Techniques for Preparing Good Exams
One of the teacher’s important tasks is to prepare quizzes and exams for the students. Therefore,
a teacher should have a general knowledge of how to prepare a good exam or a good quiz. There
are several points a teacher should put in mind before starting writing an exam. These points are:
1. The students’ level in the subject.
2. The students’ background.
3. The content of the subject that he is going to test.
4. The students’ skills that he is going to test.
It is very important for the teacher to know his students’ level in the language so that he can
write the exam probably. The exam should not be written in a very difficult language that is very
hard for the student to understand nor should it be written in a very simple language that doesn’t
match their level. Moreover, it is essential for the teacher to know the students background that is
what they had taken in the previous courses regarding to vocabulary and techniques of writing.
In addition, bearing in mind the content of the subject that he is going to test, the teacher should
not include questions out of the content; all the questions should be from the same units that the
students had studied. Moreover, questions should vary in the level of difficulty. There should be
one or two difficult questions for smart students to answer and there should be one or more easy
questions for poor students. And the rest of the questions should be of a moderate level for all the
class.
When starting writing an exam, the teacher should use different types of questions to test
different kinds of skills. That is, the exam must include WH- questions to test the student’s
ability to scan the answers in the passage. Moreover, it should include multiple choice questions,
True or False, Vocabulary and writing. Those types of questions match different skills that may
vary in each student.
When writing WH questions, the teacher should follow these points:
1. Using different types of WH questions ; that is, the teacher should use Why, What
,When, Where and How.
2. The questions should be clear and direct.
3. There should be only one clear answer for each question.
4. Each question must search for one information not more.
When preparing True or False sentences, teachers can follow these points:
1. The answers should be direct and clear that is, either right or wrong.
2. Try not to use negative sentences ( Using not ) instead use positive sentences.
3. Use random order of true and false responses.
4. Use more false responses than true ones so that to help the students to think more.
There are some tips for teachers when writing Multiple Choice questions:
1. Do not use long answers with excessive points. The phrases should be clear and
concise.
2. Make sure that there is only one correct answer.
3. Choices should be ranged from 3 to 5 choices.
4. There should not be a clear pattern for the answers that is all the answers are A or B.
Answers should vary from A,B,C and D.
5. Try not to use phrases like “all of the above” or “none of the above”
Regarding the Vocabulary questions, here are some tips for teachers to follow:
1. Ensure that there is only one correct answer for each sentence.
2. It is possible to have more words in the list than the available blanks to encourage
students to think rather than guessing.
3. Blanks should come at the end of the sentences or close to the end to help students to
understand the sentence more.
Writing Comprehension questions are excellent for measuring the student’s levels in the
language. They help the students to choose the content for their sentences, to organize their ideas
and then to present their ideas in a clear form.
When writing those kinds of questions, teachers should bear in mind the following points:
1. Ensure that the head of the question is written clearly for the students.
2. Teachers may include some questions and statement to help the students to organize their
ideas.
3. Make sure to have enough space on papers for students to write their essays.
In conclusion, to have a good exam, select the best format of test to achieve the aims of the
course , to match the students’ skills , the students’ level and the content of the subject. In
addition, take your time to choose the best possible test questions using the tips mentioned above
and to revise the exam thoroughly.