“Who Killed the Iceman?” page 534 WRITE two questions and answers from each page of the article. Be sure to write down the page number next to the question! Do NOT use this example Q: The mummy is named Otzi because A: He was found in the Otztal Alps

The best way to become an expert at answering multiple-choice questions is to practice WRITING them! You are going to make multiple-choice questions over “Who Killed the Iceman?” But FIRST... Let’s learn to make GOOD MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

Mastering Multiple-Choice Questions The mummy is named Otzi because a)He looks like an Otzi candy bar from Austria b)B He was found near Austria c) He was found in the Otztal Alps d)He was found by a hiker named Herman Otztal

Parts of a Multiple-Choice question The question is called a stem if the student must finish the sentence A) an option is a distracter if it would fool someone who hasn’t read the material B) one correct answer C) here’s a second distracter that would fool someone who hasn’t read the material D) there is usually a third distracter that is close to the right answer, but not so close as to invalidate the question

Tips for writing MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS Write good correct answers Knowledgeable students should be able to choose the correct answer (without being distracted by wrong answers)

Write good incorrect answers A student who does not know the subject matter should not be able to guess the right answer; that is, distractors should look logical and possible to the uninformed (don’t make a wrong answer obvious)

Each stem and every answer choice should fit grammatically Poor example: – One fruit I enjoy is an Peach Apple Pear Cherries Even if you don’t know the answer, it has to be AN apple, giving away the answer

Keep the response options short and of approximately equal length; students quickly learn that longer options tend to be correct.

You may NOT use “all of the above” or “both A and B are correct.”

List alternatives vertically and use letters (not numbers) to label distracters.

Avoid similar, incorrect options; students who can eliminate one of the two similar options can readily dismiss the other one.

Making your M/C questions professional grade 1. The “question” part is called the A) question B) sentence C) stem D) genesis

2. Answers that are not correct, but could be if the student hadn’t read the material carefully are called a)Manipulators b)Errors c)Antidotes d)distracters

Your ASSIGNMENT WRITE 4 MULTIPLE CHOICE questions over “Who Killed the Iceman?” 2 QUESTIONS SHOULD BE KNOWLEDGE QUESTIONS (answers show accurate memory of material/ “on-the-surface” questions) 2 QUESTIONS SHOULD BE COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (answers show that the student grasps the meaning of material/can reword or summarize)

DUE AT THE END OF THE HOUR 5 points for each good stem with good grammar 2 points for each correct answer (marked!) (grammar, correct, etc.) 1 point each good distractor THAT ADDS UP TO 10 possible points for each complete question 40 points for whole assignment 2 POINTS EXTRA CREDIT IF I CAN USE YOUR QUESTION ON A QUIZ WITHOUT CHANGING IT

For next class period: Read “The Gift of the Magi” starting on page 95 of your textbook Be sure to master the literary terms AND the vocabulary terms listed on page 95