The multiple choice (MC) format is the most commonly used format in formal testing. It typically consists of a stem and three or more distractors but can vary widely. The matching format can be thought of as an MC format, where several items share the same group of options.
Multiple choice is popular for several reasons:
1. No subjective evaluation is required in scoring (the answer is either right or wrong, best or not best, not half-right or partly wrong).
2. It lends itself to detailed analysis of responses, in which even incorrect answers can provide information on the student’s skills.
3. It lends itself well to computer scoring.
There is also one significant drawback to multiple choice. As a selected-response format, it is unable to test writing skills, including organization of thought and originality. Since these skills are generally beyond the scope of a standardized achievement test, it is not a serious issue in this context.
In addition to the general characteristics of a good test item noted above, there are some specific guidelines to follow when writing or evaluating MC items. Some relate to the stem, some to the options.
Characteristics of a Good Multiple-Choice Item
1. The stem should clearly state the problem. A good stem is often clear enough that a knowledgeable student can answer the item correctly without seeing any of the options.
2. The stem should contain as much as the item as possible, but no more. There is no point in redundantly repeating something in each option that can be stated in the stem. On the other hand, the stem should not wordy nor contain irrelevant information, known as window dressing. One exception would be a problem presented that requires the student to determine which facts presented are necessary to solve the problem and which should be discarded.
3. The stem should, in most cases, be worded positively and in the active voice. When negatives do need to be used, they must be accentuated in boldface or ALLCAPS.
4. Use “story problems” – literally or figuratively – to present scenarios that require comprehension and analysis, not merely recall of the concept.
5. Always keep in mind that the primary goal in writing the response options in MC is to make it difficult for an uninformed person who is skilled at testing to figure out the correct answer. Knowledge of the construct being evaluated should be the only factor in correctly answering an MC or other item format.
6. Three or four options are best. It is difficult to write more than two or three plausible distractors. The various authors of the Handbook of Test Development range from mild to strongly worded support of only three options.
7. All options should be parallel in structure and similar in length. The item is more readable, and there will be no obvious clues as to which options may be correct or are obviously incorrect.
8. Options must be grammatically consistent with the stem in order to prevent elimination of distractors.
9. All options must be plausible. If someone skilled, or at least comfortable, in a testing environment, were to take a test on a subject of which he knew nothing, he should not be able to dismiss options that seem to be implausible.
10. Distractors should reflect typical student errors, which makes them more plausible and more valuable in analyzing student performance.
11. The option, “All of the above”, is confusing and should generally be avoided. The option, “None of the above”, should only be used when there is one absolutely correct answer, as in spelling or math.
12. Options should avoid "clang" associations, where the correct answer contains a word or phrase from the stem that the distractors lack.
13. Options should be placed in a logical order, such as numerical, alphabetical, or response length. On the other hand, placement of the correct response should be random. Any discernable pattern of correct answers can invalidate a test.
14. Options should not overlap each other; one option should not be a partial version of another.