Nursing Education & Ensuring Readability, Editing, Using Test Banks, Assembling, Arranging and Writing Test Directions

Ensuring readability of Test Items for Evaluation in Nursing Education, Editing Test Items for Evaluation in Nursing Education, Using Test Banks and Test Authoring Systems for Evaluation In Nursing Education, Assembling a Test for Evaluation In Nursing Education, Arranging Items within the Test for Evaluation In Nursing Education, Writing Test Directions for Evaluation In nursing Education.

Ensuring readability of Test Items for Evaluation in Nursing Education

Test items must be written at the level of reading comprehension of the test-taker. Readability refers to the semantic and syntactic complexity of the test item. There are several tests of readability such as the Lexile Framework, Fry, and the Flesch Kincaid readability tests. Word processing software also has simplified versions of readability tests. If interested, faculty can obtain a rough estimate of readability of their tests using one of these programs.

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) uses grade reading levels linked to the Lexile scale to determine readability of their licensing exam (O’Neill, 2004).

The readability level for the Practical Nurse exam does not exceed eighth grade reading level; the reading level for the Registered Nurse exam should not exceed a tenth grade reading level If the test is to be administered by a computer, the faculty and instructional designer must also consider the perceptual readability, which includes elements such as the screen position, screen color, and font size.

Most colleges and universities follow Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines for readability of computer screens. The NCSBN assumes that the candidate can read text presented on a computer screen. Candidates who do have difficulty reading computer screens and have a documented disability can request an accommodation from their state board of nursing.

Editing Test Items for Evaluation in Nursing Education

After test items have been developed, it is necessary to edit them and make any needed corrections. At this stage, peer review of the questions is helpful for refining the questions, ensuring accuracy and readability, reviewing the test items for fairness and cultural sensitivity, and eliminating grammatical errors.

Appropriate peers include those with the content knowledge to check for errors and those with editorial skills to edit for clarity and language usage. When using peers to review the test times, provide sufficient time for a thoughtful review. Edition can be done in a question or checklist format. Questions to consider when editing a test include the following:

1. Are items stated in a precise manner? Are the items written using short, simple, direct sentences?
2. Do items match the table of specifications?
3. Is there one best answer for each item (except for multiple response items)?
4. Does each item stand alone?
5. Are sentence construction and punctuation, correct?
6. Have stereotyping, prejudices and biases been eliminated?
7. Have “slang” or words with multiple meanings been eliminated?
8. Does the question eliminate gender bias, such as referring to the nurse as “she”? 9. Has the use of humor been avoided?
9. Has extraneous information been deleted?
10. Has a colleague reviewed the test?
11. Is the placement of correct options varied so there is no obvious pattern?
12. Is the terminology used on the test the same as has been used in the classroom and in reading assignments?
13. Does the layout of the test on the page facilitate easy reading of the question? Is there enough “white space”? Is the entire question on the same page (no page breaks within the scenario, stem, and options).

Using Test Banks and Test Authoring Systems for Evaluation in Nursing Education

Faculty should attempt to create a large pool of questions from which the items for a specific test can be drawn. Although it is time consuming to amass many questions, the effort is rewarded by being able to administer different versions of the test or to generate a “makeup” test for students who were not able to take the test at a regularly scheduled time.

Having the test items available in a word-processing file makes revision of the test easier. All test files should be secured in password-protected areas of a file server. Many textbook publishers provide test items free of charge to faculty adopting their texts.

When using
these test items, faculty must review them for fit with their learning outcomes and test specifications or blueprints. Faculty can revise questions from test banks to test at higher cognitive levels and to meet the needs of a particular course.

The task of creating test items can be simplified by using computerized test development software that is typically included as a component of a learning management system. This software can facilitate test development by creating a collection of test items (test bank) from which faculty can select appropriate questions according to the test blueprint.

Alternative forms of tests can also be generated because the item pool can be large enough so that questions can be selected randomly. Some test-authoring software can be used for online testing in a computer classroom or on the Internet, thus simplifying the test administration process.

Assembling a Test for Evaluation in Nursing Education

Once the items are written and edited, they must be assembled into a test. This step includes arranging the items, writing test directions, reproducing the test, and administering the test.

Arranging Items within the Test for Evaluation in Nursing Education

Unless using test-administration software in which items will be randomly generated, faculty can next determine how the test items should be arranged on the test. For the purposes of enhancing thought tracking, increasing student confidence, and preventing students from becoming anxious about early items, the following guidelines are suggested:

1. Group similar item types together (e.g., all true–false items).
2. Place items within each group in ascending order of difficulty.
3. Place item types in ascending order of difficulty (e.g., true–false items first, essay items last).
4. Begin the test with an easy question.

Writing Test Directions for Evaluation In nursing Education

Test directions should be self-explanatory and include the following information:

1. Purpose of the test: This may not need to be included if it has been addressed earlier in the instructional process.
2. Time allotted to complete the test: This information allows the students to pace themselves when responding to items.
3. Basis for responding: This provides the student with information necessary to choose the appropriate response (e.g., choose only one answer; matching options can be used more than once).
4. Recording answers: Answers may be recorded in a variety of ways to expedite grading (e.g., recording answers on a computer sheet using a No. 2 pencil, marking an X through the correct answer on a separate answer sheet for stencil grading, marking answers directly on the test booklet in the left column).
5. Guessing: Encouraging students to answer all questions prevents the inflation of scores of bolder students as a result of guessing.
6. Value/points assigned to items: This information allows the student to effectively plan the use of his or her time.
7. Academic honesty policy: Some faculty cite the policy or remind students of the policy. Faculty may also ask the student to sign that they are complying with the policy.