Prep. By: Huzaifa Khan
UNIT 3:TECHNIQUES OF EVALUATION.
Essay Test
The essay tests are still commonly used tools of evaluation, despite the
increasingly wider applicability of the short answer and objective type
questions.
There are certain outcomes of learning (e.g., organising, summarising,
integrating ideas and expressing in one’s own way) which cannot be
satisfactorily measured through objective type tests. The importance of
essay tests lies in the measurement of such instructional outcomes.
An essay test may give full freedom to the students to write any
number of pages. The required response may vary in length. An essay type
question requires the pupil to plan his own answer and to explain it in his
own words. The pupil exercises considerable freedom to select, organise
and present his ideas. Essay type tests provide a better indication of pupil’s
real achievement in learning. The answers provide a clue to nature and
quality of the pupil’s thought process.
That is, we can assess how the pupil presents his ideas (whether his
manner of presentation is coherent, logical and systematic) and how he
concludes. In other words, the answer of the pupil reveals the structure,
dynamics and functioning of pupil’s mental life.
The essay questions are generally thought to be the traditional type
of questions which demand lengthy answers. They are not amenable to
objective scoring as they give scope for halo-effect, inter-examiner
variability and intra-examiner variability in scoring.
Types of Essay Test:
There can be many types of essay tests:
Some of these are given below with examples from different subjects:
1. Selective Recall.
e.g. What was the religious policy of Akbar?
2. Evaluative Recall.
Page:1
, Prep. By: Huzaifa Khan
e.g. Why did the First War of Independence in 1857 fail?
3. Comparison of two things—on a single designated basis.
e.g. Compare the contributions made by Dalton and Bohr to Atomic theory.
4. Comparison of two things—in general.
e.g. Compare Early Vedic Age with the Later Vedic Age.
5. Decision—for or against.
e.g. Which type of examination do you think is more reliable? Oral or
Written. Why?
6. Causes or effects.
e.g. Discuss the effects of environmental pollution on our lives.
7. Explanation of the use or exact meaning of some phrase in a passage or a
sentence.
e.g., Joint Stock Company is an artificial person. Explain ‘artificial person’
bringing out the concepts of Joint Stock Company.
8. Summary of some unit of the text or of some article.
9. Analysis
e.g. What was the role played by Mahatma Gandhi in India’s freedom
struggle?
10. Statement of relationship.
e.g. Why is knowledge of Botany helpful in studying agriculture?
11. Illustration or examples (your own) of principles in science, language,
etc.
e.g. Illustrate the correct use of subject-verb position in an interrogative
sentence.
12. Classification.
e.g. Classify the following into Physical change and Chemical change with
explanation. Water changes to vapour; Sulphuric Acid and
Page:2
, Prep. By: Huzaifa Khan
SodiumHydroxide react to produce Sodium Sulphate and Water; Rusting of
Iron; Melting of Ice.
13. Application of rules or principles in given situations.
e.g. If you sat halfway between the middle and one end of a sea-saw, would
a person sitting on the other end have to be heavier or lighter than you in
order to make the sea-saw balance in the middle. Why?
14. Discussion.
e.g. Partnership is a relationship between persons who have agreed to
share the profits of a business carried on by all or any of them acting for all.
Discuss the essentials of partnership on the basis of this partnership.
15. Criticism—as to the adequacy, correctness, or relevance—of a printed
statement or a classmate’s answer to a question on the lesson.
e.g. What is the wrong with the following statement?
The Prime Minister is the sovereign Head of State in India.
16. Outline.
e.g. Outline the steps required in computing the compound interest if the
principal amount, rate of interest and time period are given as P, R and T
respectively.
17. Reorganization of facts.
e.g. The student is asked to interview some persons and find out their
opinion on the role of UN in world peace. In the light of data thus collected
he/she can reorganise what is given in the text book.
18. Formulation of questions-problems and questions raised.
e.g. After reading a lesson the pupils are asked to raise related problems-
questions.
19. New methods of procedure
e.g. Can you solve this mathematical problem by using another method?
Page:3
UNIT 3:TECHNIQUES OF EVALUATION.
Essay Test
The essay tests are still commonly used tools of evaluation, despite the
increasingly wider applicability of the short answer and objective type
questions.
There are certain outcomes of learning (e.g., organising, summarising,
integrating ideas and expressing in one’s own way) which cannot be
satisfactorily measured through objective type tests. The importance of
essay tests lies in the measurement of such instructional outcomes.
An essay test may give full freedom to the students to write any
number of pages. The required response may vary in length. An essay type
question requires the pupil to plan his own answer and to explain it in his
own words. The pupil exercises considerable freedom to select, organise
and present his ideas. Essay type tests provide a better indication of pupil’s
real achievement in learning. The answers provide a clue to nature and
quality of the pupil’s thought process.
That is, we can assess how the pupil presents his ideas (whether his
manner of presentation is coherent, logical and systematic) and how he
concludes. In other words, the answer of the pupil reveals the structure,
dynamics and functioning of pupil’s mental life.
The essay questions are generally thought to be the traditional type
of questions which demand lengthy answers. They are not amenable to
objective scoring as they give scope for halo-effect, inter-examiner
variability and intra-examiner variability in scoring.
Types of Essay Test:
There can be many types of essay tests:
Some of these are given below with examples from different subjects:
1. Selective Recall.
e.g. What was the religious policy of Akbar?
2. Evaluative Recall.
Page:1
, Prep. By: Huzaifa Khan
e.g. Why did the First War of Independence in 1857 fail?
3. Comparison of two things—on a single designated basis.
e.g. Compare the contributions made by Dalton and Bohr to Atomic theory.
4. Comparison of two things—in general.
e.g. Compare Early Vedic Age with the Later Vedic Age.
5. Decision—for or against.
e.g. Which type of examination do you think is more reliable? Oral or
Written. Why?
6. Causes or effects.
e.g. Discuss the effects of environmental pollution on our lives.
7. Explanation of the use or exact meaning of some phrase in a passage or a
sentence.
e.g., Joint Stock Company is an artificial person. Explain ‘artificial person’
bringing out the concepts of Joint Stock Company.
8. Summary of some unit of the text or of some article.
9. Analysis
e.g. What was the role played by Mahatma Gandhi in India’s freedom
struggle?
10. Statement of relationship.
e.g. Why is knowledge of Botany helpful in studying agriculture?
11. Illustration or examples (your own) of principles in science, language,
etc.
e.g. Illustrate the correct use of subject-verb position in an interrogative
sentence.
12. Classification.
e.g. Classify the following into Physical change and Chemical change with
explanation. Water changes to vapour; Sulphuric Acid and
Page:2
, Prep. By: Huzaifa Khan
SodiumHydroxide react to produce Sodium Sulphate and Water; Rusting of
Iron; Melting of Ice.
13. Application of rules or principles in given situations.
e.g. If you sat halfway between the middle and one end of a sea-saw, would
a person sitting on the other end have to be heavier or lighter than you in
order to make the sea-saw balance in the middle. Why?
14. Discussion.
e.g. Partnership is a relationship between persons who have agreed to
share the profits of a business carried on by all or any of them acting for all.
Discuss the essentials of partnership on the basis of this partnership.
15. Criticism—as to the adequacy, correctness, or relevance—of a printed
statement or a classmate’s answer to a question on the lesson.
e.g. What is the wrong with the following statement?
The Prime Minister is the sovereign Head of State in India.
16. Outline.
e.g. Outline the steps required in computing the compound interest if the
principal amount, rate of interest and time period are given as P, R and T
respectively.
17. Reorganization of facts.
e.g. The student is asked to interview some persons and find out their
opinion on the role of UN in world peace. In the light of data thus collected
he/she can reorganise what is given in the text book.
18. Formulation of questions-problems and questions raised.
e.g. After reading a lesson the pupils are asked to raise related problems-
questions.
19. New methods of procedure
e.g. Can you solve this mathematical problem by using another method?
Page:3
