An attempt has been made to convert laboratory performance tests into essay and multiple-choice items. Preliminary forms of the tests were administered to about 160 elementary physics students. It was found that the multiple-choice was the least difficult of the three tests; the performance, the most difficult. The correlation coefficients between relatively complex performance items and their paper-pencil analogs were very low. The correlations between the items dealing with specific skills and parallel paper-pencil tests were low to moderate. The preliminary study supports the hypothesis that paper-pencil tests are poor substitutes for performance examinations.