Tag Archives: multiple-choice testing

Strategies for creating multiple-choice test questions

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by Julie Dodd

students taking exam in auditorium

I took this photo from the back of the auditorium, while my 130 students were taking an exam. Photo by Julie Dodd

Which of the following is correct about multiple-choice testing?
(A) Multiple-choice questions are easier to write than essay questions.
(B) If you don’t like multiple-choice tests, you won’t ever have to use them as a teacher.
(C) Multiple-choice tests can measure all student learning objectives.
(D) Students like talking multiple-choice tests better than writing essays.
(E) All of the above.
(F) None of the above.

Those were some of the issues we discussed in Mass Communication Teaching, as we talked about student assessment and multiple-choice testing.

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How to Write a Multiple Choice Test: Dos and Don’ts

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by Holly Cowart
Ph.D. student, University of Florida

The advantages of multiple choice testing include ease of grading and student familiarity with the format. The disadvantages include the fact that students can guess the correct answers and often aren’t tested on higher-order thinking. The time required to develop a good multiple choice test may not be justified in a small course.

DO’s for creating multiple choice exams

  • Randomize correct answers
  • Use parallel construction (in stem and choices)
  • Adapt, not adopt questions
  • Use application
  • Put most of the words in the stem, not the answer
  • Make the stem clear
  • Provide plausible answer choices
  • Write concise answer options (or at least similar in length)
  • Put your answers in logical order
  • Pretest your questions – Wilbert McKeachie recommends having a skilled test-taker who doesn’t know the material take your test

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Tips for developing and administering multiple-choice tests

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by Antionette Rollins
Master’s student, University of Florida

While multiple choice testing is not an ideal form of testing, it may be the only option for educators in some cases—especially when teaching a large lecture course. Although these tests have their disadvantages, such as encouraging guessing and emphasizing recognition skills, they allow teachers to test a large number of students at once and are usually easier to grade than more subjective tests.

Here are some helpful DOs and DON’Ts if you ever find that you need to compose and administer a multiple choice test or quiz, which will probably be at least once in your teaching career.
DOs for creating multiple-choice tests
  • Test more than recognition
  • Put the majority of the words in the stem
  • Have only one clear answer
  • Use the same number of options throughout
  • Randomize correct answers
  • Make all distractors reasonable
DON’Ts for creating multiple-choice tests
  • Don’t use double negatives
  • Don’t have “all of the above” or “none of the above” options
  • Don’t use grammatically incorrect language—especially in distractors
  • Don’t try to trick students
Tips for administering multiple-choice tests
•       Create different test forms
•       Use different seating arrangements on test days
•       Have students sign academic dishonesty pledge before tests
For more comprehensive lists and further information on multiple choice tests, please visit The Learning Coach and refer to the University of Florida’s teaching assistant handbook.
Antionette Rollins is a student in Mass Communication Teaching (MMC 6930).