ABSTRACT
There is little point in creating a novel item type if it is impossible to score. As an item type is being designed, the measurement component of the evidence specification also needs writing (see Chapter 4). We have already seen what can happen when this is not done. You will recall from the item evaluation dialogue in Chapter 6 that one of Bill’s criticisms of the sample item was that ‘once you get to the second part the first part ceases to be of any relevance’. Look at the item again. You will see that in the first part of the item clicking on the incorrect word is far too easy, and in the case of questions 3, 5 and 6, the response must be correct as there is only one thing to click on. However, Bill’s point is really that if you can answer ‘theatre’ for the first blank in the second section, the only possible answer to item 1 in the first section is ‘cinema’. This gives two marks for one piece of information, which is inadvertently weighting the item. The other problem with scoring, raised by Angela, was how it is possible to take into account all potential spellings in the second part, which requires typing a word. The scoring key may have to become exceptionally complex for the item to work correctly in a computer-scored test.
