all about mcqs

8/3/2019 All About MCQs

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Servillano T. Marquez Jr., Ph.D.



1. The stem of the item should clearlyformulate a problem. Include as much ofthe item as possible, keeping the responseoptions as short as possible. However,include only the material needed to makethe problem clear and specific. Be concise

– don’t add extraneous information.

Suggestions for Writing Multiple-ChoiceItems



2. Be sure that there is one and

only one correct or clearly bestanswer.




3. Be sure wrong answer choices(distractors) are plausible. Eliminate

unintentional grammatical clues, andkeep the length and form of all theanswer choices equal. Rotate theposition of the correct answer from item

to item randomly.




4. Use negative questions or statementsonly if the knowledge being tested

requires it. In most cases it is moreimportant for the student to know what

specific item of information is rather

than what it is not.




5. Include from three to five options (two of four

distractors plus one correct answer) tooptimize testing for knowledge rather than

encouraging guessing. It is not necessary toprovide additional distractors for an itemimply to maintain the same number ofdistractors for each item. This usually leads to

poorly constructed distractors that addnothing to test validity and reliability.




6. To increase the difficulty of amultiple-choice item, increasethe similarity of content amongthe options.




7. Use the option “none of theabove” sparingly and only when

the keyed answer can beclassified unequivocally as rightor wrong. Don’t use this option

when asking for a best answer.





8. Avoid using “all of the above”. Itis usually the correct answer and

makes the item too easy forstudents with partial information.



How to Answer Multiple-

Choice Questions



How To Do It



How To Do It Here are some tips for answering multiple-

choice questions.When you are taking a multiple-choice test, the

first thing you need to do is read the questionCAREFULLY. Make sure you understand what kindof information you are looking for. If you know the

answer right away, you should mark the correctanswer and move on to the next question.

If you don't know the answer, you might be ableto figure it out. The first thing to do is to cross outanswers you know are wrong. If you end up withtwo answers left and you aren't sure which iscorrect, you should probably take a guess. You arejust as likely to guess the right answer as thewrong one.



Now You Try



The steps below analyze the multiple choicequestion.

Directions: Use the map below to answer thequestion.



1. The best title for this map would be:

A. North America

B. The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

C. Continents and Oceans of the World

D. Rivers in the United States



Step 1:

The first thing I will do is to read the

question carefully. It asks for the best

title for this map. A map title tells thegeneral topic of the map, so I need tolook closely to find the answer that best

describes this map.



Step 2: I don't know the right answer, so I will try out all the

answers.

A. North America: The map shows North America, but italso shows other continents. I can cross out this answer.

B. The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans: I see both the Atlantic

and Pacific oceans on the map, but I'm not sure if this isthe best answer. I'll keep this answer as a possibility.

C. Continents and Oceans of the World: I know this mapshows the outlines of continents and oceans, so this is abetter answer than Answer B. Still, I need to check if the

last answer is better.D. Rivers in the United States: I do not see any rivers in

the United States marked on the map. I can cross outthis answer.



Now You Try

Now I see that both Answer B andAnswer C are possibilities, but Answer C is

better. I will choose Continents and Oceansof the World as my answer.



Taking Multiple ChoiceExams



Studying for a multiple choice examrequires a special method of preparationdistinctly different from an essay exam.Multiple choice exams ask a student to

recognize a correct answer among a set ofoptions that include 3 or 4 wrong answers(called distractors ), rather than asking the

student to produce a correct answer entirelyfrom his/her own mind.



For many reasons, students commonlyconsider multiple choice exams easier thanessay exams. Perhaps the most obvious reasons

are that: The correct answer is guaranteed to be among

the possible responses. A student can scorepoints with a lucky guess.

Many multiple choice exams tend to emphasizebasic definitions or simple comparisons, ratherthan asking students to analyze newinformation or apply theories to new situations.

Because multiple choice exams usually containmany more questions than essay exams, eachquestion has a lower point value and thus offersless risk.



Despite these factors, however,

multiple choice exams canactually be very difficult .



Consider that:

Because multiple choice exams contain manyquestions, they force students to be familiar with a muchbroader range of material than essay exams do.

Multiple choice exams also usually expect students tohave a greater familiarity with details such as specificdates, names, or vocabulary than most essay exams do.Students cannot easily "bluff" on a multiple choiceexam.

Finally, because it is much more difficult for a teacher to

write good multiple choice questions than to designessay questions, students often face higher risks due tounintended ambiguity.



To prepare for a multiple choice

exam, consider the following steps: Begin studying early

Multiple choice exams tend to focus on

details, and you cannot retain many details effectively in short-term memory. If you learn a little bit each day and allow plenty of time for repeated reviews, you will build a much more reliable long-term memory.



Make sure that you identify and understandthoroughly everything that your instructoremphasized in class.Pay particular attention to fundamental terms

and concepts that describe important events or features, or that tie related ideas and observations together. These are the items that most commonly appear on multiple choice exams.



As you study your class notes and yourassigned readings, make lists and tables.Concentrate on understanding multi-step processes, and on ideas, events, or objects that form natural sequences or groupings. Look for similarities and differences that might be used to distinguish correct choices from distracters

on an exam.



If your textbook highlights new vocabulary orkey definitions, be sure that you understand them.Sometimes new words and concepts are collected at

the end of a chapter. Check to be sure that you havenot left any out by mistake.

Do not simply memorize the book's definitions.

Most instructors will rephrase things in their own words as they write exam questions, so you must be sure that you really know what the definitions mean.

Brainstorm possible questions with several other

students who are also taking the course. Practice on sample questions, if you have access

to a study guide or old exams.



Answering MultipleChoice Questions



There are many strategies formaximizing your success on multiple choice

exams. The best way to improve yourchances, of course, is to study carefullybefore the exam. There is no good

substitute for knowing the right answer.Even a well-prepared student can makesilly mistakes on a multiple choice exam,

however, or can fall prey to distracters thatlook very similar to the correct answer.



Here are a few tips to help reduce theseperils:

Before you begin taking the exam, enter allpieces of required information on your answer

sheet

- If you are so eager to start that you forget to enter your name and ID number, your results

may never be scored. Remember: your instructor will not be able to identify you by handwriting or similar text clues.



- Always cover up the possible responseswith a piece of paper or with your handwhile you read the stem , or body of thequestion.

Try to anticipate the correct response before you are distracted by seeing the

options that your instructor has provided.Then, uncover the responses.



- If you see the response that you

anticipated, circle it and then check tobe sure that none of the otherresponses is better.

- If you do not see a response thatyou expected, then consider some of

the following strategies to eliminateresponses that are probably wrong.



None of these strategies is infallible. A smart instructor will avoid

writing questions for which these strategies work, but you can always hope for a lapse of attention.



1. Responses that use absolute words,such as "always" or "never" are less likely

to be correct than ones that useconditional words like "usually" or"probably."

2. "Funny" responses are usually wrong.

3. "All of the above" is often a correctresponse. If you can verify that more thanone of the other responses is probablycorrect, then choose "all of the above."



4. "None of the above" is usually an incorrect

response, but this is less reliable than the "allof the above" rule. Be very careful not to betrapped by double negatives.

5. Look for grammatical clues. If the stemends with the indefinite article "an," for

example, then the correct response probablybegins with a vowel.



6. The longest response is often the correct one,because the instructor tends to load it with

qualifying adjectives or phrases.

7. Look for verbal associations. A response thatrepeats key words that are in the stem is likely tobe correct.

8. If all else fails, choose response (b) or (c).

Many instructors subconsciously feel that thecorrect answer is "hidden" better if it issurrounded by distracters. Response (a) isusually least likely to be the correct one.



If you cannot answer a question within a minute or

less, skip it and plan to come back later. Transfer all responses to the answer sheet at the same time, once you

have marked all questions on your exam. (If you try to do several things at once, you increase the probability of making a mistake. Saving the relatively mindless job of filling in bubbles until the last step reduces the probability of

making silly errors.)

• Be sure that you have filled the appropriate bubblescarefully IN PENCIL.



Our instructor will probably never take a close look at your answer sheet, so if you fail to fill in bubbles

completely or if you make stray marks, only the computer will notice, and you will be penalized. Erase any accidental marks completely.

•

Take the time to check your work before you hand in theanswer sheet.

Unlike an essay exam, on which you may later appeal a grade on the grounds that the instructor

misunderstood your response, a multiple choice exam offers you no opportunity for "partial credit." If you filled the wrong bubble, your answer is 100% wrong.



Multiple choice questions usually

include a phrase or stem followed bythree to five options:



Test strategies: Read the directions carefully

Know if each question has one or more correct optionKnow if you are penalized for guessingKnow how much time is allowed (this governs your strategy)

Preview the testRead through the test quickly and answer the easiest questions

firstMark those you think you know in some way that is appropriate

Read through the test a second time and answer more difficultquestions

You may pick up cues for answers from the first reading, orbecome more comfortable in the testing situation

If time allows, review both questions and answersIt is possible you mis-read questions the first time



Answering optionsImprove your odds, think critically:

Cover the options, read the stem, and try toanswer

Select the option that most closely matchesyour answer

Read the stem with each option Treat each option as a true-false question, andchoose the "most true"



Strategies to answerdifficult questions:



Eliminate options you know to be incorrectIf allowed, mark words or alternatives in questions thateliminate the option

Give each option of a question the "true-false test:" This may reduce your selection to the best answer

Question options that grammatically don't fit withthe stem

Question options that are totally unfamiliar to you Question options that contain negative or absolute

words. Try substituting a qualified term for the absolute one,like frequently for always; or typical for every to see ifyou can eliminate it

"All of the above:" If you know two of three options seem correct, "all ofthe above" is a strong possibility



Number answers: toss out the high and low and consider the middle rangenumbers

"Look alike options" probably one is correct; choose the best but eliminate choicesthat mean basically the same thing, and thus cancel each otherout

Double negatives: Create the equivalent positive statement and consider

Echo options: If two options are opposite each other, chances are one ofthem is correct

Favor options that contain qualifiers The result is longer, more inclusive items that better fill the roleof the answer

If two alternatives seem correct, compare them for differences,then refer to the stem to find your best answer



Guessing:



Guessing:

Always guess when there is no penalty for guessing or you can eliminate options

Don't guess if you are penalized forguessing

and if you have no basis for your choice Use hints from questions you know

to answer questions you do not.

Change your first answers when you are sure of the correction, or othercues in the test cue you to change.



1. Christopher Columbus came to Americain a:a. car

b. boatc. airplane

d. balloon



2. In what year did humans first set foot onthe moon?

a. 1975

b. 1957c. 1969

d. 1963



THANK YOU

VERY MUCH.

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