Understanding Multiple Choice Questions

A multiple-choice question presents a statement or question followed by several possible answers.
The test taker must select the most accurate answer from the given options.
The statement or question is called the Stem.
The possible answers are called Options.
The correct answer is the most accurate response to the stem.
Distractors are incorrect options designed to mislead the test taker.

Define Learning Objectives: Clearly define the learning outcomes being assessed.
Write Clear and Concise Questions: Ensure the stem is clear and straightforward.
Make Distractors Plausible: Distractors should seem like plausible answers to mislead test-takers.
Avoid Absolute Terms: Avoid terms like "always," "never," or "all" which can lead to ambiguity.
Limit the Number of Answer Choices: Keep the number of choices manageable (e.g., 3-5).
Randomize Answer Order: Shuffle the order of options to prevent bias.
Use a Variety of Questions: Mix up question types to keep the assessment engaging.
Ensure Only One Correct Answer: Avoid having multiple answers that are partially correct.
Pilot Test Your Questions: Trial questions with other teachers or students to identify potential issues.
Provide Instructions: Clearly explain how to answer the questions.
Keep the Stem Focused: Ensure the stem presents only one concept or idea.
Be Consistent in Format: Use a consistent format for all questions to improve readability.
Review and Revise: Review questions thoroughly before using them for assessment.
Avoid Negatives: Avoid using negative wording in the stem (e.g., "Which of the following is NOT...").
Evaluate for Cultural Sensitivity: Ensure the questions are culturally sensitive and appropriate for all students.

A multiple-choice question presents a question or incomplete statement (stem) followed by several possible answers (options).
The test-taker must choose the most accurate answer from the options.
One option is the correct answer, while the others are distractors designed to mislead.
The distractors should be plausible, making the question challenging.

Objective grading: Easy to grade and mark, reducing subjectivity.
Efficient for large groups: Suitable for large-scale assessments due to their efficient grading.
Wide coverage of content: Allows for testing various concepts and topics efficiently.
Quick feedback: Provides rapid feedback to students on their performance.

Limited depth of knowledge: May not accurately assess higher-order thinking skills like analysis or synthesis.
Potential for guessing: Test-takers can guess the answer, decreasing overall assessment accuracy.
Encourages surface learning: May encourage rote memorization instead of deeper understanding of the material.
May induce test anxiety: Multiple-choice tests can sometimes be stressful for test-takers.
Writing quality questions is challenging: Creating effective multiple-choice questions requires considerable skill and effort.

Define learning objectives: Clearly define the learning outcomes to be assessed.
Write clear and concise questions: Ensure the stem is unambiguous and easy to understand.
Limit the number of answer choices: Aim for four answer choices to minimize guessing.
Make distractors plausible: Distractors should be realistic and appeal to common misconceptions.
Avoid absolute terms: Avoid using words like "always," "never," or "all," which can be misleading.
Randomize answer order: Avoid pre-determined patterns in answer positions to prevent bias.
Use a variety of question types: Employ different question formats to assess diverse learning outcomes.
Ensure only one correct answer: Ensure each question has only one definitively correct answer.
Pilot test your questions: Prior to finalizing your questions, test them on a small sample group for accuracy.
Provide clear instructions: Give specific directions on how to answer the questions.
Keep the stem focused: The stem should present a single concept or question.
Be consistent in format: Maintain uniformity in the format, font, and spacing of your questions.
Avoid negatives: Avoid using negative phrasing in questions, as it can be confusing.
Evaluate for cultural sensitivity: Avoid questions that may be offensive or insensitive to different cultural groups.