Typically, I organize questions thematically from easy to
difficult. I think of it as a psychophysical method to discover
the border of their knowledge on a topic. The students seem to
understand and like this method because I can explain why
questions are chosen to appear on the test. (Many students are
mystified as to why certain questions appear on a test. I can
tell them in a study guide that I am going to test them on their
knowledge of a particular topic and they know what to expect. In
my case, the sequence is definitional to conceptual applications.)
I find it is easier to explain to students where are their
conceptual problems. ("You see you have a problem at this point
with this group of questions...")
Additionally, it makes test revision much easier. If I have a
test which may be "too easy"** then I drop an earlier question
and add a harder question at the end of the sequence. Tests
which may be "too hard"**, I drop a hard question at the end of
the sequence and add an easier question at the beginning.
Ken
** "Easy" and "hard" are not meant to force a normal distribution
on the scores. Instead the change is typically meant to adjust
for those host of variables which change what I can fairly expect
the students to know. These variables include snow days, sick
days, changing dates of "state holidays" like Easter, my
impression of understanding of the material by the class, etc.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Kenneth M. Steele, Ph.D. [email protected]
Professor & Assistant Chair
Department of Psychology http://www.psych.appstate.edu
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608
USA
---------------------------------------------------------------
On 5/4/2012 4:34 PM, Carol DeVolder wrote:
Hi,
As I sit here trying to do anything but grade or write exams, a
thought occurred to me. Often, when one constructs an exam over
several chapters, the questions are mixed up so that those over
the same chapter aren't grouped together. Is this really
necessary? It seems that it merely serves to add one more layer
of confusion to the process. Or am I the only one who does this?
Carol
--
Carol DeVolder, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
St. Ambrose University
518 West Locust Street
Davenport, Iowa 52803
563-333-6482
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