Construction and Standardization of an Achievement Test in Biology: A Study on Secondary Level Students in West Bengal

Abstract

Assessment is a fundamental component of the educational process, serving not only to measure student learning but also to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional methods. This paper details the systematic construction and standardization of an achievement test in Biology designed for Class X students under the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (W.B.B.S.E.). The study outlines the methodological steps involved in test construction, including the definition of instructional objectives based on Bloom’s Taxonomy, the allocation of weightage to content and difficulty levels, and the development of a comprehensive blueprint. The resulting instrument is a 20-mark assessment comprising objective, short-answer, and essay-type questions aimed at measuring knowledge, understanding, application, and skill. The paper further presents a detailed question-wise analysis and scoring key, while establishing the content validity of the test through expert inspection to ensure conformity with instructional goals. This standardized tool provides a reliable mechanism for teachers to diagnose student strengths and weaknesses and facilitate remedial instruction.