Evaluating the Reliability and Validity of Teacher-Made English Mid-Term Test Items on Descriptive Text for Grade XI Students of SMP Negeri 1 Sambas
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26418/jefle.v6i2.103363Keywords:
Validity & Reliability, English Mid-Term Test Item, Descriptive Text, Vocational High School StudentsAbstract
This study examines the validity and reliability of a 30-item multiple-choice English mid-term test on descriptive text administered to eight-grade students at SMP Negeri 1 Sambas in the 2025/2026 academic year. The research was motivated by recurring issues in teacher-made tests, such as weak item construction, low discriminatory power, and misalignment with core competencies, which may undermine accurate interpretation of students’ learning outcomes. Using a descriptive quantitative approach grounded in Classical Test Theory, the study analyzed students’ responses to evaluate empirical validity, difficulty level, discrimination index, distractor effectiveness, and internal consistency through the KR-20 formula. Strong evidence of reliability showed that every item of the instrument met the minimum r-table criterion of 0.361. The test has excellent internal consistency with a reliability coefficient of 0.97, showing that the items work consistently in measuring the subject's reading comprehension of descriptive text. All things considered, the instrument satisfies the essential requirements of a high-quality assessment tool and may be used with confidence to generate precise and significant data regarding students' understanding of descriptive text. The results also provide a foundation for refining future assessments and improving test development practices in vocational English education.References
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