Ways to Avoid Students Sharing Test Information

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Question sampling and fair tests: conflicting requirements?

Many instructors want to create quizzes and tests by sampling questions in an effort to keep students from sharing information about specific questions. Sampling of questions is commonly used for low stakes quizzing and it is relatively easy to implement in many computer-based testing systems. Though it may seem reasonable to use question sampling in higher stakes tests much depends on how sampling is designed. If there is concern about student sharing of information because testing occurs over an extended time period then some use of sampling of questions is advised.

Requirements for testing procedures that ensure fair tests
Measuring student achievement must be done with procedures that treat all students in the same way. Read more.
Study test data to see if questions have been compromised
If a test is given over an extended period of time, information about a question might have been shared if later test takers answer it correctly more often than those completing the test earlier. Read more.
Test conditions where question sampling is not recommended
There are many testing circumstances where sampling is simply unnecessary. Read more.
Test conditions where question sampling may be helpful
Testing that lasts for longer than one day may need to sample questions. Read more.
Potential effect of question sampling on test fairness
Using question sampling can produce test versions that differ in average difficulty and possibly differ with respect to topics covered. Read more.
Types of test questions that cannot easily be shared
If the process of answering a question is complex, it is more difficult for students to share usable information. Conversely if most questions involve simple recall of facts then sharing information can be a concern. Read more.
How to create questions that are parallel
Some practices in question creation will result in parallel forms and other techniques are known to produce questions that cannot be used to get parallel forms. Read more.
What experience tells us about students sharing test information
It is difficult to get precise information about what the impact of information sharing by students actually is. It is quite likely that all sharing of test information cannot be stopped. Limiting the usefulness of shared information is a reasonable strategy. Read more.