Question

Which characteristic of a good test relates to its ease of administration, scoring, and interpretation, considering time and cost?

• A. A. Validity
• B. B. Reliability
• C. C. Practicality
• D. D. Authenticity

Answer 1

Answer:

C. C. Practicality

Practicality as a Characteristic of a Good Test

• Practicality refers to the extent to which a test is feasible, manageable, and cost-effective to administer, score, and interpret.
• It considers various factors that impact the ease of implementation of a test in a real-world educational or research setting.

• Key Aspects of Practicality:

  • Ease of Administration: The test should be straightforward to set up and deliver, with clear instructions for both administrators and test-takers. It should not require excessive training for administrators.
  • Ease of Scoring: The scoring process should be clear, objective, and time-efficient. Tests with clear rubrics or objective answer keys are more practical than those requiring subjective judgment and extensive training for scorers.
  • Ease of Interpretation: The results of the test should be easy to understand and convey meaning to stakeholders (e.g., students, teachers, parents, policymakers) for appropriate decision-making.
  • Time Constraints: The test should not consume an excessive amount of time for administration or scoring, making it manageable within typical instructional or assessment schedules.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: The financial resources required for developing, printing, administering, and scoring the test (including materials, personnel, and technology) should be reasonable and justifiable.
• Practicality is crucial because even a highly valid and reliable test is ineffective if it is too difficult, time-consuming, or expensive to implement.
• While Validity (measuring what it intends to measure) and Reliability (consistency of results) are paramount, Practicality ensures the test's usability and widespread adoption.
• In competitive exams, 'Practicality' is often differentiated from 'Validity' and 'Reliability'. Remember: Practicality = Feasibility & Efficiency.