Multiple Choice Questions

Multiple choice questions are, perhaps, the most often misused question types in assessment. Many teachers resort to their use only to test factual recall, or "Remember"-type questions. However, multiple choice questions have great potential for assessing higher-level thinking skills IF you know how to write them.

Multiple choice questions have both advantages and limitations. Let's take a moment to review both.

Advantages:

1. They are the most versatile type of test item
Broad range of objectives
Multiple forms and variations
Broad range of student populations (not first grade)

2. They are easy to score rapidly & accurately.

3. They are relatively efficient (more objectives in shorter time than essay, but not as efficient as matching or t/f)

4. They are relatively unsusceptible to score variation due to guessing.

5. They are relatively unaffected by response sets (patterns in responses).

Limitations:

1. Good multiple-choice items are difficult to construct.

2. Examinees are required only to recognize correct answers rather than to construct them.

3. They are often used to measure factual recall only.

4. They require more response time than other selected response items.

5. They provide an advantage to test-wise students (if they are poorly written, students can look for clues).

Let's begin by breaking down the parts of a multiple choice question. The question itself is referred to as the stem. There is typically one correct answer option, and the rest of the options are called distracters. Here's an example:

Instructions: For each of the following multiple choice questions, circle the letter that corresponds with the best answer provided.

1. Which phase of the water cycle would most likely take place if you placed a container of water it in the warm sun?

a. Evaporation
b. Condensation
c. Precipitation
d. Collection

Here are some general guidelines for writing multiple choice questions.

1. Do NOT use multiple-choice items in situations where other assessment procedures would be more appropriate.

2. Each item should focus on a single problem that is presented clearly and completely in the stem.

3. All distracters should be plausible to examinees who are misinformed or less knowledgeable. Generally, this means that the alternatives should constitute a homogeneous set.

4. Items designed to assess understanding, problem solving ability, or other cognitive processes beyond the recall level must present a novel problem or situation.

5. Recurring words or ideas expressed in the alternatives should be moved to the stem.

6. All superfluous words and extraneous ideas should be excluded from the stem.

7. Word each option so that it clearly states one and only one idea.

8. State the stem in positive form. Avoid negatively stated items if possible.

9. Avoid including any extraneous clues to the correct answer.

Word each option so that it is grammatically consistent with the stem.

Avoid using overlapping options (where one is part of another).

Avoid including verbal associations between the stem and the correct answer.

Avoid making the correct answer consistently longer than the distracters.

Avoid using “all of the above” as an option.

Avoid using either complex multiple-choice or Type K items. (a and b, a and c, b and c, etc.)

Randomly vary the location of the correct option so that positions “A”, “B”, “C” etc. are used about the same number of times, but not in any systematic order.

10. Use “none of the above” as an option rarely, if at all.

11. Arrange the options in a vertical, tabular format rather than in a horizontal sequence.

12. After the test has been administered, carefully examine the pattern of responses to each item. Revise distracters that are either nonfunctional or too attractive.

Now that you are familiar with the guidelines, why don't you practice evaluating a few multiple choice items? Click Next below to continue.