Creating Effective Multiple Choice Questions

ELEMENTS OF A GREAT MC QUESTION

LEARNING OBJECTIVE Ask yourself what questions someone – and only someone –  who has achieved the learning objective of your course would be able to answer.

FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT The learning objective is: Have you read and understood the novel? Your questions should reflect the information you feel is most important to the understanding of the specific chapter that the question refers to.

STEM Best practice dictates that the central idea or problem be obvious from reading the stem alone – this focuses the question on testing the specific learning objective. You’ll know if your central idea is in the stem if you can guess the answer without having to look at the alternatives.  EXAMPLES: Incomplete Sentence Form The capital of Canada is: a) … Question Form [preferred] What is the capital of Canada? a) …

ANSWER Have only one clear best answer. Alternate the placement of the answer (ex. avoid always putting the answer as possibility A)

DISTRACTORS Distractors should appear as plausible options to learners who have not achieved the learning objective. The correct answer, on the other hand, must be consistently identified as the best answer to those who have achieved the learning outcome. Poor Example What is the capital of Canada? a) Washington DC b) Ottawa c) All of the above Better Example What is the capital of Canada? a) Quebec City b) Vancouver c) Ottawa

(Any examples given here cannot be used on your exam) Which question relates to a deeper understanding of the novel? What is inside the snowball that hurts Mary Dempster? A.) More snow B.) A coin C.) A stone OR What does the snowball incident represent? A.) The birth of Dunny’s guilt B.) The birth of Dunny’s jealousy of boy C.) The birth of Dunny’s love for Mary Dempster This would be considered a level 4 plot question because it outlines a plot event that reveals a motif, but does not explain the idea behind it (theme). Evaluating the question: Does this question relate to plot or theme? Does this test the learning objective? Is it a fussy detail or does it represent an essential moment or theme in the novel? Are the answers thoughtful or misleading? How can this question be re-worded to address a deeper understanding of this section of the novel?

(Any examples given here cannot be used on your exam) Which plot related question relates to a deeper understanding of the novel? What war did Dunny fight in? A.) The Civil War B.) World War One C.) World War Two This question would score a level 2 because it is too obvious, and not very thoughtful VS What did Dunstan learn through his experience in World War One? A.) Mary Dempster was with him at Passchendale B.) Canadians are decent and Germans are evil C.) He was destined to be a hero This is a level 4 plot question because it refers to a specific plot moment that is essential to that section of the novel. If it expressed the effect of this moment, it would become a theme question. Evaluating the question: Does this test the learning objective? Is it a fussy detail or does it represent an essential moment or theme in the novel? Are the answers thoughtful or misleading?

Examples (Any examples given here cannot be used on your exam) How can this question be re-worded to address a deeper understanding of this section of the novel? This religious leader uses religion to justify how he lives: a.) Surgeoner b.) Father Reagan c.) Leadbeater d.) Boy Staunton Evaluating the question: Does this question relate to plot or theme? Does this test the learning objective? Is it a fussy detail? Are the answers thoughtful or misleading?

(Any examples given here cannot be used on your exam) Why does Leadbeater’s religious philosophy resonate with Boy? OR Why does Dunstan find Leadbeater’s religious philosophy immature? A.) Because it draws people to goodness through well constructed stories. B.) Because he uses the philosophy to justify how he chooses to live. C.) Because it focuses only on police court facts. This is a level 4 theme question because it states an idea about a philosophical approach to religion. Evaluating the question: Does this question relate to plot or theme? Does this test the learning objective? Is it a fussy detail or does it represent an essential moment or theme in the novel? Are the answers thoughtful or misleading?