---------------------------♦----------------------------- INTRODUCTION

These tests are prepared by the teachers themselves. These tests are quite refined and objective. In the present case the investigator has prepared the achievement test in English of X class. This test is developed by the investigator to measure the achievement of students in Social Science.

The important steps of achievement test construction are as follows: 1. Planning the test: Objectives and curriculum analysis. 2. First Draft to the test: Item selection 3. Tryout of the test: Administration, scoring, reliability, validity and item analysis. 4. Final drafting: Administration, application 5. Standardization: Norms, interpretation etc.

The test constructer who plunges directly into writing is likely to produce an inconsistent test. Without any advance plan, some are of syllabus will be overemphasized while others may remain untouched. A test constructed without a blueprint is likely to be unbalanced and representative or teacher’s interest. Much of the criticism has been done of the objective test system for over emphasis on rote memory and trivial details in poorly constructed test. To guard against imbalances and disproportion in coverage of the syllabus, test specification should draw up before an items are prepared. For drawing up test specification, the investigator studied two types of literature critically: i. Relating to test construction. ii. H.B.S.E. syllabus for X class. The chief source of information on how to construct print test arc written or edited by Adkins, Guilford, Johnson, etc. Most of these publications include discussion on how to write and edit items and the process of standardizing the mental tests. The study of syllabus of English helped the investigator to decide the weight age given to different topics in preparation of blueprint for the subject. This blueprint is prepared by taking into consideration the relative importance of the content are. This blueprint was then discussed with various teachers dealing with the subject.

The items in the test draft were nearly one and half times the number in the final draft. The items with wider range of difficulty were constructed. Proper instructions were framed for administration of the test. The type draft was given to two teachers, teaching English to X class, the supervisor and experts having experience of test construction for frank opinion and criticism. After incorporation their suggestions, the test was administered on 30 students of S.K. Senior Secondary School, Hisar and then answers were checked.

The written instructions were given on the title page or the try-out test, but along with written oral instructions were also given. The oral instructions were as follows:

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test (iii) Please see that no item is left out, you have to answer all the items. (iv) Your sincere efforts will help me a lot in my endeavor. (v) Please go through the written instructions carefully before starting. (vi) Please write your Roll No. & Name etc. before you start.

There was 110 time limit for taking the try-out test. The test was administered to all the participants and it was taken back.

The scoring was done with the help of a scoring key already prepared by the investigator. Correct answer was a warded one mark and incorrect was awarded zero.

ITEM ANALYSIS

After the try-out testing and scoring, the investigator took 30 answer sheets. After that: i. All the 30 answer sheets were arranged in descending order from highest score paper at the top to the lowest score one at the bottom. ii. From the above pile, upper 8 papers which framed the upper group and the lower 8 from the lower grup were taken into consideration for computing the difficulty value and internal consistency discrimination index of each item.

After the formation of two groups, the number of correct responses to an item in each group was found and tabulated. The average of these correct responses on each item in all two groups was taken to be an estimate of the difficulty value of that particular item. The formula for calculating difficulty value of each item is: u the upper group P1 = Proportion of correct responses to the item from the lower group

The relationship between the total scores derived from a test and item cores are referred to as internal consistency discriminating index of an item. The internal consistency discriminating index of each item will found by reading the biserial coefficient of correlation between the item and the total score from the J.C. Flanagan’s abac. J.C. Flanagan’s abac was designed for use when the middle 46% of the examinees on total number score have been eliminated and each tail contains 27%. The proportion passing the item in the upper criterion group will be read from the ordinate and the proportion passing the item in the lower criterion group from the abscissa, and the value of coefficient will be read at the intersection of the perpendiculars.

The Items for the final test were selected on the basis of the following criteria: Internal Consistency with regard to internal consistency discrimination index or item validity, Garett (1969) says, “As a general rule, item with validity indices of 0.21 or more are regarded as satisfactory”. According to Thorndike and Hagen, “Item with a validity coefficient as high as 0.25 usually represents an outstanding ‘valid’ item.” Keeping these in view, the investigator decided to retain only the items having internal consistency between 0.25 to 0.75.

The investigator selected most of the items of medium difficulty value. Lind man (1971) writes, “Some easy items should be included in a test to encourage students of low ability. Some difficulty item should be included to challenge the abler students. However in the interest of constructing a measuring instrument of maximum quality and utility, most items included should be in the middle range of difficulty. A scatter diagram was prepared placing each item in the appropriate column and row according to its difficulty value and discrimination indices respectively and then items were selected in keeping the above criteria in view.

by the split half (odd/even) method, was 0.85.

The validity or this test was taken for granted, because it was an achievement test and was constructed after being keeping in view the weightage of the different portion of syllabi in view, the point of view is supported by Guilford (1954) and Landguist (1951). Guilford says, “There are some measures whose validity is taken for granted, for example, achievement test scores.”

The investigator, after selecting items for final test, re-arranged them in accordance with the principles laid down by experts. The final form of Achievement test consists of seventy items. On the cover page of this test, standardized instruction to the students were pointed- as in the case of try-out test. The scoring key for the final test was also prepared and has been given along with the test. The time limit for the test was seventy five minutes.

In the beginning when all the students were seated, the procedure for answering the multiple choice type items was explained. After verbal instruction had been given then the test was distribute and they were asked to read instruction on title page. Before collecting the test papers, administrator made sure that all necessary information had been entered on title page of the test.

The investigator personally scored all the papers. The scoring was done without use of any formula for correction. Odd and even items were scored with the pencils of different colors. Odd no. questions with red and even with green pencil. The total score on each test paper of an individual was the sum of the odd and even items scored and total sum was written on the title page of the test paper. (Odd and even items were scored separately since separate scores on these parts were required for computing split-half reliability).

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