Assessment: Short Answer Question Development

Certificate in University Teaching

A. List SIX African countries. (1 mark each; 6 marks total). _____________________ _______________________ _____________________ _______________________ _____________________ _______________________ B. How many countries make up Africa in total? _______

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1. Algeria 2. Angola (Republic of Angola) 3. Benin (Republic of Benin) 4. Botswana (Republic of Botswana) 5. Burkina Faso 6. Burundi (Republic of Burundi) 7. Cameroon (Republic of Cameroon) 8. Cape Verde (Republic of Cape Verde) 9. Central African Republic (Central African

Republic) 10. Chad (Republic of Chad) 11. Comoros (Union of the Comoros) 12. Côte d'Ivoire (Republic of Côte d'Ivoire) 13. Djibouti (Republic of Djibouti) 14. Egypt (Arab Republic of Egypt) 15. Equatorial Guinea (Republic of Equatorial

Guinea) 16. Eritrea (State of Eritrea) 17. Ethiopia (Federal Democratic Republic of

Ethiopia) 18. Gabon (Gabonese Republic) 19. Gambia (Republic of The Gambia) 20. Ghana (Republic of Ghana)

21. Guinea (Republic of Guinea) 22. Guinea-Bissau (Republic of Guinea-Bissau) 23. Kenya (Republic of Kenya) 24. Lesotho (Kingdom of Lesotho) 25. Liberia (Republic of Liberia) 26. Libya (Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab

Jamahiriya) 27. Madagascar (Republic of Madagascar) 28. Malawi (Republic of Malawi) 29. Mali (Republic of Mali) 30. Mauritania (Islamic Republic of Mauritania) 31. Mauritius (Republic of Mauritius) 32. Morocco (Kingdom of Morocco) 33. Mozambique (Republic of Mozambique) 34. Namibia (Republic of Namibia) 35. Niger (Republic of Niger) 36. Nigeria (Federal Republic of Nigeria) 37. Republic of the Congo (Republic of the Congo) 38. Rwanda (Republic of Rwanda) 39. Sao Tome and Principe 40. Senegal (Republic of Senegal)

41. Seychelles (Republic of Seychelles) 42. Sierra Leone (Republic of Sierra Leone) 43. Somalia (Somali Republic) 44. South Africa (Republic of South Africa) 45. Sudan (Republic of Sudan) 46. Swaziland (Kingdom of Swaziland) 47. Tanzania (United Republic of Tanzania) 48. Togo (Togolese Republic) 49. Tunisia (Tunisian Republic) 50. Uganda (Republic of Uganda) 51. Western Sahara (Sahrawi Arab Democratic

Republic) 52. Zambia (Republic of Zambia) 53. Zimbabwe (Republic of Zimbabwe)

1 Mark Each; 6 Maximum

In the Short-Answer Question (SAQ) format… Questions can be answered in just a few words

or phrases Use constructed responses with a single focus Space is allocated on the answer page indicating

the expected length and complexity of the answers

Have a comprehensive model answer key to ensure reliable scoring

Also common when using the Short-Answer Question (SAQ) format…

Questions may be prefaced with a vignette or scenario in order to make the question more clinically based.

Questions may consist of many sub-questions to build on common content areas.

Compared to Multiple-Choice: Easier to develop than multiple-choice questions Is not a ‘multiple-guess’ / selected response format

Compared to Essays: Much easier to score than short or long essay questions Task more clearly defined Examinees answer more concisely Inter-rater agreement higher Do not need two scorers

Usually more difficult to develop than short-essay or long-essay questions

Harder to mark than multiple-choice questions

Difficult to make answer keys totally comprehensive

Often only knowledge/comprehension questions rather than critical thinking or problem solving

Good SAQ questions clearly, consistently and fairly assess what we want to assess in an efficient and effective manner.

How do we maximize: Validity? Reliability? Practicality / Feasibility?

Create questions that: Can be answered realistically in a few words or

phrases – avoid long essays. Have single focus per question / sub-question As much as possible, each sub-question should be

independent from the rest

Restrict the length of the answer by using precise wording to define the task Ask direct questions: “What is . . . ” Use actions verbs such as: “List”, “Name” Do not use words like “Discuss”, “Describe”,

“Summarize” or “Outline” unless you limit the length of the answer or specify a limiting restriction such as “Describe THREE specific methods of …”

When choosing a topic area: Base choice on objective/established content

area preferably based on an examination BLUEPRINT.

True/False or Matching Questions have low reliability and should be avoided

Be careful when using diagrams

When reviewing the questions: Look at the difficulty level

Is the content relevant to the purpose of the

overall examination?

Provide visual guidelines to indicate how long an answer is expected

Provide a guideline to indicate the number of marks and/or importance of the question and answer

Length of vignettes should be proportional to the value of the question.

Do not provide cues in text. Should be of appropriate difficulty and a

relatively plausible situation.

Focused Not tricky Challenging but fair Clear outline of expectations: Content expected Length of answer Mark allocation Not ambiguous

Simple, detailed marking scheme and model answers Little subjectivity required by marker / Objective Defensible / Fair

1. Does the question target the learning objectives to be evaluated?

2. Will students know exactly what is being asked of them?

3. Does the question allow you to give consistent marks?

Are any of the following good

examples of SAQs? How can they be improved?

List four characteristics of SAQs (4 marks) _____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

• Can be answered in a few words / in point form 1 • Open-ended 1 • Increases reliability in scoring because the question structures the responses 1 • Often starts with words such as “List” or “Name” 1 • Usually measure knowledge or application of knowledge 1 • Less subjective than essay questions 1 • Easier to construct than MCQ but harder to mark 1

List THREE criteria required for an effective headline. ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________

You are a media studies professor who wants to assess your students' knowledge of the key features of "yellow" journalism.

Define “yellow” journalism. _______________________________________

What would you recommend be the best way to assess the students?

_______________________________________

Define vertigo. (10 marks)

Vertigo is defined as a sensation of disorientation in space combined with a sensation of motion. There is a hallucination of movement of self or the external environment.

How many journalists are there?

__________

1. Distinguish a dominant paradigm from an alternative paradigm.

2. Discuss the four models of public communication. Clarify the definitions of mass communication.

3. What are the implications of globalization of culture for a country like Nepal?

4. Describe briefly the distinctive features of media economics.

5. What is the 'Spiral of Silence'? 6. Engwall has made significant contribution to the

understanding of mass communicator's role in society. Explain succinctly.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using ______ for ______. (15 marks)

List 5 advantages (2 marks each) and 5 disadvantages (1 mark each) for using ____ for the treatment of ______ . (15 marks total)

List 5 advantages (2 marks each) for using ____ for the treatment of ______ . (10 marks total)

List 5 disadvantages (1 marks each) for using ____ for the treatment of ______ . (5 marks total)