Evolution of a Test Item∗

Abstract

This article follows the development of test items (see Language Assessment Quarterly, Volume 3 Issue 1, pp. 71–79 for the article “Test and Item Specifications Development”), beginning with a review of test and item specifications, then proceeding to writing and editing of items, pretesting and analysis, and finally selection of an item for a live test. The article focuses on selected response types of items, with some attention given to short response types.