What is a good test? Write the characteristics of a good test.
Features of a good test.
What is a good test?
Psychological and educational tests are a type of measurement technique with the help of which we measure the behavioral characteristics of an individual. Similarly, among such tests, we call those tests good tests; which have some selected qualities or characteristics and do not have any defects or errors. In short, it can be said that all the experiences which do not have any defects or errors and have some desired scientific characteristics are called good tests.
Features / Characteristics of a good test:-
The scientific characteristics or qualities that are required to constitute a test as a good test are—
(1) Accuracy:-
Accuracy is an important characteristic of a good test. A test is considered valid if it measures what it is intended to measure. A test is considered valid only if it measures the characteristic it is designed to measure and does not measure any other characteristic. In the field of education, if the examiners measure the student's knowledge of history or geography along with the subject knowledge, the test is not valid. To make the test valid, the subject knowledge that the test is designed to measure must be measured accurately.
(2) Reliability:-
A good test must be reliable. The more accurate and precise the test is, the more reliable it will be. In short, reliability is consistency. That is, the reliability of a test or mental measuring instrument depends on the stability of the ability for which the test is applied. The same test can be applied repeatedly to the same student with some interval and the results are the same in all cases, only then can that test be called reliable.
(3) Impersonality:-
The impersonality of a test means how much the test is free from personal influence. The word impersonality is related to two aspects of the test. One is the impersonality of the test items and the impersonality of marking. The impersonality of the test items means that the test items should be expressed in such a way that all the examiners can interpret the test in the same way. Impersonality of marking means that there will be a standard of marking system, so that there is equality in marking in the evaluation of this subject by different experts at different times.
(4) Applicability:-
Applicability is a main feature of a test. The ease with which a test can be applied to the examiners in a short time is called the applicability of the test. The results of the test depend on the method of application of the test. The easier the method of application of the test, the more convenient it will be for the test taker . Therefore, the test needs to be clear, concise and simple.
(5) Moderation:-
Moderation of the test means applying the test in less time, with less effort and with less cost. If a test requires a long time and a lot of effort to administer, then that test will be boring for both the examiner and the examinee and the reliability of the test will also decrease.
(6) Equality of Marking: -
To construct any good test, its marking method must also be made scientific, simple, fast and accurate. The simpler and more accurate the marking method of the test, the more acceptable it will be to the examiner.
(7) Suitability: -
To construct a good test, it is necessary to judge how suitable it is for its application. If it can fulfill the purpose for which the test is constructed, then the test will be called suitable.
(8) Standardization: -
The process by which the universal standard or norm of a test is determined is called standardization. The universal standard of a test is determined by administering it to a large number of individuals. As a result of the standardization of the test, the results obtained from the test are reliable and error-free, and a scientific interpretation of the scores obtained by the student can be given.