Definition, Purpose, and Characteristics of Items

An elementary rule for any writer is to know thoroughly the subject before beginning to write. This is the reason reporters ask questions, researchers investigate hypotheses, and novelists ponder their protagonists, all before they put pencil to paper. So too must writers of effective test items master their subject. Learning about test items means comprehending what test items are, understanding their purpose, and becoming familiar with their characteristics. Knowing the definition of a test item is the first step toward comprehending it. The definition forms the backbone upon which the purposes and characteristics of test items rest.