Which statement describes test planning?

• A. Writing only multiple-choice questions.
• B. Scheduling the exam day.
• C. Administering the test to a small group.
• D. Determining the test purpose and classification, defining learning objectives, and constructing the appropriate test items.

Answer: (D)

Planning a test is the process of deciding what the exam will measure and how to measure it. The best approach described here outlines the key planning steps: determine the test purpose and how it will be classified, define the learning objectives, and then construct items that align with those objectives.

Setting the test purpose and classification helps establish the scope and the level of cognitive demand you expect, guiding what content and skills should be included. Defining learning objectives ties the test directly to what students should know or be able to do, providing clear targets for item design and for scoring. Constructing appropriate test items then ensures each question is designed to assess those targets in a way that contributes to valid and reliable measurement. Together, these elements form the blueprint for the exam, shaping content coverage, item formats, difficulty, and scoring.

Wording an exam around only one type of question, handling logistics like scheduling, or simply piloting the test with a small group are important stages in the broader process, but they are not the planning activity itself.