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Characteristics of a good test
Validity and reliability are two main criteria against which tests can be measured.
Validity: a test is valid if it tests what it is supposed to test. Thus it is not valid, for example, to test the writing ability with an essay question on a certain historical period — unless it is known that all students share this knowledge before they do the test. Also, a test which consisted of only three multiple choice items would not convince students of its face validity however reliable teachers thought it to be.
Reliability: a good test should give consistent results. For example, if the same group of students took the same test twice within two days — without reflecting on the first test before they sat it again — they should get the same results on each occasion. If two groups who were demonstrably alike took the test, the marking range would be the same.
In practice, ‘reliability’ is enhanced by making the test instructions absolutely clear, restricting the scope for variety in the answers.
In the fragment “... all students share this knowledge before they do the test.”, the bolded expression is an example of a collocation, that is, a word combination which, through custom and practice, have come be seen as natural and acceptable.
Mark the alternative which contains a frequent and correct collocation with the verb “to do”.