Handbook Table of Contents > Teaching Methods > Test Construction
Indiana University Teaching Handbook
Teaching Methods
Test Construction
Closed-Answer or “Objective” Tests
Although by definition no test can be truly “objective” (existing as an object of fact, independent of the mind), this handbook refers to tests made up of multiple choice, matching, fill-in, true/false, or fill-in-the-blank items as objective tests. Objective tests have the advantages of allowing an instructor to assess a large and potentially representative sample of course material and allow for reliable and efficient scoring. The disadvantages of objective tests include a tendency to emphasize only “recognition” skills, the ease with which correct answers can be guessed on many item types, and the inability to measure students’ organization and synthesis of material (Adapted with permission from Yonge, 1977).
Since the practical arguments for giving objective exams are compelling, we offer a few suggestions for writing multiple-choice items. The first is to find and adapt existing test items. Teachers’ manuals containing collections of items accompany many textbooks. (AIs: Your course supervisor or former teachers of the same course may be willing to share items with you.) However, the general rule is adapt rather than adopt. Existing items will rarely fit your specific needs; you should tailor them to more adequately reflect your objectives.
Second, design multiple choice items so that students who know the subject or material adequately are more likely to choose the correct alternative and students with less adequate knowledge are more likely to choose a wrong alternative. That sounds simple enough, but you want to avoid writing items that lead students to choose the right answer for the wrong reasons. For instance, avoid making the correct alternative the longest or most qualified one, or the only one that is grammatically appropriate to the stem. Even a careless shift in tense or verb-subject agreement can often suggest the correct answer.
Finally, it is very easy to disregard the above advice and slip into writing items which require only rote recall but are nonetheless difficult because they are taken from obscure passages (footnotes, for instance). Some items requiring only recall might be appropriate, but try to design most of the items to tap the students’ understanding of the subject (Adapted with permission from Farris, 1985).
One way to write multiple choice questions that require more than recall is to develop questions that resemble miniature “cases” or situations. Provide a small collection of data, such as a description of a situation, a series of graphs, quotes, a paragraph, or any cluster of the kinds of raw information that might be appropriate material for the activities of your discipline. Then develop a series of questions based on that material. These questions might require students to apply learned concepts to the case, to combine data, to make a prediction on the outcome of a process, to analyze a relationship between pieces of the information, or to synthesize pieces of information into a new concept.
Here are a few additional guidelines to keep in mind when writing multiple-choice tests (Adapted with permission from Yonge, 1977):
- The item-stem (the lead-in to the choices) should clearly formulate a problem.
- As much of the question as possible should be included in the stem.
- Randomize occurrence of the correct response (e.g., you don’t always want “C” to be the right answer).
- Make sure there is only one clearly correct answer (unless you are instructing students to select more than one).
- Make the wording in the response choices consistent with the item stem.
- Don’t load down the stem with irrelevant material.
- Beware of using answers such as “none of these” or “all of the above.”
- Use negatives sparingly in the question or stem; do not use double negatives.
- Beware of using sets of opposite answers unless more than one pair is presented (e.g., go to work, not go to work).
- Beware of providing irrelevant grammatical cues.
Grading of multiple choice exams can be done by hand or through the use of computer scannable answer sheets available from your departmental office. Take completed answer sheets to IUB Evaluation Services and Testing (BEST) located in Franklin Hall M014. If you have your test scored by BEST, they will provide statistics on difficulty and reliability, which will help you to improve your tests.
If you choose the computer-grading route, you must be sure students have number 2 pencils to mark answers on their sheets. These are often available from your department’s main office. At the time of the exam it is helpful to write on the chalkboard all pertinent information required on the answer sheet (course name, course number, section number, instructor’s name, etc.). Also, remind students to fill in their university identification numbers carefully so that you can have a roster showing the ID number and grade for each student.
If you would like to consult with someone about developing test items, call Campus Instructional Consulting at 855-9023.
If you would like to consult with someone about how to interpret your test results, call BEST at 855-1595.
Essay Tests
Conventional wisdom accurately portrays short-answer and essay examinations as the easiest to write and the most difficult to grade, particularly if they are graded well. You should give students an exam question for each crucial concept that they must understand.
If you want students to study in both depth and breadth, don't give them a choice among topics. This allows them to choose not to answer questions about those things they didn’t study. Instructors generally expect a great deal from students, but remember that their mastery of a subject depends as much on prior preparation and experience as it does on diligence and intelligence; even at the end of the semester some students will be struggling to understand the material. Design your questions so that all students can answer at their own levels.
The following are some suggestions that may enhance the quality of the essay tests that you produce (Adapted with permission from Ronkowski, 1986):
- Have in mind the processes that you want measured (e.g., analysis, synthesis).
- Start questions with words such as “compare,” “contrast,” “explain why.” Don’t use “what,” “when,” or “list.” (These latter types are better measured with objective-type items). Writing Tutorial Services, Ballantine Hall 207, 855-6738, has a handout for students which defines these terms and explains how to study for and respond to essay questions.
- Write items that define the parameters of expected answers as clearly as possible.
- Make sure that the essay question is specific enough to invite the level of detail you expect in the answer. A question such as “Discuss the causes of the American Civil War,” might get a wide range of answers, and therefore be impossible to grade reliably. A more controlled question would be, “Explain how the differing economic systems of the North and South contributed to the conflicts that led to the Civil War.
- Don’t have too many questions for the time available.
