The matching format can be considered a type of multiple choice. The matching format is common in curriculum-based tests. It is sometimes used to good advantage and sometimes very poorly done.
Some of the strengths of the matching format are:
1. It is easy to construct. Since options are used for more than one item, not nearly as much effort needs to be put into constructing each individual item.
2. It is compact in size. An individual item usually takes only a fraction of the space occupied by one conventional MC item.
3. It is usually time efficient for the test taker. He only needs to analyze one set of options for multiple items, provided the matching group is competently designed.
4. It is very useful for working with groups of homogenous (similar) items, for example, matching states with their capitals.
There can also be some serious weaknesses in the matching item format, which could make an entire section of test items invalid. Some things to look out for:
1. Cued answers. A competent test-taker can usually get one or more items correct “for free”, by using the process of elimination. A group of ten items with ten options often means that a student needs to know, at most, the answers to nine of the items.
2. Non- homogenous options. Many, many groups of matching items are practically worthless because they mix totally unrelated things together as options. In such cases, a skilled student can use the process of elimination to dramatically increase his score, and very little valid testing has taken place.
3. Excessively large groups of items or options. Since each item has the entire set of options as answer possibilities, a student may become overwhelmed with the number of choices given from which to select the correct answer.
Recommendations for the Matching Format
1. There should be more options than items. This will reduce the effectiveness of elimination and guessing.
2. Even better, the group of items should be designed to use some options more than once and some options not at all. This will nullify the process of elimination completely. If this is done, it must be explicitly stated in the directions. For example: “Answers may be used once, more than once, or not at all.”
3. If options may be used more than once, the pool of options can be much smaller and less confusing. Some very effective item groups of ten or more may have only three options for the entire group. An example would be listing various geographic and political characteristics of North American countries and having Canada, the United States, and Mexico as the three options.
4. Options must be homogenous. Do not mix crops with rivers or Roman numerals with geometric shapes. Note that items do not necessarily need to be homogenous, as long as the list of possible answers is. The idea is to prevent elimination based on test-taking skill.
5. Items and options should be ordered alphabetically or in some other logical arrangement. As in multiple choice, correct answers should form no discernable pattern.