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Multiple Choice
Test
A generalization of the true-false test, the multiple choice type of test offers the student with more than two options per item to choose from.
Each item in a multiple choice test consists of two parts: a) the stem, and b) the options. In the set of options, there is a “correct” or “best” option while all the others are considered “distracters”.
Advantages
• Can cover broad range of content
• Easily scored and graded
• Measures a variety of levels of learning
• When well-constructed, has proven to be an effective assessment tool
• Minimum of writing for students
Disadvantages
• Difficult to come up with plausible distracters/alternative responses
• Tend to focus on low level learning objectives
• Construction of good items is time consuming
• Measuring ability to organize and express ideas is not possible
Rules in Construct
ing Multiple Choice
Test
1. Do not use unfamiliar
words, terms and phrases.
Keep the vocabulary
consistent with the examinee’s
level of understanding.
Example:
What would be the system reliability of a computer system whose slave and peripherals are connected in parallel circuits and each one has a known time failure probability of 0.05?
2. Do not use modifiers that are vague and whose meanings can differ from one person to the next such as much, often, always, and usually.
Example:
Much of the process of the photosynthesis takes place in the:
a. bark
b. leaf
c. system
3. Avoid complex or awkward word arrangements. Also avoid use of negatives in the stem as this may add unnecessary comprehension difficulties.
Example:(Poor) As the President of
the Philippines, Corazon Aquino would stand next to which President of the Philippine Republic subsequent to the 1986 EDSA revolution?
• (Better) Who was the President of the Philippines after Corazon Aquino?
Example:(Poor) Which of the
following will not cause inflation in the Philippine economy?
(Better) Which of the following will cause inflation in the Philippine economy?
5. Each item should be short as possible.
6. Distracters should be equally plausible and attractive.
Example:The short story: May Day’s Eve, was written by which Filipino author?
a. Jose Garcia Villab. Nick Joaquinc. Genoveva Edrosa
Matute d. Robert Froste. Edgar Allan Poe
7. All multiple choice options should be grammatically consistent with the stem.
8. The length,
explicitness or degree of technicality of alternatives should not be the determinants of the correctness of the answer.
Example:If the three angles of two triangles are congruent, then the triangles are:
a. Congruent whenever one of the side of triangles are congruent
b. Similarc. Equiangular and
therefore, must also be congruent
d. Equilateral if they are equiangular
9. Avoid stems that reveal the answer to another item.
10. Avoid alternatives that are synonymous with others or those that include or overlap others.
Example:
What causes to transform from solid state to liquid state?
a. Change in temperatureb. Changes in the
chemical compositionc. Change in heat levels
11. Avoid presenting sequenced items min the same order as in the text.
12. Avoid use of assumed qualifiers that many examinees may not be aware of.
13. Avoid use of unnecessary words or phrases, which are not relevant to the problem at hand.
Example: The side opposite the
thirty degree angle in the right triangle is equal to half the length of the hypotenuse. If the sine of a 30 –degree is 0.5 and its hypotenuse is 5, what is the length of the side opposite 30-degree angle?a. 2.5 c. 5.5b. 3.5 d. 1.5
14. Avoid use of non-relevant sources of difficulty such as requiring a complex calculation when only knowledge of a principle is being tested.
15. Avoid extreme specificity requirements in responses.
16. Include as much of the item as possible in the stem. This allows less repetition and shorter choice options.
17. Use the “none of the above” options when the keyed answer is totally correct. When choice of the best response is intended, “none of the above” is not appropriate, since the implication has already been made that the correct response may be partially inaccurate.
18. Note that use of “all of the above” may allow credit for partial knowledge. In a multiple option item, if a student only knew that two options were correct, he could then deduce the correctness of “all of the above”. This assumes you are allowed only one correct choice.
19. Having compound response choices may purposefully increase difficulty of an item.
20. The difficulty of a multiple choice item may be controlled by varying the homogeneity or degree of similarity of responses. The more homogeneous , the difficult the item.
Example (Less homogeneous)
Thailand is located next to:a. South Asia b. Eastern Europec. South Americad. East Africa
(More Homogeneous)Thailand is located next to:a. Laos and Kampucheab. India and Chinac. China and Malayad. Laos and China
“… the greater your experience in their construction, the longer it takes per [multiple-choice] item to construct a reasonably fair, accurate, and inclusive question.”
- Wilbert J. McKeachie
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