Though not always feasible, try to follow these guidelines as best as possible when writing multiple choice test questions.
1. There should be 3 to 4 answer options.
Items should have enough answer options that pure guessing is difficult, but not so many that the distractors are not plausible or the item takes too long to complete.
2. All answer options should be plausible.
If an answer option is clearly not correct because it does not seem related to the other answer options or is from a content area not covered by the test, it does not operate as a distractor.
3. Distractors should be clearly incorrect.
Always double check to make sure your correct answer is fully correct and that your distractors are definitely wrong (and that there isn’t room for someone to argue that it is indeed accurate).
4. “All of the Above” and “None of the Above” should not be answer options.
Some students will guess this answer option frequently as part of a test-taking strategy. Other students will avoid it as part of a test-taking strategy. Either way, it does not operate fairly as a distractor. Measuring this particular analytic ability is likely not the targeted goal of the test.
5. Answer options should all be grammatically consistent with stem.
If the grammar used in the stem makes it clear that the right answer is a female or is plural, make sure that all answer options are female or plural.
6. Answer options should not be longer than the stem (and equally long with each other).
An item goes more quickly if the bulk of the reading is in the stem, followed by brief answer options. Try to make the response option shorter than the stem and about equal in lengthy.
7. Order of answer options should be logical or random.
For obvious reasons, the answer should not always be “C”. This can be done by placing the answer options in an order based on some rule (e.g. shortest to longest, alphabetical, chronological) or by randomizing the order of answer options once the test is constructed.
8. Negative wording should not be used.
Some students read more carefully or process words more accurately than others, and the word
"not" can easily be missed. Even if the word is emphasized so no one can miss it, educational content is more likely stored as a collection of positively worded information.
9. Stems should be complete sentences.
If a stem is a complete question, ending with a question mark, or a complete instruction, ending with a period, students can begin to identify the answer before examining answer options.
Students must work harder if stems end with a blank or a colon or simply as an uncompleted sentence. More processing increases chances of errors.
Sources: Frey, Petersen, Edwards, Pedrotti, & Peyton, 2003; Haladyna & Downing, 1989a,
1989b; Haladyna, Downing & Rodriguez, 2002; Special Connections website
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Remember that the goal of testing is to assess learning. Learning does not simply mean recall.
As such, Bloom (1956) argues that it is important for tests to measure higher-learning as well.
Fuhrmann and Grasha (1983, p. 170) have adapted Bloom's taxonomy for test development.
Here is a condensation of their list:
1. To measure knowledge (recognize or remember information, common terms, facts, principles, procedures), ask these kinds of questions: Define, Describe, Identify, Label, List, Match, Name.
Example:
2. To measure comprehension (understanding of facts and principles, interpretation of material, relationships among facts), ask these kinds of questions: Convert, Defend, Distinguish, Estimate,
Explain, Extend, Generalize, Give examples, Predict, Summarize.
Example:
3. To measure application (solving problems, applying concepts and principles to new situations), ask these kinds of questions: Demonstrate, Modify, Relate, Show, Solve, Use.
Example:
4. To measure analysis (recognition of unstated assumptions or logical fallacies, ability to distinguish between facts and inferences), ask these kinds of questions: Diagram, Differentiate,
Distinguish, Illustrate, Infer, Point out, Relate, Select, Separate.
Example:
5. To measure evaluation (judging and assessing), ask these kinds of questions: Appraise,
Compare, Conclude, Contrast, Criticize, Describe, Discriminate, Explain, Justify, Interpret,
Support.
Example:
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