The document contains information about standards, concepts, and rules for developing assessment items. The standards relate to social studies and include concepts like economic choice, opportunity cost, and citizenship. The document provides examples of rules for developing clear, concise questions and response options for selected response items like multiple choice. The rules aim to ensure the items accurately measure the targeted skills and knowledge.

1. IS:
Defined Concept

2. Core Subject [Social Studies] Standard 3.9
The student will identify examples of making an
economic choice and will explain the idea of
opportunity cost (what is given up when making
a choice).

3. IS: Defined Concept
Valid Type(s) of
Valid Type(s) of
Constructed
Selected Response
Response
Fill-in-the-Blank
 Labeling  Multiple Choice
 Short Answer  Matching
 True/False
 Essay  Ordering
 Project
 Performance

4. Paul just moved into a new apartment. He has
many choices to make during the first few
weeks living in the new place. Which of the
questions is an example of an economic choice
Paul might make?
a. Where should I place my couch in the living room?
b. Should I buy a new flat screen television set for my
living room?
c. Should I call my mom and talk with her about the
problems I am having with my new bathroom?
d. Should I invite my new neighbors over to share the
home-warming cake my mom baked?

5. IS:
Rules

6. Core Subject [Social Studies] Standard 3.9
-modified-
Given an example of making an economic
choice, determine three opportunity costs.

7. IS: Rules
Valid Type(s) of
Valid Type(s) of
Constructed
Selected Response
Response
 Fill-in-the-Blank
 Labeling Multiple Choice
 Matching
 Short Answer
 Essay
 True/False
 Project  Ordering
 Performance

8. List three opportunity costs resulting from your
decision to buy a new Nintendo Wii gaming
system.

9. IS:
Higher Order Rules

10. Core Subject [Social Studies] Standard 1.10
The student will identify and apply the traits of
good citizenship.

11. IS: Higher Order Rules
Valid Type(s) of
Valid Type(s) of
Constructed
Selected Response
Response
Fill-in-the-Blank
 Labeling
 Multiple Choice
 Short Answer  Matching
 Essay  True/False
 Ordering
Project
 Performance

12. After watching a video clip from the movie “Toy
Story,” describe three different ways in which
Woody demonstrated good citizenship.

13. A

14. Core Subject [Social Studies] Standard 1.10
Value honesty and truthfulness in oneself and
others.
Core Subject [Social Studies] Standard 1.10
-modified-
The student will choose to apply the traits of a
good citizen.

15. Attitudes
Valid Type(s) of
Valid Type(s) of
Constructed
Selected Response
Response
 Fill-in-the-Blank
 Labeling
 Multiple Choice
Short Answer  Matching
 Essay  True/False
 Project  Ordering
Performance

16. Teacher: I am going to put a star sticker next to
your name every time I notice you acting like a
Good Citizen in this class.

17. MS

18. Core Subject [Social Studies] Standard 1.5
The student will construct a simple map of a
familiar area, using basic map symbols in the
map legend.
Note: At one level, this is a higher-order rule. At a first-grade level, this also
involves motor skills associated with drawing in general.

19. Motor Skills
Valid Type(s) of Valid Type(s) of
Constructed Response Selected Response
 Fill-in-the-Blank
 Labeling Multiple Choice
 Short Answer  Matching
 Essay  True/False
 Project  Ordering
Performance

20. Using anything you want from the “Arting”
table, make a map of your neighborhood. Don’t
forget to include basic mapping symbols, and
include a legend.

21. Step Three
Follow the
rules…

22. Rules based on…
 Evidence of Validity: Ensure items address targeted Skills,
Knowledge, and Attitudes/Dispositions (SKA)
 Maximize Grading efficiency (time and accuracy)
 Maximize probability that correct answers reflect SKA
performance (minimize correct answer guesses - Type I
Error – False Positive)
 Maximize probability that incorrect answers reflect SKA
performance (Type II Error – False Negative)
 Encourage thinking about the questions

23. 1. General
Rule 1.1: Write clear, concise, simple directions free of
complex syntax or difficult vocabulary.
Example:
Bad Directions
Newton’s Three Laws of Motion defined an entire
field of physical science for many years. Name
them.
Better Directions
Name Newton’s Three Laws of Motion.

24. 1. General
Rule 1.2: All assessment items must clearly elicit the
performances articulated within the objectives under
the same conditions stated.
Example:
Objective: Given the mass of an object (in kilograms)
and the acceleration of the object (in m/s2), the learners
will calculate the force in Newtons.

25. 1. General
Bad Assessment
Suppose a 1500 gram ball was thrown off the roof
of a 2-story (approximately 7 meters high) building.
What force will the ball apply to the ground when it
hits (in Newtons)?
Better Assessment
Suppose a 1.5 Kg ball was thrown against a wall
with an acceleration of 2 m/s/s. With what force will
the ball hit the wall (in Newtons)?

26. 1. General
Rule 1.3: Include reminders to perform certain steps if
needed.
Example:
Draw a picture of a typical animal cell and label all
the cell parts. Don’t forget to draw very clear lines
from your labels to the cell parts (use arrows if
needed).

27. 1. General
Rule 1.4: Included clear evaluation criteria if the assessment
tasks are particularly complex.
Example:
Explain possible mechanisms involved in producing elevated global
temperatures as a result of the greenhouse effect.
Make certain that your answer references the chemical characteristics of
hydrocarbons in the atmosphere, the flow of energy resulting in
atmospheric temperature changes, and at least 3 specific natural and 3
specific artificial sources of hydrocarbon emissions contributing to
changes in atmospheric concentrations of hydrocarbon gases.

28. 2. Multiple Choice
Rule 2.1: Do not use any choices that are obviously
incorrect.
Example:
How many centimeters are in a meter?
a) .001
b) 1.00
c) 100
d) 3.12

29. 2. Multiple Choice
Rule 2.2: Ensure that words such as a, an, he, she, or
plural words are not used to cue learners toward the
correct answer.
Example:
Pierre de Fermat is best known as a
a) Inventor
b) Scientist
c) Mathematician
d) Teacher

30. 2. Multiple Choice
Rule 2.3: Don’t use “All of the Above.”
- If one choice is wrong, all of the above is wrong
- None of the above is ok

31. 2. Multiple Choice
Rule 2.4: Don’t use words like “All” or “Never” in the answer
options.
These terms almost always signify an answer option that is
incorrect.

32. 2. Multiple Choice
Rule 2.5: Don’t repeat words from the question in the
answer options.
Example:
Which of the following represents the best description of
Natural Selection?
a)The natural process responsible for the origin of new species
and the adaptation of organisms to their environments.
b)The procedures involved in cultivating the best possible type
of offspring from a population of adult organisms.
c)The adaptation of organisms their environment.

33. 2. Multiple Choice
Rule 2.6: Don’t use negative answer options following a
negative question or stem.
Example:
Which of the assumptions about Natural Selection is
NOT true?
a)Organisms reproduce
b)Traits vary among offspring
c)Offspring do inherit traits from their parents
d)The environment does not limit the size of
populations.

34. 2. Multiple Choice
Special Note: Paired MC items CAN be used to measure
higher-order thinking skills:
Example:
1. Suppose a frozen turkey was thrown from an
airplane at 5,000 meters…
2. Which of the following BEST explains why the
answer chosen for item 1 is true?

35. 2. Multiple Choice
See Assessment
Guide for More…