Constructing Multiple-Choice Items

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Questions and Answers

What should be avoided in the stem of a multiple-choice item?

Lengthy explanations

Irrelevant clues (correct)

Technical terms

Verbal associations

Why should the length of alternatives be controlled?

To provide equal chances of correct answer selection (correct)

To make distractors more plausible

To make the test shorter

To make the correct answer longer

What should be done with the correct answer in multiple-choice items?

Place it randomly in the alternatives (correct)

Make it the longest alternative

Make it the first alternative

Make it the last alternative

When should 'none of the above' or 'all of the above' be used?

Rarely, to force careful consideration of alternatives Signup and view all the answers

Why should multiple-choice items be used judiciously?

Because other item types are more appropriate in some cases Signup and view all the answers

What is a benefit of using verbal associations in distractors?

They make the distractors more plausible Signup and view all the answers

What should be the primary consideration in constructing multiple-choice items?

Making the items clear and concise Signup and view all the answers

What is a limitation of multiple-choice items in measuring problem-solving skills?

They are not well-adapted to measuring problem-solving skills in mathematics and science Signup and view all the answers

What is a limitation of multiple-choice items?

They are limited in their ability to measure complex skills Signup and view all the answers

What is a challenge in constructing multiple-choice items at the early primary level?

Finding a sufficient number of incorrect but reasonable distractors Signup and view all the answers

What should the item stem of a multiple-choice item do?

Present a definite problem and be meaningful by itself Signup and view all the answers

What is a disadvantage of multiple-choice items not shared by other item types?

The difficulty of finding sufficient incorrect but reasonable distractors Signup and view all the answers

When should a negatively stated stem be used in a multiple-choice item?

Only when significant learning outcomes require it Signup and view all the answers

Why is it recommended to state problems in positive terms?

To avoid measuring insignificant learning outcomes Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of a multiple-choice item?

To measure a student's knowledge of a concept Signup and view all the answers

What is a limitation of multiple-choice items in measuring student performance?

They measure knowledge, not performance Signup and view all the answers

What type of learning outcomes are seldom important?

Knowing the least important method Signup and view all the answers

When are negatively stated items useful?

In areas where the wrong information or wrong procedure can have terrible consequences Signup and view all the answers

What should all alternatives be in a multiple-choice item?

Grammatically consistent with the stem of the item Signup and view all the answers

What should an item contain to measure understanding?

Some novelty but not too much Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of a distracter in a multiple-choice item?

To distract the uninformed from the correct answer Signup and view all the answers

What should happen to a distracter if it is not selected by anyone?

It should be eliminated or revised Signup and view all the answers

What should be avoided in constructing multiple-choice items?

Verbal associations between the stem and the correct answer Signup and view all the answers

How should the situations in a multiple-choice item be?

New to the students but not too far removed from the examples used in class Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Suggestions for Constructing Multiple-Choice Items

Although negatively stated items should be avoided, they can be useful in areas where wrong information or procedures can have severe consequences.
All alternatives should be grammatically consistent with the stem of the item.
An item should contain only one correct or clearly best answer.
Items used to measure understanding should contain some novelty, but not too much.
All distracters should be plausible and attractive to the uninformed student.
Verbal associations between the stem and the correct answer should be avoided.
The relative length of the alternatives should not provide a clue to the answer.
The correct answer should appear in each of the alternative positions an approximately equal number of times, but in random order.
Use sparingly special alternatives such as "none of the above" or "all of the above".

Limitations of Multiple-Choice Items

Multiple-choice items measure whether the student knows or understands what to do in a problem situation, but they cannot determine how the student will perform in that situation.
They are not well adapted to measuring problem-solving skills in mathematics and science or the ability to organize and present ideas.
The difficulty of finding a sufficient number of incorrect but reasonable distracters is a major limitation.

Additional Tips

The stem of the item should be meaningful by itself and present a definite problem.
The item stem should include as much of the item as possible and be free of irrelevant material.
Use a negatively stated stem only when significant learning outcomes require it.

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Description

This quiz covers suggestions for constructing multiple-choice items, including the use of negatively stated items and focusing on important learning outcomes.