MULTIPLE CHOICE

ITEMS/MCQ

By: Harly Davidson

Lumasag

MULTIPLE CHOICE
QUESTIONS
Multiple choice test questions, also known as items, can be an
effective and efficient way to assess learning outcomes.
Multiple choice questions are often called fixed choice, selected
response or multiple choice items because they are not always
questions, and they require students to select from among various
options that are presented to them. The options are fixed.
These items remain important because they can be scored
rapidly, providing quick feedback to students. Also, they are
efficient when assessing large numbers of students over broad
content.

MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST

ITEMS HAVE SEVERAL
POTENTIAL ADVANTAGES:

Versatility. Multiple choice test items can be written to

assess various levels of learning outcomes, from basic recall
to application, analysis, and evaluation. Because students are
choosing from a set of potential answers, however, there are
obvious limits on what can be tested with multiple choice
items. For example, they are not an effective way to test
students ability to organize thoughts or articulate
explanations or creative ideas.
Reliability:Reliability is defined as the degree to which a
test consistently measures a learning outcome. Multiple
choice test items are less susceptible to guessing than
true/false questions, making them a more reliable means of

Validity:Validity is the degree to which a test measures the

learning outcomes it purports to measure. Because students
can typically answer a multiple choice item much more quickly
than an essay question, tests based on multiple choice items
can typically focus on a relatively broad representation of
course material, thus increasing the validity of the
assessment.

The key to taking advantage of these strengths, however, is

construction of good multiple choice items.

A multiple choice item consists of a problem, known as the stem,

and a list of suggested solutions, known as alternatives. The
alternatives consist of one correct or best alternative, which is the
answer, and incorrect or inferior alternatives, known as distractors.
MCQ tests are strongly associated with assessing lower order
cognition such as the recall of discrete facts. Because of this,
assessors have questioned their use in higher education. You can
design MCQ tests to assess higher order cognition (such as
synthesis, creative thinking and problem solving), but you must
draft questions with considerable skill if such tests are to be valid
and reliable. This takes time and entails significant subjective
judgment.

WHEN TO USE MCQ

MCQ tests are good for assessing lower order
cognitive processes, such as the recall of factual
information, at the expense of higher level critical
and creative reasoning processes. When designing
assessment for a course, first determine whether
MCQ tests should be used at all, based on the
learning objectives and outcomes of your course.
If yes, next ask yourself whether they would be best
used for formative assessment (to support students'
self-management of their learning), or for summative
assessment (to grade the extent of students'
learning at a particular point).MCQ tests should

USE MCQ TESTS WHEN, FOR

EXAMPLE, YOU WANT TO:
Assess lower order cognition such as the recall of discrete
facts.
Gather information about students' pre-course
understanding, knowledge gaps and misconceptions, to
help plan learning and teaching approaches. MCQ tests can
provide valuable assessment feedback on students' recall
of the facts and concepts essential to higher order learning.
Provide students with an accessible way to review course
material, check that they understand key concepts and
obtain timely feedback to help them manage their own

WRITING EFFECTIVE
MULTIPLE
CHOICE
ITEMS
Write the stem first, then the correct answer, then the distractors to
match the correct answer in terms of length, complexity, phrasing,
and style
Base each item on a learning outcome for the course
Ask a peer to review items if possible
Allow time for editing and revising
Minimize the amount of reading required for each item
Be sensitive to cultural and gender issues
Keep vocabulary consistent with student level of understanding
Avoid convoluted stems and options

ADVANTAGES
Multiple choice questions usually requires less time
for test takers to answers
They are easy to score and grade
They provide greater coverage of material and
allows for a wide range of difficulty
They can easily diagnose a test takers difficulty
with certain concepts
They test many levels of learning as well as a test
takers ability to integrate information, and can
provide feedback to the test taker about why

DISADVANTAGES
Multiple choice items do not allow test takers to
demonstrate knowledge beyond the choices
They may encourage guessing or approximation
due to the presence of at least one correct answer
Multiple choice items that are effective usually take
a great time to construct