Writing multiple-choice test items to measure student learning in higher education is a challenge. Based on extensive scholarly research and experience, the author describes various item formats, offers guidelines for creating these items, and provides many examples of both good and bad test items. He also suggests some shortcuts for developing…

Undergraduate metals technology students (n=52) took a multiple-choice test, 49 a matching test, and 47 no test. All took an unannounced delayed retention test 3 weeks later. Initial testing aided retention, with no differences between matching and multiple-choice groups. The matching group had a small but significant score increase on new…

Testing techniques that can be used in introductory geography courses are evaluated. A modification of multiple-choice tests is described which incorporates both objective and subjective formats: a student selects a multiple-choice answer, writes down his reasons for the selection, and is graded on both parts of his answer. (Author/ND)

This study was designed to examine the level of dependence within multiple true-false test-item clusters by computing sets of item correlations with data from a test composed of both multiple true-false and multiple-choice items. (Author/LMO)

Complex multiple choice (CMC) items are frequently used to test knowledge about repetitive information. In two independent comparisons, performance on the CMC items surpassed that of the multiple true-false clusters. Data indicate that performance on CMC items is inflated, and distractors on CMC items fail to prevent guessing. (Author/PN)

Discusses statistical procedures for increasing test unreliability due to guessing in multiple choice and true/false tests. Proposes two new measures of test unreliability: one concerned with resolution of defined levels of knowledge and the other with the probability of examinees being incorrectly ranked. Both models are based on the binomial…

Following a discussion of the pros and cons of multiple choice tests, concludes that they are a valid means of determining literary knowledge. (RB)

Three types of test were compared: a completion test, a matching test, and a multiple-choice test. The completion test was more reliable than the matching test, and the matching test was more reliable than the multiple-choice test. (Author/BW)

Grade A undergraduate psychology students used different test-taking strategies on a multiple-choice exam than did C or F students. In general, the strategies of the best students were characterized by a more thorough consideration of the alternative answers for each question. (RM)

Despite the 50 percent probability of a correctly guessed response, a multiple true-false examination should provide sufficient score variability for adequate discrimination without formula scoring. This scoring system directs examinees to respond to each item, with their scores based simply on the number of correct responses. (Author/CM)

A total of 50 college students enrolled in different sections of a language arts methodology course served as treatment and control groups to investigate the effects of student-generated questions on test performance. Periodically throughout the course, students in the treatment group received instruction in effective questioning techniques by…

An account is given of the introduction of multiple-choice and other forms of objective testing into the assessment of a first-year university elementary analysis class. (MP)

The findings of this paper suggest that when students encounter a situation in which they can benefit by cheating, those who score lowest on the exam are least able to resist the temptation to cheat. Exam scores for 459 beginning psychology students were examined. Each student took four exams, but only on the third was copying made impossible. The…

The manual is presented as an aid to college and university instructors in a consumer health course. Its primary purpose is to provide some examples of test items that could be used in evaluating the degree to which teacher objectives have been reached. The manual contains test items, answers, and information on the use of these test items. The…

A study of recurrent faults in multiple-choice items in Britain's Open University's computer-marked tests has led to a procedure for avoiding these faults. A description of the study covers the incidence and sources of faults (obviousness, memorization, unclear instruction, ambiguity, distractors, inter-item effects, and structure) and…