International Journal of Research in Teacher Education
ISSN (Print): 1308-951X -

Research article    |    Open Access
International Journal of Research in Teacher Education 2019, Vol. 10(4) 19-34

Appraisal of May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination Questions in Business Management

Edmond Kwesi Agormedah

pp. 19 - 34

Publish Date: December 31, 2019  |   Single/Total View: 181/947   |   Single/Total Download: 250/1.756

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Abstract

Assessment is a key component of teaching and learning. Poorly constructed questions might affect students' performance and distort examination results. The main purpose of the study was to evaluate May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) questions in Business Management. The study was guided by the cognitive level of Bloom's Taxonomy. The data source consisted of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and essay test items drawn from May/June WASSCE questions in Business Management conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for a period of eight (8) years (2011-2018). Descriptive-content analysis was used to classify the examination questions based on the cognitive level of Bloom's taxonomy. The study found that most of the examination questions (MCQs) were standard (followed the principles of constructing multiple-choice item). However, few of the MCQs had item writing flaws (IWFs) such as negative stem, options not having equal length and options not arrange in alphabetical and chronological order. Also, most of the examination questions highly measured the lower-order cognitive processing of the students. Only few questions measured higher-order cognitive levels of the students. The study concluded that the assessment principles in constructing multiple-choice items and profile dimensions are not strictly adhered to in crafting May/June WASSCE questions in Business Management. The dominance questions in the domain of lower-order cognitive skills could possibly affect instructional intercourse, predominantly, where teachers and students largely depend on such questions for practice and assessments. The study recommended that WAEC should ensure that examiners follow assessment principles in constructing multiple-choice items in order to avoid item writing flaws (IWFs). They should ensure that examination questions are carefully designed taking into consideration the profile dimensions of the syllabus in order to develop students' higher-order cognitive processing skills.

Keywords: Assessment, Business Management, Bloom’s Taxonomy, Item Writing Flaw, WAEC, WASSCE

How to Cite this Article?

APA 7th edition
Agormedah, E.K. (2019). Appraisal of May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination Questions in Business Management. International Journal of Research in Teacher Education, 10(4), 19-34.

Harvard
Agormedah, E. (2019). Appraisal of May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination Questions in Business Management. International Journal of Research in Teacher Education, 10(4), pp. 19-34.

Chicago 16th edition
Agormedah, Edmond Kwesi (2019). "Appraisal of May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination Questions in Business Management". International Journal of Research in Teacher Education 10 (4):19-34.

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