Development of Achievement Test: Validity and Reliability Study for Achievement Test on Matter Changing

Abstract

For "Matter Changing" unit included in the Secondary School 5th Grade Science Program, it is intended to develop a test conforming the gains described in the program, and that can determine students' achievements. For this purpose, a multiple-choice test of 48 questions is arranged, consisting of 8 questions for each gain included in the training program. The test, of which the content validity is reviewed and ensured by 2 chemistry domain experts and 2 science lecturers, is applied to 354 6th grade students (ages 11-12) in the Black Sea Region of Turkey, in a city centre. Item analysis of the test is carried out and 16 items of which the distinctiveness are below 0,30 are excluded from the test. As a result of item analysis the average difficulty of the questions are estimated to be 0,38 and it is seen that their difficulty level is intermediate. Likewise, the average distinctiveness of the questions are estimated to be 0,38 and it is seen that the distinctiveness strength of the questions are well. After the questions are excluded, Kuder Richardson-20 reliability coefficient is estimated to be 0,763. As a result of the study, an effective and reliable achievement test including 32 questions with intermediate difficulty level and well distinction strength created for "Matter Changing" unit is brought to the science education.

Keywords: Validity, reliability, matter changing, science.