Guidelines for Constructing Objective Tests
The following information provides only brief guidelines for
constructing different types of test questions as well as for formatting
tests. Writing good test questions requires understanding of the do's
and don'ts, careful attention, practice, and time. One also needs to recognize
that each type of question has advantages and disadvantages so that an
informed choice can be made about what kinds of questions are appropriate
to use for a given assessment.
Download the test for this activity by clicking on the link below.
2. Take the test, then, identify its errors.
3. Read the material presented in this web page. After reading
the material, you will be presented with a second activity, that
is a continuation of this activity.
4. Participate in a threaded discussion about the errors in this
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- A lot of vocabulary can be assessed in a minimal time
- Construction is relatively easy
- The understanding assessed is likely to be trivial (recall/knowledge level)
- Difficult to avoid ambiguity in constructing questions
- Scoring requires careful reading for unanticipated but correct answers
- Leave only important terms blank.
- Keep items brief.
- Limit the number of blanks per statement to one, at the most two
for older students.
- Limit the response called for to single words or very brief phrases.
- Try to put the blanks near the end of the statement (or better yet,
see 9 and 4 below).
- Try to ensure that only one term fits each blank.
- Indicate the units if the answer called for involves a numerical
- Give students credit for unanticipated yet correct responses.
- Number the blanks and provide lines down the right-hand side of the
page, all of the same length, for students to write their answers. (If
you're left-handed, put them on the left.)
- Lift statements directly from the book.
- Use "a" or "an" before a blank; make it "a/an"
if needed to make it grammatical.
- Count a misspelled or non-grammatical answer entirely wrong. Let students
know in advance that spelling and grammar count.
- Provide lines in the statement, e.g., "water and alcohols are
____________ molecules." Instead, use numbered blanks that are
all of the same length, e.g., "water and alcohols are examples
of –1– molecules" and "water in its gaseous state
is called –2– ."
- These questions would be appropriate for quick checks of essential vocabulary.
- The point value assigned should be minimal.
- Consider reworking such questions into short answer format.
- Many topics can be covered in the time available for students to respond.
- These questions are quickly and easily scored.
- The understanding assessed is likely to be trivial (recall/knowledge level).
- It is difficult to avoid ambiguity in constructing these questions.
- The odds of guessing a correct answer are 50:50.
- Better students tend to read too much into the questions.
- Use a single point that determines the truth of the statement. An
example violation: The cm is larger than the mm and the mm is larger
than the dm.
- Take care with grammar and spelling.
- Use a single clause, simply and directly stated; if two clauses are
used, the main clause should be true and the subordinate clause true
or false. An example violation: Lilies are considered annuals because
their bulbs live from year to year.
- Have approximately half of the statements true and half false. It
is easier to start with all true statements, then go back and change
some to false statements.
- Use a random pattern in the sequence of answers, e.g., ttfft is okay,
tftft is not.
- Use tricky questions.
- Use unnecessary words and complicated content.
- Use statements directly from the text. Rephrase them so students must
at least have comprehended the material as opposed to recognizing it.
- Avoid negatives; this means not just words like not or none, but negative
prefixes and suffixes as well. Double negatives are never grammatical.
- Avoid specific determiners. Statements with words such as generally,
may, most, often, should, and usually are generally true. Statements
with words such as all, alone, only, no, none, never, and always are
Variations: (Be careful with your directions and teach students how to answer in advance.)
- Antonyms and synonyms.
- True/false/can't say as options.
- True/false/converse as options.
- True/false with correction of an underlined word if statement is false.
- True/false with diagrams, maps, drawings, etc.
- These questions are okay for quick checks of vocabulary and concepts.
- The point value assigned should be minimal.
- A large number of related ideas cans be addressed in a short period of
- Answers are easily and quickly scored.
- Such questions are restricted to recognition of simple understandings.
- Clues are difficult to avoid.
- A common error is lack of consistency of relationship throughout the question.
- Make certain that the relationship between the stems and the responses
is the same throughout the question. For example, all of the items might
be things OR events, but a combination of things and events is inappropriate.
(Warning: this is more difficult than it appears!)
- State the specific relationship between the stems and responses in
the directions to the question. Check that it fits each stem and its
response. If it doesn't, rework the question.
- Put the stems ("question") column on the left and number
- Put the blanks for students to record their answers next to the stems
(or on an answer sheet).
- Put the responses (answers) column on the right and letter them (capital
- Order the responses in some logical fashion, e.g., alphabetically,
- Make the stems longer than the responses.
- Use between five and ten stems.
- Provide more responses than needed (about 40-50% more than stimuli).
- Split a matching question between pages.
- Fail to check that directions state a relationship and that it is
correct across the entire question.
- Provide more than one correct response for a single stem, unless you've
been very clear with the directions and have taught students to do this
kind of question in advance.
- Change the grammar across stems and responses, e.g., between plural
Formatting matching tests
(This is not a question, just an illustration of formatting.) For an example,
download the Sound test at the bottom of this page - MS Word)
|___ 1. This is the longer stem to the
___ 2. The stems have the blanks.
|A. Lettered response
B. Logical order
C. More responses than needed
D. Shorter responses
- Consider using photographs, diagrams, graphs that illustrate structures
- Sometimes one graphic can be used twice, e.g., names and functions of
- Having just a few responses when some can be used twice (or more) is okay.
Multiple Choice Questions
- A large number of ideas can be addressed in a short period of response
- These questions are easily and quickly scored.
- Questions can elicit responses from all cognitive levels, from knowledge
- Questions can be improved over time by analyzing them in light of student
- It is time-consuming to write good items, especially those at higher cognitive
- Test-wise and English fluent students tend to be favored.
- Use the same number of distractors (wrong answers) for every question.
- Use plausible distractors that are related to the stem and are similar
in character; tricky, cute, and 'throw-away' ones are anathema.
- Have all distractors (and the correct answer) about the same length.
- Use correct grammar; if the stem is an incomplete sentence, each distractor
should be grammatically consistent with it and complete the sentence.
- Put all of the distractors in a single column, not side by side or
in two columns.
- Use reasonable vocabulary and avoid wordiness and ambiguity.
- State the authority to be used in items calling for judgment.
- Vary the position of the correct answer (the tendency is to make it
B or C).
- Examine questions carefully for subtle clues in word choice or phrasing.
- Use specific determiners in distractors such as all, none, only, and
alone because they usually indicate an incorrect answer. Likewise, avoid
generally, often, usually, most, and may because they often indicate
the correct answer.
- Avoid negatives, including less obvious ones, such as without, because
they can confuse or be missed by students; highlight the negative word
if you find you must use one.
- Provide clues in the stem, such as “a” or “an”
at the end; put these articles with the distractors.
- Avoid using "all of the above" and "none of the above."
If you do use them, make them as frequently the incorrect answers as
they are the correct answers.
- Typical errors or misconceptions (keep track of these as you teach).
- Misstated relationships, where the correct terms are connected with
a wrong relationship.
- Combine conclusions and explanations such that both are right, the
former is wrong, the latter is wrong, both are wrong.
- Using a graphic may make writing more challenging questions easier, e.g.,
- Analyses are easily done on difficulty level and whether distractors are
working; some machine scoring programs can compute these.
The organization and appearance of the test on paper should facilitate
student understanding of what is being asked of him/her and how to respond.
- Provide complete directions, both for the overall test and for each
item format. Directions include guidance for what is expected in the
response as well as how to respond.
- Group like questions, e.g., put all of the multiple choice questions
- Never split a question between pages.
- Avoid splitting like questions between pages.
- Indicate the point value for each question.
- Sequence the questions from those that are quickly answered to those
requiring more time to answer, i.e, the essay questions are almost invariably
- Use plenty of "white space" to set off directions, questions
and answers, and sections of the test. Don't crowd things together.
1. On the plus side, this means that the test items can be used from year
to year, there is often a savings of paper, and there is less paper for
you to deal with and carry around.
On the negative side, students may misplace answers (there are things
to do that help them avoid this) and they will not have them for future
study, e.g., for final exams.
Constructing A Test
Test questions should require students to show that they can use what
they have learned. The best questions ask them to apply their understanding
and to use it to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate novel instances of
the concepts. If the instances are the same as used in instruction, students
are only being asked to recall. Questions that ask students simply to
remember (knowledge level) and/or to do simple translations (comprehension)
are best used for knowledge that should be retained for a lifetime.
- Write the questions as you teach–or even before you teach! Why?
- Ask questions that address significant learning outcomes. Why?
- Weight (put value on) questions that address significant outcomes.
- Weight questions as well according to time spent on the topic(s) addressed.
- Weight questions as well on the student thought and effort that go
into answering them.
- Ask a variety of kinds of questions. Why?
- Recognize that a test is a sample of students' learning. Implication?
- Make alternative forms of the test to deter cheating and to provide
for make-up testing.
- Consider using a grid of topics by types of questions/thinking to
structure the overall test.*
* What does the following table tell us about what was taught and how
it will be tested if the guidelines above have been followed?
|Application - 50%
|Comprehension - 20%
|Analysis - 20%
|Knowledge - 10%
Making Tests Accessible
This 3D image of the inner ear would be useful to include
in the Sound Test if you had the accompanying 3D model for use with
visually impaired students.This would allow both groups to be tested
on the same material using the same model. Something to consider.
If you use a model to test a visually impaired learner, you
need to make sure that the model you are using to test the learner
with is the same model that was used to learn the material. This
will eliminate the possible effect variance may have on the learners
ability to succeed.
The adjacent Sound test is a good example of a test that is accessible to people with visual impairments.
The test utilizes diagrams and pictures as well as a good sized font. Other techniques that can be used to
make tests accessible include adding texture. For example, gluing a piece of string to a waveform graphic
on a test will give a tactile representation of the sound. Download the sound test and see if you can spot
any other techniques that would increase the accessibility of the test for people with visual or other impairments.
Test what you've learned
1. If you didn't look at the sample test at the top of the page,
view the test now (pop-up), or
download the test
in .pdf format. Read the questions carefully. Then, using what you have learned, rewrite the following questions
so that they meet the guidlines detailed in the sections above:
- question 3 – matching *
- question 5 – completion
- question 7 – multiple choice
- question 8 – true/false
- question 10 – essay
*you may have to radically alter question 3 to fit the guidelines.
2. Format your rewritten questions into a test and post your results
on blackboard. Discuss the posted tests with your classmates and
select the test with the best formatting.
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