Essay+Questions

=//__Long Answer/Essay Questions __//= (Michelle and Karline)

//**Definition**//
A question whose answer involves application, comparing and contrasting subject matter. It allows for more complex through process and for higher order thinking. It is usually 2-3 sentences long up to a short paragraph

**//Advantages//**

 * Students less likely to guess
 * Students are less likely to copy from other students
 * Easy to construct
 * Stimulates more study
 * Allows students to demonstrate ability to organize knowledge, express opinions, show originality and thought processs
 * Assess communication, literacy, content based skills
 * Allow for questions that extend learning, and application
 * Allows students to compare and contrast between content
 * Allows for accommodations (challenges the gifted students)

**//Disadvantages//**

 * Can limit amount of material tested, therefore has decreased validity.
 * Subjective, potentially unreliable scoring.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Time consuming to score.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">May be difficult for some students
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Slow writers may take too long
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Some students may be intimidated by open ended questions, not structured enough

**//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tips //**

 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Make the topic reasonable, test what you’ve taught
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Give them enough time to answer
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Give them choices,
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mark the same question for all the students at the same time
 * Specify the length the answer should be (25-50 words, three sentences, etc)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Give clear directions

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**//Considerations for Identified Students//**

 * Provide extra time
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Use alternate wording
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Allow the use of a computer or technology
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dictionary, word wall, terms list
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oral testing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Quiet room, coming back to complete it later

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**//Other useful information//**

 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Used as much for assessment as evaluation
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1-minute essays – used for assessment because you can’t evaluate them
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|One Minute Paper]

**//References//**
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga: Grayson H. Walker Teaching Resource Centre (2003) //Designing Test Questions//. Retrieved January 11, 2011 from []