Matching Test Item Writing Procedure

DOE-HDBK-1204-97

8. MATCHING TEST ITEM WRITING PROCEDURE

With matching test items, a trainee is required to match each word, sentence, or phrase in

one column with a word, sentence, or phrase in another column. The test items in the first

column are called "premises." The answers in the second column are called "responses."

Consider the following guidelines when constructing matching test items.

Give specific directions for each matching test item that indicate on exactly

what basis the matching is to be done.

State in the directions whether a response can be used only once or more than

once.

Only use logically related material in a single matching test item -- nothing

should be listed in cross-related columns that is not part of the subject of the

test item.

Consider the following possibilities for pairing premises and responses:

RESPONSES

PREMISES

Terms or words

Definitions

Short test items

Answers

Symbols

Proper names

Causes

Effects

Principles

Situations in which they apply

For any single matching test item, use only one set of premise-response

formats (e.g., only terms with definitions).

Each response should be a plausible answer for each premise -- for example: