (Table 5 ). Two significant differences were found, indicating that students with work experience, as opposed to students without experience, had higher self-confidence in D2 (M = 27.66, SD = 5.43 vs. M = 26.63, SD = 5.61) and D3 (M = 26.24, SD = 5.52 vs. M = 24.58, SD = 5.10). Meanwhile, the level of anxiety was similar in both groups.

Furthermore, when contrasting individual items, 7 specific items showed significant differences in self-confidence and 2 in anxiety based on students’ work experience (Table 6 ).

Two items belong to D2- Using information to see the big picture, where experienced students exhibited greater self-confidence in detecting important patient information patterns in I1 (M = 4.10 vs. M = 3.98) and experienced less anxiety (M = 2.96 vs. M = 3.30), and simultaneously evaluated their decisions better with patient laboratory results in I7 (M = 4.00 vs. M = 3.67).

The other five items correspond to D3- Knowing and acting, where nursing students with prior nursing experience felt more self-confidence when deciding the best priority alternative for the patient’s problem in I5 (M = 3.53 vs. M = 3.30), more confidence in implementing an intuition-based intervention in I14 (M = 3.95 vs. M = 3.59) with less anxiety (M = 3.38 vs. M = 3.69), more confidence in analyzing the risks associated with interventions I15 (M = 4.10 vs. M = 3.86) a better ability to make autonomous clinical decisions in I17 (M = 3.71 vs. M = 3.42), and to implement a specific intervention in an emergency in I20 (M = 3.79 vs. M = 3.47).

Given the objectives and results of this study, the discussion is subdivided into two sections: (1) Study of the Nursing Anxiety and Self-Confidence with Clinical Decision Making (NASC-CDM©) scale from English to Spanish, and (2) Assessment of self-confidence and anxiety in nursing students.

The findings of this study highlight the successful adaptation and validation of the NASC-CDM© scale, originally developed by White [ 14 , 21 ], into Spanish (NASC-CDM-S©). This adaptation process demonstrated high reliability in both self-confidence and anxiety scales. The psychometric study conducted confirmed the validity of the three original dimensions. This result was achieved by examining item concordance with the dimensions of the original scale, followed by CFA of the entire scale. This resulted in a total variance exceeding 40% for both scales and across dimensions, confirming construct validity. The Spanish version effectively maintains the three- dimension groupings (D1, D2 and D3), which also preserves the item descriptions. Consequently, the obtained results align closely with White’s original study [ 14 ] and the Turkish version [ 24 ]. Regarding the loading factor, only one item, I5, “Make a decision on the ‘best’ prioritized alternative for the user’s problem,” had a loading value below 0.30 [ 32 ]. While its factor loading was 0.23 and exhibited a low correlation with the other items ( r =.22), its KMO ratio was ≥ 0.80, suggesting potential influence by underlying factors such as age or work experience. Therefore, the decision was made to retain it. However, these findings were not replicated in the translation of the NASC-CDM into Korean (KNASC-CDM) (KNASC-CDM) [ 22 ]. The Korean version comprises 23 items grouped into 4 groupings: (i) Listening fully and using resources to gather information; (ii) Using information to see the big picture; (iii) Knowing and acting; and (iv) Seeking information from clinical instructors.

The observed correlations between the dimensions of self-confidence and anxiety provide valuable and interesting insight. The results indicate an inverse relationship between the two, suggesting that strengthening self-confidence can have a positive impact on reducing anxiety. This aspect was corroborated by the original study by White [ 21 ] and Bektas et al. [ 13 ], demonstrating that metacognitive awareness increases nursing students’ self-confidence in clinical decision-making and reduces anxiety.

Furthermore, it is worth noting that the NASC-CDM© scale has been employed in numerous research studies related to nursing education. Therefore, its potential for educational purposes in both academic and clinical settings as a scale for measuring the enhancement of clinical decision-making skills is acknowledged. Several studies [ 33 , 34 , 35 ] suggest the effectiveness of in-person or virtual simulation in enhancing skills related to self-confidence in clinical decision-making, situational awareness, and communication effectiveness among students. Comparing the outcomes of this study with others utilizing the NASC-CDM© scale to gauge self-confidence and anxiety [ 33 , 36 ], it was noted that self-confidence levels increase with diverse teaching strategies, while anxiety levels are not negatively impacted. Overall, these findings underscore the importance of the NASC-CDM© scale in assessing students’ readiness for decision-making, highlighting the necessity to address emotional factors such as anxiety and the need to bolster self-confidence to enhance the education and preparation of future nursing professionals for challenging clinical scenarios.

Assessment of self-confidence and anxiety in nursing students

The results of the comparative study among nursing students across different academic years reveal an intriguing dynamic between self-confidence and anxiety throughout their academic progression. While self-confidence increases as students advance through their courses due to the acquisition of knowledge and skills, anxiety shows variations over time. Regarding confidence perception, some authors [ 37 ] claim that confident students learn better and that this self-confidence increases with experience, leading to improved knowledge [ 13 ].

One factor that might explain the difference in anxiety levels is that in the initial academic years (first and second), clinical practices are conducted in a more guided and supervised manner. In the third, and especially in the fourth year, clinical practices increase in terms of hours and complexity, requiring students to take on more responsibility and autonomy. This factor might account for the higher levels of anxiety in the third year, when students begin to engage in more autonomous practices and specialized units [ 38 , 39 ]. This stage could induce anxiety due to the increased responsibility and potential consequences in patient care. In other words, even though students become more secure in their skills, they may also experience anxiety due to the weight of their clinical practice decisions in the knowledge that they will soon be certified professional nurses caring for patients. This duality is understandable in a context where decision-making has direct implications for patient health and the potential consequences of their actions in patient care. However, this situation is rectified in the fourth or final year, when anxiety decreases, and self-confidence increases. Clinical experience helps students develop skills and self-confidence, which, in turn, reduces anxiety [ 15 , 40 ]. Just as in the case of nurses, the benefits of experience in decision-making are evident in students [ 3 ]. However, some researchers [ 41 ] emphasize the need to reinforce training in aspects such as situational awareness and cognitive apprenticeship to develop decision-making skills in senior students. There is evidence linking emotion and cognition to clinical decision-making [ 42 ].

Results from this study allow for a more detailed analysis by dimensions (D1, D2, D3) across academic years. Dimension 1 - Using resources to gather information and listening fully (D1) is the only dimension that does not show significant differences by year in either self-confidence or anxiety. This dimension includes fundamental aspects of assessment and information gathering (verbal and non-verbal communication, the ability to review the literature, and information provided by others, among others) [ 14 ]. In Dimension 2 - Using information to see the big picture (D2), self-confidence significantly increases, and anxiety decreases, although the latter is not statistically significant. This dimension encompasses aspects related to interpreting information to identify the patient’s actual problem, filtering out irrelevant information, and applying knowledge to the detected problem [ 14 ]. Finally, Dimension 2 - Knowing and acting (D3) - is the only dimension that behaves as hypothesized, with increasing self-confidence and decreasing anxiety. This dimension includes aspects related to training in addressing the problem and detecting the repercussions of the interventions performed, as well as the student’s autonomous ability to address the detected problem [ 14 ].

The results indicate that although students demonstrate skills in applying knowledge and performing interventions (D2 and D3), there appears to be a lack of training proficiency in the comprehensive assessment of the patient as an individual with specific needs (D1). This shortcoming is likely caused by various factors, including lack of experience, inadequate training skills, and the complexity of the assessment process. Understanding the patient is a complex task, as nurses must consider not only physiological indicators. Therefore, this requires time and experience [ 3 ] This implies that students tend to focus more on pathology and standardized care rather than on the patient as a unique individual with specific needs and characteristics.

In contrast, in the case of nurses, when patients do not align with their prior experience, nurses are more motivated to assess the patient and facilitate decision making [ 3 ]. The need for a proper and personalized patient assessment emerges as a crucial point for improvement in the education of nursing students [ 43 ]. Therefore, an educational intervention focused on strengthening the skill of patient assessment throughout the nursing degree program could favor the development of nursing students as future professionals. Such an intervention could include the implementation of more effective assessment tools and the promotion of careful observation of all aspects of the patient. It should extend beyond nursing-specific procedures involving the development of cognitive skills [ 44 ]. Importantly, it should be implemented not only in the academic context but also in the clinical setting. Given that education alone is not an ideal measure [ 3 ], this clinical involvement is essential based on patient-centered health care ( [ 45 ].

Finally, in relation to students with work experience, those who work as nursing assistants during their nursing education exhibit more self-confidence and less anxiety in various items: seeing patterns in patient information (I1) and implementing interventions based on gut feeling or intuition (I14). They also demonstrate higher self-confidence when making a decision about the ‘best’ priority decision option for the patient’s problem (I5), evaluating whether their clinical decision improved the patient’s laboratory results (I7), analyzing the risks of the interventions (I15), making independent clinical decisions to solve the patient’s problem (I17), and implementing a specific intervention in case of an urgent problem (I20). It can be affirmed that experienced students show more self-confidence in having a holistic view of the patient (D2) and in their knowledge and patient-related actions (D3). Other studies [ 46 ] detail the benefits of work experience in emotional control and stress reduction among students. Moreover, students’ prior work experience contributes to decision making, as it provides them with a more realistic understanding of the role and responsibilities of the nursing profession [ 47 ].

Limitations

Due to its cross-sectional design, this study prevents the establishment of causal relationships between self-confidence and anxiety. The study sample was limited to a specific group of students from a single Spanish-speaking university. Similar to the study by Bektas [ 24 ] only voluntary students participated in this study. It is pertinent to acknowledge potential biases in interpreting differences by academic year, as the sample is disproportional in one of the strata (with 9% margin of error), attributed to the absence of third-year students engaged in mobility programs and clinical practices. Moreover, the present study did not evaluate organizational and nursing practice factors, which could explore nursing students’ perceptions regarding clinical decision-making. Finally, even though the availability of the SNASC-CDM will facilitate its use in other Spanish-speaking countries, it is advisable to conduct specific studies to ensure its validity in a cultural context different from Spain.

Implications for nursing education

Nursing degree programs should prioritize the development of students’ self-confidence and the management of their anxiety. This could involve implementing educational interventions, including clinical simulation and reflective teaching that incorporate elements of metacognition. Collaboration across different subjects is essential to foster the integration of skills and knowledge. It is also vital that nursing programs provide students with opportunities to develop their clinical and communication skills. This will help students feel more secure in their abilities and reduce anxiety in challenging clinical settings.

The findings of this study suggest that nursing students face challenges in assessing patients, which can be attributed to various factors, including lack of time, insufficient training, and limited experience. To address this issue, an educational intervention is proposed for nursing students. This intervention would focus on conducting a comprehensive and holistic patient assessment with the support of practicing nurses and involving the patients themselves in identifying problems and needs. Such an intervention should include discussing the significance of considering the patient’s physical, emotional, spiritual, and social needs. It should also emphasize the importance of building a trusting relationship with the patient.

Conclusions

The Spanish version of the NASC-CDM (NASC-CDM-S©) allows for the identification of self-confidence and anxiety in clinical decision-making in Spanish-speaking nursing students. Moreover, it retains the same structure as the original English version. The availability of the NASC-CDM-S© will facilitate its use in other Spanish-speaking countries, thus enhancing the education and preparation of future nursing professionals in clinical situations.

Self-confidence increases as students progress through their academic years due to knowledge and skills acquisition, while anxiety shows variations over time. Specifically, anxiety tends to increase in the third year, when students transition to more autonomous practices and specialized health care units. However, diverse perceptions are identified depending on the dimension. The only dimension that achieves a positive balance in self-confidence and anxiety is D3 (Knowing and acting). Nevertheless, the findings reveal deficiencies in D1 ( Using resources to gather information and listening fully) regarding assessing and detecting problems.

Students with prior work experience show improved self-confidence in D2 and D3, but the level of anxiety does not differ between students with and without work experience. Therefore, targeted interventions addressing emotional and cognitive aspects are needed to enhance clinical decision-making and provide better patient care. Considering these aspects, future lines of research could explore the impact of teaching interventions, as well as conduct further studies on the NASC-CDM-S©, validating it in different Spanish-speaking countries, and applying it in clinical settings with healthcare professionals.

Data availability

No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the students and experts who assisted us in the validation process. We also wish to acknowledge the translator of this article, Mark Lodge.

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Conceptualization: D.M and J.R.; methodology: D.M, T.C, M J-H. and J.R.; software: W. C-H. and J.R.; validation: J.R.; formal analysis: W. C-H, A T-R, J.R. and A.B; resources: J.R and D.M; data curation: W.C-H., AT-R. and J.R.; writing—original draft preparation: DM, TC, WK, AB, A T-R, J.R.; writing—review and editing: D.M., T.C., K.W., W. C-H. and J.R. and supervision: M. J-H. and J.R. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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This study received authorization from the Research Commission of the Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy (FIF) of the University of Lleida (UdL). It was approved by the Research and Transfer Ethics Committee (CERT) of the University of Lleida (nº CERT13_31052023) and the data protection officer of the UdL Data Protection Delegate. Data were collected anonymously. Participants were duly informed about the study, and their written consent was obtained before they completed the questionnaire. Participation was voluntary, and the lead researcher of the study securely held the data. Students were informed that their participation or non-participation would have no impact on the course grade or standing at the university. The study conformed to the standards of the Declaration of Helsinki, the Spanish Biomedical Research Act 14/2007 and data processing was covered by EU Regulation 2016/679.

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Medel, D., Cemeli, T., White, K. et al. Clinical decision making: validation of the nursing anxiety and self-confidence with clinical decision making scale (NASC-CDM ©) into Spanish and comparative cross-sectional study in nursing students. BMC Nurs 23 , 265 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01917-w

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Background Decision making is a pivotal component of nursing education worldwide. This study aimed to accomplish objectives: (1) Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric validation of the Nursing Anxiety and Self-Confidence with Clinical Decision Making (NASC-CDM©) scale from English to Spanish; (2) Comparison of nursing student groups by academic years; and (3) Analysis of the impact of ...