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Constructing Exams
In constructing exam questions, do you focus on the content and construct a realistic setting for the questions or do you start with a real problem and try to match the course content? In other words, how much do you strive to use real data as opposed to hypothetical or realistic data in the exam questions?
- In constructing the exam, how do you decide how many points a question should be worth? What percentage of the points on the exam would you say are for primarily conceptual knowledge/interpretation vs. calculation/mechanics?
I did not use "real" data sets during my exams. There wasn't enough time during a class period to use data sets as the basis for assessment items.I tried to use "real" variables from educational news media and relevant educational research as the basis for my items. At least 75% of my items required conceptual understanding for successful completion. I tried to construct distractor options (the wrong answers) to my multiple-choice and matching items to reflect common misunderstandings held by students who incorrectly answered the items. This process allowed me to identify and to try to remediate common misunderstandings.
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