An Analysis of Textbook Advice About True-False Tests

Abstract

Seventeen educational measurement textbooks were reviewed to analyze current perceptions regarding true-false achievement testing. A synthesis of the rules for item writing is presented, and the purported advantages and disadvantages of the true-false format derived from those texts are reviewed. The analysis demonstrates that there is a general lack of consensus regarding the advantages, the disadvantages, and the rules for item and test development and that many of the perceived disadvantages are unfounded. Finally, a research agenda that deals with the most significant and interesting questions raised by specific claims of the text authors is presented.

Knowledge Concerning Employees’ Legal Rights at Work among Banking Employees in Malaysia

“…The percentage scores were then ranked into four categories with an interval of 25 percent to exhibit the respondent's level of knowledge of their rights under the three main rights. The TF items were developed according to guidelines outlined by Frisbie and Becker (1991) while the MCQ items were constructed based on the recommendations outlined by Frary (1995) and Kehoe (1995). Correct wordings of the items are vital in producing appropriate answers.…”

“…Correct wordings of the items are vital in producing appropriate answers. Hence the written expression and language used, test item content and test item format/presentation needs to be considered in the test construction (Frisbie and Becker 1991). Herzog (1996) further suggest that the use of large words, technical terms and jargons must be avoided to prevent ambiguity.…”

Influence of True/False Tests and First Language on Engineering Students' Test Scores

“…Comparison of multiple-choice with essay type questions has predominated [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. Various forms of true/false tests have also been compared with multiple-choice, essay, and other types of questions [4,[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. Various forms of true/false tests have also been compared with multiple-choice, essay, and other types of questions [4,[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22].…”

“…Unfortunately, limited studies have been conducted in engineering education [9][10][11]. The paper by Frisbie and Becker was particularly useful [17]. The paper by Frisbie and Becker was particularly useful [17].…”

“…Several authors have given suggestions for writing good true/false tests and examples of good and poor items [1,2,13,17,18,20,22,29]. Those of Jacobs and Chase [1], Ebel and Frisbie [2], and Nitko [22] were particularly well organized and useful.…”