Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
A multiple-choice question is composed of three parts:
- A stem [that identifies the question or problem]
- A key [that is the best answer to the question]
- and a number of distractors [that are plausible but incorrect answers to the question].
Students may perceive MCQs as requiring memorisation rather than more analytical engagement with material.
If the aim is to encourage a more nuanced understanding of the course content, questions should be designed that require analysis.
For example, students could be presented with a case study followed by MCQs which ask them to make judgements about aspects of the brief or to consider the application of certain techniques or theories to a scenario.
The selection of the best answer can be focused on higher-order thinking and require application of course principles, analysis of a problem, or evaluation of alternatives, thus testing students’ ability to do such thinking.
Designing alternatives that require a high level of discrimination can also contribute to multiple choice items that test higher-order thinking.
When planning to write questions there are three areas to consider: General strategies, Designing stems and Defining answers.
General strategies
- multiple-choice question tests are challenging and time-consuming to create; write a few questions, after a lecture when the course material is still fresh in your mind.
- instruct students to select the best answer rather than the correct answer; by doing this, you acknowledge the fact that the distractors may have an element of truth to them.
- use familiar language; students are likely to dismiss distractors with unfamiliar terms as incorrect.
- avoid giving verbal association clues from the stem in the key.
- If the key uses words that are very similar to words found in the stem, students are more likely to pick it as the correct answer.
- avoid trick questions.
- questions should be designed so that students who know the material can find the correct answer.
- avoid negative wording.
Designing stems
- ask yourself if the students would be able to answer the question without looking at the options. If yes, then it is a good stem.
- put all relevant material in the stem
eliminate excessive wording and irrelevant information from the stem
Designing answers
- limit the number of answers; between three and five is good
- make sure there is only one best answer
- make the distractors appealing and plausible
- make the choices grammatically consistent with the stem
- randomly distribute the correct response.