Multiple Choice Questions
Why does this matter?
Multiple choice questions are a versatile tool that can be used as a focused assessment of students’ knowledge and understanding. Because multiple choice items can be completed more quickly than short answer or essay questions, instructors can test on a broader range of course content, which allows for a truer representation of student learning. However, ensuring multiple choice questions accurately measure the type of learning valued by the instructor and indicated within the course goals and objectives can be difficult.
What does this look like in practice?
Multiple choice questions are comprised of a stem (i.e., the question/statement being asked) and the answer options (including the correct answer and incorrect distractors). When instructors carefully construct these elements while bearing in mind the content being tested, they can improve the quality of their multiple choice assessments.
Considerations for content
When creating multiple choice questions, test the most important and significant information related to your learning objectives. Focus each question on a single idea or concept and create individual questions that are independent of one another. Avoid the use of verbatim textbook questions, questions that are overly specific, and questions that are based in opinion when creating multiple choice questions.
Multiple choice questions can be effective for testing various levels of thinking. For example, higher level thinking skills such as application, interpretation, and analysis can be assessed by using charts, graphs, quotations, and other materials that require students to apply these skills. Lower levels of thinking, such as defining and recalling, can also be tested through multiple choice questions.
Constructing a strong stem
A good place to start creating multiple choice questions is to focus on the quality and structure of the stem. The stem of the multiple choice questions should be a clear and specific question, problem, or task and provide only the relevant information needed to answer the question. If the stem includes “distractors”, they should be brief and succinct, not the bulk of the question. Avoid using negatives in the stem. Using a negative stem is helpful only when trying to test whether students understand an exception to a rule.
Creating answer options
Creating answers to multiple choice questions can be difficult. First and foremost, there should be only one answer to a question. Taking the time to evaluate and ensure your distractors are not unintendedly correct is an important step. Though the distractors should be clearly incorrect, they should also be plausible (e.g., common misconceptions or student errors). To prevent inadvertently providing clues about which response is correct, make sure that each choice is consistent in terms of grammar, form, length, and language. The use of “all of the above” or “none of the above” options should be avoided, which allow students to use partial knowledge to determine the correct answer (Gronlund & Linn, 1990). Finally, the letter or number (i.e., A., B., C. or 1., 2., 3.) associated with the correct answer should be used approximately equal amount of times throughout the test.
References & resources
- Bothwell, T. W. (2001). 14 rules for writing multiple choice questions. Brigham Young University, 2001 Annual Faculty Conference.
- Brame, C. (2013). Writing good multiple choice test questions. Retrieved 2 November 2018 from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/writing-good-multiple-choice-test-questions/
- Gronlund, N. E., & Linn, R. L. (1990). Measurement and evaluation in teaching (6th ed.). New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- McKeachie, W. J., & Svinicki, M. D. (2006). Assessing, testing, and evaluating: Grading is not the most important function. In McKeachie’s Teaching tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers (12th ed., pp. 74-86). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
- Piontek, M. E. (2008). Best practices for writing and grading exams. CRLT Occasional Papers, 24.
- Svinicki, M. D. (1999a). Evaluating and grading students. In Teachers and students: A sourcebook for UT- Austin faculty (pp. 1-14). Austin, TX: Center for Teaching Effectiveness, University of Texas at Austin.
- Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development ASCD.
- Zimmaro, D.M. (2016). Writing good multiple choice exams. University of Texas Austin Faculty Innovation Center.
Why is this important?
Suffolk University strives to provide students with an education that prepares them to succeed in a rapidly evolving employment landscape (Strategic Plan Initiative 2). Many students aspire to attend medical school or law school; others hope to earn professional certifications or MBAs. As a result, a good portion of Suffolk students will need to be prepared to take standardized tests and licensing exams that contain many multiple choice questions. By taking the time to carefully design effective multiple choice questions, Suffolk instructors can indirectly help students to be more successful in their academic and professional futures.
What is the evidence?
Assessment design is a critical component of course design, as students’ performance on assessments comprise the most concrete evidence as to whether they have achieved the desired learning outcomes (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). Students assume that the focus of exams and assignments reflects the educational goals most valued by an instructor, and they direct their learning and studying accordingly (McKeachie & Svinicki, 2006). Creating questions that are valid, reliable, recognizable to students, and realistic in regards to time and effort will produce multiple choice questions that accurately reflect student learning (Svinicki, 1999a; Piontek, 2008).
You might also be interested in
Last Day of Class
Authentic Assessments
Teaching Strategies