ASSESSMENT: COMPLEX ACHIEVEMENT

Essay Questions

Measuring complex achievement: essay questions

The Essay question format allows the student freedom to construct and present ideas in their own words.

Assesses outcomes that are difficult to measure objectively- Conceptualization, construction, organization, integration, relation, evaluation, and the communication of ideas in writing.

Two types of essay question

Limits on the content.

Limits on the response.

Allows the student to choose the scope of the topic.

Student is able to demonstrate the use of higher-order cognitive skills.

Restricted-response

Extended-response

Restricted-response essay questions The restriction of the response allows for the

measurement of specific outcomes.

Can measure a variety of complex learning outcomes based on the student’s ability to supply the answer.

Restricted-response complex learning outcomes

Explain cause and effect relationships. Describe applications of principals. Present relevant arguments. Formulate tenable hypothesis. Formulate valid conclusions. State necessary conclusions. Describe the limitations of data. Explain methods and procedures. (p.232)

Extended-response essay questions

Allows the student to have freedom of choice in the selection of the information necessary to write a coherent essay within the scope of the topic question.

Can measure a variety of complex learning outcomes based on the student’s ability to write an essay on a given topic.

Extended-response complex learning outcomes

Produce, organize, and express ideas. Integrate information in different areas. Create original forms (designing an experiment). Summarize (writing a summary of a story). Construct creative stories (narrative essay). Explain concepts or principals (expository

essay). Persuade the reader (persuasive essay). (p.232)

Advantages of the Restricted-response essay question

The content is limited by the scope of the topic question. Limits stated within the essay question.

Allows demonstration of knowledge aligned to the desired learning outcomes.

Measures outcomes that require interpretation and application of specific information.

Measures a variety of complex learning outcomes.

Easy to construct.

Disadvantages of the Restricted-response essay question

Does not allow for measurement of learning outcomes that emphasize integration, organization, and originality.

Scoring may be unreliable. Time consuming to score.

Advantages of the Extended-response essay question

Allows for the demonstration of higher-order cognitive skills.

Emphasizes integration and application of thinking and problem solving skills.

Measures complex achievement. Measures writing skills. Measures understanding and ability in

content, knowledge and subject area. Easy to construct.

Disadvantages of the Extended-response essay question

Limited demonstration of higher-order cognitive skills.

Inefficient in measuring specific learning outcomes.

Requires complex behaviors that can not be measured by objective means.

Scoring may be unreliable. Limited in measuring factual knowledge. Time consuming to score.

Evaluation of essay questions

Clear learning outcomes and well defined scoring rubrics must be defined prior to measuring achievement.

Scoring reliability can be increased by: Defining the outcomes to be measured. Correctly framing the essay question. Carefully following the scoring rubrics. Practice.