1. Test Question Writing Instructor Development ANSF Nurse Training Program

2. Bloom’s Taxonomy Remembering: can the student recall or remember the information? define, duplicate, list, memorize, recall, repeat, reproduce state Understanding: can the student explain ideas or concepts? classify, describe, discuss, explain, identify, locate, recognize, report, select, translate, paraphrase Applying: can the student use the information in a new way? choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate, schedule, sketch, solve, use, write. Analyzing: can the student distinguish between the different parts? appraise, compare, contrast, criticize, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, question, test. Evaluating: can the student justify a stand or decision? appraise, argue, defend, judge, select, support, value, evaluate Creating: can the student create new product or point of view? assemble, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, write.

3. Test Question Types  True/False  Multiple Choice  Matching  Essay

4. True/False  Only two possible alternatives  Measures ability to identify fact versus fiction LIMITATIONS:  Guessing  Difficult to write for complex material

5. True/False Suggestions  Include only one main idea  Use negatives sparingly  Use statements that are clearly true or false  Avoid using: none, never, always, all, impossible, usually, generally, sometimes, often

6. Multiple Choice Question Parts  STEM – text of the question  OPTIONS – choices provided  KEY – correct answer  DISTRACTERS – incorrect answers

7. Multiple Choice Stems  Present a single, definite statement to be completed or answered by one of the several given choices  Avoid unnecessary & irrelevant material  Use clear, straightforward language in the stem  Use negatives sparingly  Put as much of the question in the stem as possible

8. Writing Distracters  For single response – ensure only one correct response  Use only plausible & attractive alternatives as distracters  Avoid giving clues to the correct answer  Avoid “all of the above” & “none of the above”  Distracters based on common student errors are very effective  Correct statements that do not answer the question are strong distracters  Avoid using ALWAYS & NEVER in the stem  Try not to confuse students with distracters  Provide sufficient number of distracters

9. Stem Pitfalls  Negative stems.  Example: “all of the following are true except”  often confusing to students and emphasize the wrong answers  Teaching in the stem.  Teaching gives away too many clues as to the correct response and deflects from the examinee’s critical thinking abilities  Opinionated items.  present objective facts to be tested, not evaluate subjective opinions

10. Matching  Match a series to a response ADVANTAGES:  Good at assessing understanding of relationships

11. Matching Test RECALL of: Test ability to APPLY knowledge:  Definitions – terms  Historical events – dates  Achievements – people  Statements – postulates  Descriptions - principles  Examples – terms  Functions – parts  Classifications – structures  Applications – postulates  Problems - principles

12. Matching TIPS  Provide clear directions  Keep the information in each column as homogeneous as possible  Allow the responses to be used more than once  Arrange response list systematically if possible  Include more responses than stems

13. Essay  Not recommended for large class size  Difficult to grade

14. Analyzing the Missed Question  How many students missed the question?  Does the instructor understand the question?  Was the content covered in the lecture/readings?  Can the intent be confusing?

15. QUESTIONS???