Re: Test Writing

[Kossom <MKossover@NEWMANSCHOOL.ORG>]

Howdy-

May I suggest that we help Tina with her problem? She said that her tests
were not measuring what what she thought the students knew.

First, many multiple choice questions are incredibly vile. Although I am
fond of Hewitt's text, his multiple choice questions, especially the one
from the test bank, are the epitome of god-awful corporate textbook
production.

I am not going to give an example, because I know some will jump in to say
that I am rotten apple picking (the opposite of cherry picking) but really
most are terrible. Other test banks are equally bad.

Good mutiple choice questions can be written but it is very hard. The AP
writers are the only group who consistently come up with reasonably good
questions. They are successful because they are able to test the questions
on thousands of students. If you'd like to use AP questions, you should talk
to high school teachers who teach in the AP program. Five exams have been
released; they may help.

I find writing good multiple choice questions too hard for me. I worked for
a test preparation company, so I really know what is involved. It is just
too much effort. So, I have my students write essays. They take longer to
grade, but they take less time than writing good multiple choice questions.

Sources for good essays include Bloomberg's _How Things Work_. Look for the
1st edition, it is much better. By the way, the teacher's guide is
wonderful. The section on  questions students have asked him and his answers
are terrific. Other sources include the ones at the end of the chapter in
Hewitt, at the beginning of the problem section in Halliday, Resnick, and
Walker.

The instructions for my essays usually require students to explain the
material sufficiently well that an smart person, but uneducated in physics,
could understand their answer. I grade them with a simple checklist, giving
them points for each correct part and subtracting for each thing they get
wrong.

At the risk of criticism I am willing to post some of my own essays.

-- start --

(Some of these include pictures I can't incorporate here.)

The long overhand throw down the court is a staple of the basketball
fastbreak (see the first picture below). That is, players throw the ball
over their heads all the way down the court. a) The players throw the ball
upwards in a big arc rather than throwing the ball directly at the player
down the court. Why throw the ball upwards first? b) The bounce pass
actually gets down the court faster. In this throw, the player throws the
ball horizontally and allows it bounce before getting to the other player
(see the second picture below). Why is this pass faster than the overhand
throw?


Fighter jets have short wings; passenger jets have long wings. In terms of
what we have learned in the last unit (rotational motion), why does each
kind of jet have the length wings that it does have?

If a wrench is laid across the terminals (poles) of a 12 V car battery,
nearly 500 A of current will run through the wrench, often making it so hot
that it gets welded into place. On the other hand, a person can touch both
terminals with no ill effects. Why is there a difference?

Amusement park bumper cars are always in an enclosed ring which has a metal
roof and a metal floor. Each car has a long metal rod with a metal strip
that touches the roof and another tab that runs along the floor.  (a) Why
does the car need a tab to touch the roof and the floor? (b) If a person
were to fall out of the car while the cars were moving, why isn't the person
electrocuted?  (c) Why is it important to make the ceiling high enough so
that people standing on their tiptoes will not touch the ceiling?  Is it
safe if someone jumps up and touches the ceiling?

-- end --

My tests also include a problem section, but it is more standard.

Several of my students have indicated that college physics isn't that hard
after my class since the professors just want to know the answers but not
why.

Marc "Zeke" Kossover





----- Original Message -----
From: "Tina Fanetti" <FanettT@QUEST.WITCC.CC.IA.US>
To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
Sent: Friday, April 26, 2002 2:29 PM
Subject: Test Writing


> Hi all.
>
> I am about to give up.  I have a class of students that are in
vocational
programs, mostly electronics.
> I do not seem to be able to write a multiple choice test they can
pass.  I
get the test questions from their textbook's test bank or from a
different
test bank of a similar level.  (In this case Hewitt's Conceptual
Physics)
> I cover all the stuff that is on the test in lecture.
>
> Granted it is not word for word and they may have to think.
>
> I can't get them to do better.  I have no idea what to do next.  They
still have one more test before the final.
> I don't seem to be able to make the test easy enough.
>
> Help!
>
> Thanks
> Tina
>
> Tina Fanetti
> Physics Instructor
> Western Iowa Technical Community College
> 4647 Stone Ave
> Sioux City IA 51102
> 712-274-8733 ext 1429