Questions_-_Multiple_Choice

Questions can be thought of in terms of a taxonomy, from simple recall to higher-order analysis and evaluation. Questions also take varied forms, including short answer, essay, and multiple choice. While multiple choice questions are often poorly designed, they can test recall and higher-order thinking well, if designed with sufficient care. Also, you can learn a lot writing a good multiple-choice question; this is much harder than being able to answer one!

A question is structured by a stem (that which is given) and multiple choice answers. Write a multiple choice question:

• that tests more than recognition/recall, but understanding
• has a complete question stem with an attributed source (e.g., “according to Geert Hofstede” or “the lecture”)
• with choices that are short and of a similar length
• that avoids give-away, obviously wrong choices
• that uses incorrect but related choices
  • unrelated statements or concepts from the same readings
  • arguments the author reviewed but found lacking
  • the position the author was refuting
• that doesn’t use true/false, “all of the above,” “none of the above”, or “A, B and D, but not C.”

Examples

Strong

The following is an example of a good recall question because all these ideas were addressed in the chapter, but only one is clearly right

1. According to the text a dialectic is:
   1. a break in discourse between a superior and subordinate
   2. a tension between opposing options in a choice
   3. a weak form of organizational relationship
   4. a technique of network analysis

The next is a good example of a question that tests the relationship between concepts (i.e., more than recall).

1. According to the text which of the following is true:
   1. crisis management includes crisis communication
   2. crisis communication is synonymous with crisis management
   3. crisis communication includes crisis management
   4. crisis communication is synonymous with image management

Weak

The following questions are unfair, requiring the taker to remember a precise and arbitrary detail.

This question about a percentage only tests the recall of a factoid.

1. According to the text, 18% of online Americans have:
   1. made their own contributions to news coverage
   2. posted civic and political material
   3. contributed health related content
   4. used social media tools to participate in politics

This question tests the ability to recall all the members of a list rather than the meaning of a concept.

1. Which of the following is NOT part of the toolbox of skills in digital participation?
   1. curation
   2. dissuasion
   3. self-presentation
   4. discussion

Source: Jonathan Sterne’s multiple choice final exam formula