Standardization of question items to test Tamil case markers – a study

Thamburaj Kingston Pal, Isaac Samuel Samikkanu Jabamoney, R Shakunthala,

Abstract

This research focuses on standardization of items for the purpose of testing knowledge with reference to language component ‘case marker’. An analysis is made with reference to the questions covering language component 'case marker' in Tamil language. Study was undertaken at the secondary school and university in the district of Tanjung Malim, Perak, Malaysia. There are 24 question items (covering the said contents) included in the questionnaire. Analysis was made based on the information or data collected from 56 selected students of school and university. The aim of this research is to see the problems in studying case markers via language dimensions. In this study question items are analyzed on the basis of the difficulty index and discriminations index. The data is collected through the questionnaire prepared for this purpose. Through this method the raw data gathered will be analyzed using the descriptive statistic calculation and with the use of important formula from the certain module. The result of the questionnaire indicates that achievement was in moderate stage. The results of the university students are better than the secondary school students. It is visualized that the both the students are understanding dimensions form and function than the structure.

References

1. Annamalai, E. (2014). Case and the argument structure of Tamil. In The Yearbook of South Asian Languages and Linguistics. Rajendra Singh. 2. Arden, A. H. 1942, repr. (1969). A progressive grammar of the Tamil language. Madras: Christian Literature Society. 3. Balakumar, M. (2014). Moziyin potumaik kuurukal karuttiyal vilakkam (General Aspects of language conceptual explanation). Mysore : CIIL. 4. Baily, Kathleen M. (1998). Learning about language assessment. Michigan: Henle & Heinle Publishers. 5. Kalai Selvi, S. (2014). Standardization of items analysis for kutrialukaram – a study. Perak: Universit Pendidikan Sultan Idris. 6. Ng See Ngean. (1991). Pengukuran dan penilaian dalam pengukuran. Petaling Jaya: Fajar Bakti. 7. Puliyur Kesikan (edr.) (2004). Nannuul kaaNdikaiyurai : collatikaaram. Chennai: Mullai Nilayam. 8. Pusat Perkembangan Kurikulum. (1993). Kemahiran berfikir: konsep, model dan strategi pengajaran dan pembelajaran. Malaysia: Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia. 9. Saranya, R., and Mubarak Ali, A. (2007). Tamil urupaniyal (Tamil Morphology). Chidambaram: CAS in Linguistics, Annamalai University. 10. Shakunthala, R. (2011). Quantifying syntactic aspects of language for the purpose of testing in Arimaa Nokku, October 2011 issue, pp.46-48 International Tamil Journal. Chennai: Tamil Nadu. 11. Shakunthala, R. (2014). The role of multiple choice questions in assessing syntactic aspects of language with reference to Tamil in language in India, volume 14:2 February 2014 issue, pp.279-289 online Journal. 12. Shakunthala, R. (2015). Assessment of language learning with reference to syntactic aspects (A Pragmatic Approach). A Dissertation submitted to the University of Mysore for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. 13. Subbiah, Pon. (2008). An introduction to evaluation terminology. Mysore: CIIL. 14. Subbiah, Pon. (2008). Concept based continuum of graded syllabi. (pre publication edn.) developed at National Testing Service. Mysore: CIIL. 15. Subramanian, S.V. (2004). Tolkaappiyam in English. Chidambaram: Meyappan pathippagam. 16. Umarani Pappuswamy. (2005). Dative subjects in Tamil: A computational analysis in South Asian Language. Review vol. XV. No.2. June 2005. 17. Yu-mien Shih. (2010). An item analysis of an English achievement test. Taiwan: EFL College Students.