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What are the characteristics of an achievement test?

Published in Test Characteristics 3 mins read

Achievement tests are designed to measure what a person has learned or mastered in a specific subject or area. Here's a breakdown of their key characteristics:

Key Characteristics of Achievement Tests

Achievement tests possess several defining characteristics that make them effective tools for evaluating learning outcomes. These characteristics can be categorized as follows:

1. Directly Related to Educational Objectives

  • Alignment: Achievement tests are explicitly designed to align with specific educational objectives and curriculum standards. This means the content of the test should directly reflect the topics and skills that students are expected to have learned.
  • Purpose: Their primary purpose is to measure the extent to which students have achieved the intended learning outcomes of a course or program. This ensures that the test accurately assesses the knowledge and abilities the curriculum aims to impart.

2. Measurement of Behavior in Realistic and Practical Terms

  • Real-World Application: Good achievement tests measure student behaviour in ways that are realistic and practical. This means the assessment tasks should closely resemble situations where students would apply their knowledge in real life.
  • Practical Application Examples:
    • Instead of just asking for definitions, an achievement test might ask students to apply a principle to solve a practical problem.
    • In a language test, students might be asked to write a letter or give a short presentation, rather than only filling in grammatical gaps.

3. Evaluation Based on Difficulty and Discrimination

  • Difficulty Level: Items within an achievement test should vary in difficulty to accurately differentiate between students with different levels of understanding. The test should not be too easy for everyone, nor too hard for everyone.
  • Discriminating Power: A well-designed test should be able to "discriminate" or distinguish between students who have a good grasp of the material and those who do not. This means each item in the test should be able to identify those who understand the concept being tested from those who don't.
    • Example: The reference states that "It can be tried out and selected on the basis of its difficulty level and discriminating."
  • Item analysis: Test developers often perform item analysis to ensure that each question is appropriately difficult and effectively distinguishes between proficient and less proficient students.

4. Test Administration and Scoring

  • Standardized Procedures: Achievement tests often have standardized administration procedures to ensure all students take the test under comparable conditions.
  • Objective Scoring: To reduce bias and inconsistency, the scoring is usually objective, with clear criteria for correct answers.

Summary Table of Achievement Test Characteristics

Characteristic Description Example
Educational Alignment Directly reflects the educational goals and curriculum standards. A math test covers only topics taught in the math class.
Real-World Measurement Measures application of knowledge in practical and relevant contexts. A science test requires students to design an experiment based on learned principles.
Difficulty and Discrimination Items are selected for varying difficulty and the ability to distinguish between learners with different levels of mastery. A physics test has questions ranging from basic concepts to complex problem-solving.
Standardized Procedure Ensures consistent administration of the test. Time limits, allowed resources, and test environment are consistent for all students.
Objective Scoring Utilizes clear criteria to ensure that scoring is fair and consistent. Answer keys with specific points allocated for different elements to ensure fair scoring.

In essence, achievement tests act as a tool to gauge the degree to which educational goals are being met. These assessments measure both knowledge and practical skills.