Quality True-False Items
True-false items (also called binary-choice items) are utilized to assess a student's ability to recognize the accuracy of a declarative statement. Due to the nature of this type of assessment, true-false statements are particularly useful in measuring a student's ability to differentiate between forced-choice statements (such as true-false, yes-no, correct-incorrect, etc.). As such, true-false questions are well suited for measuring knowledge, comprehensive, and application levels of understanding (although creative, well-designed questions may also assess higher-order learning objectives). A quality true-false item is generally classified as an objective assessment technique as it will only have one correct answer. The utility and effectiveness of true-false items in higher education has been highly debated, thus instructors should careful examine the advantages and disadvantages of true-false assessments in relation to their specific learning objectives.
| Advantages |
Disadvantages | | Relatively easy to write and develop | May overestimate learning due to the influence of guessing | | Quick to score | Difficult to differentiate between effective difficult items
and trick items | | Objective nature limits bias in scoring | Often leads to testing of trivial facts or bits of
information | | Easily administered to large numbers of students | Generally less discriminating than multiple-choice items | | Effective as either a written or oral assessment | May not accurately reflect realistic circumstances in which
issues are not absolutely true or false | | Limits bias due to poor writing and/or reading skills | Often criticized for encouraging rote memorization | | Highly efficient as large amount of knowledge can be sampled
in a short amount of time | | Amenable to item-analysis which allows for improvement of
the assessment device |
Tips for Writing True-False Items:
- To be most effective in assessing specific learning objectives, each true-false item should target only one fact at a time and should restrict statements to a single idea. This approach allows instructors to identify specific errors in understanding and prevents confusion over statements that are partially true.
- Research indicates that students tend to mark "true" when guessing blindly, thus false items discriminate better between high and low ability students. At the same time, students tend to quickly pick up on patterns of responding. To prevent response-bias and effectively assess understanding, instructors should include an equivalent number of true and false items within the assessment.
- To prevent rote memorization of trivial facts or general knowledge, avoid using exact wording from the textbook. A well-designed true-false item is very effective for assessing the accuracy of statements, understanding of definitions, and novel applications of theories or principles.
- Generally, long statements are more likely to be false. Thus to limit response-bias, test designers should try to make all true-false items similar in length.
- In order to more effectively differentiate between high and low ability students, instructors should make wrong answers more attractive by wording statements in a way that is supported by superficial logic or popular misconception.
- When designing true-false items, avoid absolute words (such as all, always, never) and indefinite adjectives, generalizations, and qualifying terms (such as usually, generally, sometimes). This type of wording may indicate the accuracy of a statement regardless of the content of the item.
- To prevent confusion and arguments, test designers should use statements that are clearly true or false. When using an opinion-oriented statement, be sure to include the source of the opinion.
- Instructors should avoid negative statements (especially double-negatives) when writing true-false items. Negative wording tends to be more confusing for students and may be an inaccurate measure of knowledge.
Ideas to Enhance the Effectiveness of True-False Assessments:
- Instructors may use correct-for-guessing scoring (+1 for correct answer, 0 for blank statement, -1 for incorrect answer) in order to reduce student guessing. When using this type of special scoring, be sure to inform students of the scoring method prior to administering the assessment.
- To increase the cognitive demands placed on students, instructors may require students to correct false questions. This type of activity requires students to go beyond the simple judgment of true-false to identify specific errors within the statement.
- Rather than assess simple factual knowledge, true-false items can be effectively used to test novel applications. Instructors may generate unique examples and require students to indicate the accuracy of the application.
- In addition to the standard true-false dichotomy, test designers can use a variety of binary-choice modifications (yes-no, agree-disagree, valid-invalid, right-wrong, fact-opinion, etc.). Essentially, the standard true-false format can be utilized for any assessment of understanding between two categories.
- Rather than make a distinct statement for a series of related items, instructors may cluster items that share a common stem. This increases the efficiency of the assessment while still allowing discrimination between discrete aspects of understanding.
- When dealing with higher-order understanding or knowledge, test designers may want to utilize a true-false checklist that requires students to check all true items from a given list. When using this type of assessment, related statements should be grouped together based on a common theme or principle.
Review Checklist:
| _____ | Is a true-false item an appropriate assessment of the learning
objective? | | _____ | Does the content of the true-false question measure knowledge
appropriate to the desired learning goal? | | _____ | Does the item contain only one central idea? | | _____ | Can the true-false item be clearly and unequivocally determined as
either true or false? | | _____ | Is the item clearly worded and stated in language appropriate to the
student population? | | _____ | Are double-negatives avoided in all true-false items? | | _____ | Are all statements of opinion attributed to a specific source? | | _____ | Is the item free of external clues (such as length or language) that may
indicate the correct answer? | | _____ | Does the assessment contain an equivalent number of true and false
items? | | _____ | Are the true and false items included in the assessment in a random
order? |
Resource Links:
References:
- Aiken, L. R. (2000). Psychological Testing and Assessment (10thEdition). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
- Chatterji, M. (2003). Designing and Using Tools for Educational Assessment. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
- Gronlund, N. E. (2003). Assessment of Student Achievement (7thEdition). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
- Johnson, D. W. & Johnson, R. T. (2002). Meaningful Assessment: A Manageable and Cooperative Process. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
- McKeachie, W. J. (1999). Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers (10thEdition). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
- Popham, W. J. (2000). Modern Educational Measurement: Practical Guidelines for Educational Leaders (3rdEdition). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
- Trice, A. D. (2000). A Handbook of Classroom Assessment. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.
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