Writing Effective Tests
The CAP Leadership Project is developing 300 potential test questions (100 for each chapter in Module One of the "Learn to Lead" textbook).
The CAP Leadership Project will
pay you $1 for every test question that is published. You could earn up to $300! Deadline to submit your questions has now passed. However, you can still contribute to the LEX portion of this project. Click the
Product 2 - LEX link to find out more!
Writing effective tests for CAP is a challenge. On any given testing night, one CAP cadet may be 13 years old while another may be 17 - both taking the same test. Youth factors, such as age or cognitive development, impact the success rates of these cadets and, ultimately, CAP.
CAP mainly employs written, predictive, tests that are criterion based. CAP Leadership Project participants not familiar with writing good test questions should search the web and/or ask a teacher.
Before submitting your potential test question, make sure that each question:
- is multiple-choice. No True/False or matching questions are allowed.
- reaches the comprehension level of the cognitive domain in Bloom's Taxonomy.
- has one correct answer and three plausible distracters.
- is taken mainly from the objectives found within each chapter. If necessary, you can also develop questions from the chapter goals or the review quizzes.
- clearly shows the correct answer along with the corresponding objective number.
- takes into account the various ages and other youth factors. Questions should be a mix of easy, medium and hard. However, questions with an ease index of over 90% and a differentiation index too extreme will not be published.
If you are not familiar with any of the terms used above, please visit the
DO THIS FIRST tab.
All participants will need to
download the DRAFT textbook, "Learn to Lead, Module One - Personal Leadership." This outstanding text is authored by
Curt LaFond, Chief of Cadet Programs at CAP's National Headquarters. Please refer any questions or comments about the DRAFT textbook to Mr. LaFond.
Let's test your ability to comprehend a good test question. Is the sample test question below an effective test question?
Sample Test Question
Who is Civil Air Patrol's National Commander?
a. Brig Gen Amy Courter, CAP
b. There currently is no elected National Commander. The current National Vice-Commander is serving as the Interim National Commander.
c. All of the above.
Correct Answer
If you think that the sample test question is effective, then you need to do a little more research. The sample test question is not effective for a number of reasons. Here are but a few:
- Asking "who is" only reaches the knowledge level of the cognitive domain in Bloom's Taxonomy. CAP strives to reach the comprehension level.
- Asking for a specific name would date the test and the questions would need to be updated every time there is a leadership change.
- The most correct answer is "all of the above," which does not meet test design standards.
Important Notes
All test questions submitted will be reviewed and approved by the Project Lead prior to submitting to CAP's Cadet Programs.
Only questions that are published by CAP will be paid by the Project Lead.
In case of more than one submission of the same question, the Project Lead will make the decision on which person gets the credit.
Only the best 100 questions for each chapter of the "Learn to Lead" textbook will be selected.
The Project Lead will validate the tests with focus groups and/or test analysis software.