Multiple choice questions are the most widely used type of objective type test items nowadays. The main reason behind their popularity is their ability to measure a comparatively large number of various learning outcomes. Moreover, they are free from most of the shortcomings possessed by other test items like short answers, completion, true-false and matching type test items. Multiple choice test items have two parts. The first part is called the stem, which consists of either a direct question or an incomplete statement. The second part consists of alternatives which is further divided into two parts i.e. a response which consists of a correct response to the question asked in the stem and distracters which consist of items intended to confuse the students in selecting the correct response to the question asked in the first part(stem) of the test item. There are two types of multiple choice test items which are given as under:
1. Correct-answer Type
Correct-answer type is used for measuring the surface knowledge of students about various things. It is used when the answer to the given question is exactly and absolutely one. Correct-answer type test item can be presented in two forms which are given as under:
1.1 Direct Form
In direct form, a question is presented by the assessor in the form of interrogative sentence and the students are asked to answer it by selecting the correct alternative from the given list of options. For example:
Which one of the following plants belongs to the group of non-flowering plants?
A. Wheat
B. Rice
C. Fern
D. Maize
B. Rice
C. Fern
D. Maize
1.2 Incomplete Statement Form
This form of MCQs consists of an incomplete statement and the students are asked to complete it by selecting the correct options from the given list. For example:
First antibiotics was extracted from a ________.
A. Bacteria
B. Virus
C. Fungus
D. Plant
B. Virus
C. Fungus
D. Plant
2. Best-Answer Type
Best-Answer type is used for measuring complex, rather than simple or factual, learning outcomes. They are intended for testing the critical and analytical thinking abilities of the students. In this type of test items, like other multiple-choice question, usually more than one possible answer are given to the question, and the students are required to select the most suitable answer from the given options. In other words, all the given options seem more or less correct but only one of them is the best answer to the given question. Students often become confused in selecting the correct options. Therefore, only those students who are well versed in the tested area can answer it correctly. For example:
1. Matter is the thing that occupies space and has __________.
a. weight
b. volume
c. shape
d. mass
b. volume
c. shape
d. mass
Look at the above example each one of the given options seem fully or partially correct answer to the given question but only one i.e. option d, is the best answer in them.
USES OF MULTIPLE CHOICE ITEMS
Multiple choice items can be used for measuring a variety of learning outcomes. Usually they are used for measuring the knowledge of students about various facts and terminologies, procedures, principles, methods and its application, and cause and effect relationship etc. The only exception of its use is in measuring the ability of students in selecting and organizing various thoughts and ideas about a given topic or subject, for which essay type test items are usually used.
LIMITATIONS
Besides its wide usability for measuring relatively a large number of learning outcomes, multiple choice items have some limitations also which are given as under:
i. They can be used for measuring learning outcomes at verbal level only.
ii. Sometimes finding of sufficient and plausible distracters are difficult.
iii. As already mentioned, they can’t be used for measuring the ability
of students to organize and presents ideas.
SUGGESTIONS FOR CONSTRUCTING MULTIPLE CHOICE ITEMS
Like other test items, multiple choice test items need expertise and careful planning before its construction. To benefit from its general usability and universal functionality, the following points should be kept in mind:
1. The wording of the item should be simple and clear.
2. The stem of the test item should be concise and self-explanatory.
3. The stem of the item should define the problem clearly and accurately.
4. Avoid stating the stem negatively as far as possible.
5. The alternatives should be relevant and free of clues.
6. All the alternatives should be grammatically consistent with the stem.
7. The distracters should be identical to the responses.
8. Verbal association between the stem and correct answer should
be avoided.
9. The correct answer should be placed alternatively and randomly at different positions.
10. The use of “none of the above” or “all of the above” options should be avoided as far as possible.
11. The “none of the above” option should be used for measuring computational skills and spelling ability.
12. The multiple choice items should be used only when other test items are not appropriate for measuring the desired learning outcomes.
