A. Validity
B. Differentiability
C. Objectivity
D. Reliability
Answer is = B
You are correct! Out of the given options, the characteristic of a test to discriminate between high achievers and low achievers is:
B. Differentiability
Here’s why the other options are not as directly related to discriminating between high and low achievers:
- Validity: While a valid test is essential for any assessment, it’s a broader concept that refers to whether the test measures what it claims to measure. A valid test can also be effective at discriminating between high and low achievers, but validity itself doesn’t solely focus on this characteristic.
- Objectivity: Objectivity is concerned with the extent to which a test score is free from bias or the influence of the scorer. This is important for ensuring fairness, but it doesn’t directly address the ability to distinguish between different performance levels.
- Reliability: Reliability focuses on the consistency of scores on a test. A reliable test yields similar results if administered multiple times under similar conditions. While a reliable test might also be good at differentiating between high and low achievers, reliability itself is not the core concept here.
Differentiability, on the other hand, specifically refers to a test’s ability to distinguish between students with different levels of knowledge or skill. A good test should be able to effectively differentiate between high achievers who demonstrate a strong understanding and low achievers who might have gaps in their knowledge or skills.
Here are some additional points about test discriminability:
- Item difficulty: A well-designed test should have a range of items with varying difficulty levels. This allows the test to discriminate between students who excel at even the most challenging questions and those who struggle with more basic concepts.
- Item-level analysis: Statistical methods can be used to analyze how well individual test items differentiate between high and low achievers. This information helps test developers improve the effectiveness of the test in distinguishing between different performance levels.
In conclusion, discriminability is the most suitable choice because it directly addresses the ability of a test to distinguish between students with varying levels of achievement. This is a crucial characteristic for ensuring that a test can effectively assess the intended knowledge or skills and provide meaningful insights into student learning.