The new AP Chemistry Curriculum and the NGSS both focus on developing deep conceptual understanding. In order to achieve this, teachers must identify the objectives they need to teach to and stockpile a good assortment of conceptual questions for formative and summative assessments to support those objectives. An understanding of common misconceptions related to chemistry content is also important in designing meaningful assessments.
The Journal of Chemical Education has published several recent articles discussing research concerning misconceptions, assessments, conceptual questions, and concept inventories that are directly related to high school chemistry curriculum. If you are specifically interested in reading materials geared to developing an assessment plan, I recommend starting with a 2012 JCE editorial (freely available) submitted by Stacey Lowery Bretz of Miami of Ohio University, Navigating the Landscape of Assessment.1
QBank Questions and Answers is currently divided among the Chemical Education Digital Library and ChemEd X. ChemEd X will handle requests for access to the questions with answers, which is restricted to verified teachers who pay a small fee. Direct all such requests for access to download questions with answers to jce@chem.wisc.edu by using the QBank contact form. ChemEd DL (Chemical Education Digital Library) offers many conceptual questions. There is also a review of the types of conceptual questions and a guide to help teachers write their own questions.
The Chemistry Concepts Inventory2 was developed in 1996 at Purdue. It is a useful tool that has been cited in many JCE articles. The inventory was published in the June 2002 issue of JCE.3
ConcepTests are intended for large lecture halls, but high school teachers can make use of many of the questions. A list of general chemistry topics will take you directly to related questions. Directions for using the questions and an article that makes suggestions for using the questions are available.
AAAS Project 2061 (Atoms, Molecules and States of Matter) is a long-term science education reform initiative. The team produces questions based upon known misconceptions and pilots them as part of the process. Registered users can choose items to create their own tests.
Related JCE articles: This is not an all inclusive list, but a small sample of the valuable resources available from JCE.
Guide To Developing High-Quality, Reliable, and Valid Multiple-Choice AssessmentsMarcy H. Towns, Journal of Chemical Education201491 (9), 1426-1431
Roles of Terminology, Experience, and Energy Concepts in Student Conceptions of Freezing and BoilingPaul G. Jasien, Journal of Chemical Education201390 (12), 1609-1615
Measuring Learning Gains in Chemical Education: A Comparison of Two Methods, Thomas C. Pentecost and Jack Barbera, Journal of Chemical Education201390 (7), 839-845
Evaluating the Content and Response Process Validity of Data from the Chemical Concepts Inventory, Paul Schwartz and Jack Barbera, Journal of Chemical Education201491 (5), 630-640
Misconceptions about the Particulate Nature of Matter. Using Animations To Close the Gender Gap, Ellen J. Yezierski and James P. Birk, Journal of Chemical Education200683 (6), 954
Gathering Evidence for Validity during the Design, Development, and Qualitative Evaluation of Thermochemistry Concept Inventory Items, David Wren and Jack Barbera, Journal of Chemical Education201390 (12), 1590-1601
The Development of the Redox Concept Inventory as a Measure of Students’ Symbolic and Particulate Redox Understandings and Confidence, Alexandra R. Brandriet and Stacey Lowery Bretz, Journal of Chemical Education201491 (8), 1132-1144
Development of the Bonding Representations Inventory To Identify Student Misconceptions about Covalent and Ionic Bonding Representations, Cynthia J. Luxford and Stacey Lowery Bretz, Journal of Chemical Education201491 (3), 312-320
Evidence for the Effectiveness of Inquiry-Based, Particulate-Level Instruction on Conceptions of the Particulate Nature of Matter, Chad A. Bridle and Ellen J. Yezierski, Journal of Chemical Education201289 (2), 192-198
The Development of Multiple-Choice Items Consistent with the AP Chemistry Curriculum Framework To More Accurately Assess Deeper UnderstandingJohn M. Domyancich, Journal of Chemical Education201491 (9), 1347-1351
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1.Navigating the Landscape of Assessment, Stacey Lowery Bretz, Journal of Chemical Education201289 (6), 689-691
2. The Chemical Concepts Inventory was developed by Doug Mulford for his M.S. thesis, (Douglas R. Mulford, M.S., Purdue University, August, 1996. An Inventory for Measuring College Students' Level Of Misconceptions in First Semester Chemistry. Major Professor: William R. Robinson)
3. An Inventory for Alternate Conceptions among First-Semester General Chemistry Students, Douglas R. Mulford and William R. Robinson, Journal of Chemical Education200279 (6), 739