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The Cycle Of Creating A Good Language Test

testing_life_cycle

1. The Decision of Providing and Making the Test

The headmaster usually makes this decision. The administration or the supervisor usually selects a teacher to construct the test. Or the teacher himself decides to make and provide the test as a formative kind of assessment of students’ learning.

2. Considering the Specifications

It is related to having and getting a look at the specifications of the test that should be followed to produce the test in its final version.

3. Collecting Information for the Test

In this stage, the test provider collects information about the students (the test takers), their levels, abilities, points of weakness and points of strength as well as about the content on which the test is based, its objectives and outcomes, the items that the teacher taught and focused on and the items that have not been taught or have less focus on in teaching.

4. Assembling the Materials for the Test

Here the test provider should write sample questions for the test following the specifications. As many questions as possible should be written down on a separate paper in this stage.

5. Making the Test

According to the information collected in stage 3, the test provider should select from the questions written in stage 4 those questions which are suitable and use them to construct the test according to stage 2. The teacher should provide marks beside each question in the test as well.

6. Marking and Grading the Test

After conducting the test, the teacher should mark and grade it. Marking means providing accurate marks for each student while grading means putting the marks into a meaningful category so that the test results can be understood.

7. Reporting and Communicating the Test Results

In the final stage, test takers and others who are concerned should be provided with the test results and any other information needed for an appropriate interpretation.

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