Presentation regarding the definition of identification test; advantages & disadvantages; suggestions on how to make good tests. Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of the photos used in this slideshow.

1. WRITING
IDENTIFICATION TESTS

2. LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this presentation, the class will be able to:
 Define what an identification test is
 Understand the advantages and disadvantages of
identification tests
 Learn the guidelines for preparing an identification
test

4. DEFINITION
Identification Test
 It is a type of an examination which can be
scored objectively.
 A recall type of examination
 usually demands only a short answer
 most often used to test ( remembering ) key facts and terms
 it is also a form of a Restricted Response Test.

5. 1. QUESTION (enumeration) -- answer few
short words or phrases
2. COMPLETION (fill-in-the-blanks) – a
statement with a key word or missing
words
2 TYPES OF SHORT ANSWERS:

6. ADVANTAGES OF IDENTIFICATION
TEST
Easy to construct
Low probability of guessing the answer
because it has to be supplied by the
examinees rather than select from the
given answers.
They are good to test the lowest level of
cognitive taxonomy.

7. DISADVANTAGES OR LIMITATIONS OF
IDENTIFICATION TESTS
 Identification tests measure only rote memory.
 They are usually restricted to short words, hence, items
tend to measure the recall of specific facts, names, places,
and events and rarely measure more complex outcomes.

8. Do’s and Don’t’s
Type of Question Do’s Don’t’s
Short-Answer Use own words
Use specific problems
Use direct question
Use questions that ellicit
facts, not opinions
Use Trivia
Long/complex sentences
Fill-in –Blanks Use prompts that omit only
one or two key words at the
end of the sentence
Use questions that ellicit
facts, not opinions
Take out so many words
that the sentence is
meaningless

9. GUIDELINES IN PREPARING AN
IDENTIFICATION TEST
1. Give the student a reasonable basis for the
responses desired. Avoid indefinite statements.
President Noynoy Aquino was born in _____________.
Improved form:
The birthplace of President Noynoy Aquino is __________.
1.1. Avoid overmutilated statements.
The _______ is obtained by dividing the __________
by the ___________.
Improved form:
The intelligence quotient is 1. Mental Age
obtained by dividing the (1)_____ 2. Chronological Age
by the (2) _______.

10. GUIDELINES IN PREPARING AN
IDENTIFICATION TEST
2. Avoid giving the student unwarranted
clues to the desired response.
3.1 Avoid lifting statements directly from the book.
3.2. Omit only words or phrases rather than trivial
details.
3.3. Whenever possible, avoid “a” or “an immediately
before a blank. These words may give a clue of
whether a response starts with a consonant or vowel.
3.4. Do not indicate the expected answer by varying
the length of blanks or by using a dot for each letter
in the correct word.
3.5. Guard against the possibility that one item or
part of the test may suggest the correct response to
another item.
3.6. Avoid giving grammatical clues to the answer
expected.

11. GUIDELINES IN PREPARING AN
IDENTIFICATION TEST
The authors of the first performance test of
intelligence were ___________.
Improved form:
The first performance test of intelligence was
prepared by ___________.
3. Arrange the test so as to facilitate
scoring.
3.1. Allow one point for each blank correctly filled. Avoid
fractional credits or unequal weighing of items in a test.

12. GUIDELINES IN PREPARING AN
IDENTIFICATION TEST
3.2. Select the items to which only one correct
response is possible.
3.3. Arrange the items as far as possible so that the
students’ responses are in a column at the right of
the sentences
3.4. Scoring is more rapid if the blanks are
numbered and the student is directed to write his
response in the appropriate numbered blanks.
3.5. Prepare a key for scoring by writing on a copy
of the test all acceptable answers.

13. GUIDELINES IN PREPARING AN
IDENTIFICATION TEST
1. atria/ right atria
2. ventricles/ left ventricle
3. sinoatrial node/ SA
node
1 & 2. Unoxygenated blood from the
veins is received by the ______ of the
heart, while the oxygenated blood from
the heart is ejected into the arteries via
the ________ of the heart.
3. The ______ acts as the heart’s
pacemaker

14. Minimize questions that call
for sheer memory work
unless the answer has
important analytical
significance
The direction “fill-in-blanks”
is usually sufficient, but
student should be informed
about how detailed the
answer should be.
Phrase the item so that a
unique word, series of
words, or number must be
supplied to complete it.
Other
guidelines/suggestions
Fill-in-the-blank items
requiring calculations and
solving mathematical type
problems should include in
the statement the type of
answer and degree of
specificity desired.

15. Write questions that are specific
and can be answered in a few
words, phrases, or short
sentences.
When there is a need to write a
longer answer, provide
sufficient space or use a
separate answer sheet.
Use one blank, or certainly no
more than two, in any item,
since more than two blanks
lead to confusion and
ambiguity.
Other
guidelines/suggestions
Before writing the item, think
of the correct answer first
and then write a question or
statement for the answer.

16. SAMPLE ERROR IDENTIFICATION
These sentences may contain errors in grammar, usage, choice of
words, or idioms. There may be one or more errors in a sentence.
The sentence may also contain no errors. Let’s try these 

17. SAMPLE ERROR IDENTIFICATION
These sentences may contain errors in grammar, usage, choice of
words, or idioms. There may be one or more errors in a sentence.
The sentence may also contain no errors. Let’s try these 

18. SAMPLE ERROR IDENTIFICATION

19. SAMPLE ERROR IDENTIFICATION

20. KNOWLEDGE IS AS VAST AS THE OCEAN.
NAVIGATE YOUR WORLD. KEEP LEARNING.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING 

21. SOURCES:
 Dr. Warren Ramos’ Presentation “Writing an
Identification Test”
 Measurement and Evaluation Book by Laurentina P.
Calmorin; 3rd Edition