Transcript Writing MCQ
Georgetown University
Center for New Designs in Learning & Scholarship and Office of
Faculty and Academic Affairs
Writing Multiple Choice Questions
Aviad Haramati, PhD
Peggy A. Weissinger, EdD
Georgetown University
School of Medicine
9/14/2011
CNDLS & OFAA
Georgetown University
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Congruence!
Objectives
Activities
Assessment
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Adapted from Felder & Brent ( 1991)
What am I testing?
Core Principles:
Decide exactly what you want to test.
Eliminate as many ambiguities as possible.
Create distractors based firmly on what you want to
test.
After it is over, use it as a learning opportunity!
– Give feedback for your distracters which explains
why they’re wrong.
– Give feedback for the correct answer explaining
why it’s right.
Adapted from http://hotpot.uvia.ca/howto/mcquestion.htm
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Technical Flaws
Issues Related to Irrelevant Difficulty
Options long, complicated, or double
Numeric data not stated consistently
Terms in options are vague
Language in options not parallel
Options in non-logical order
Stems are tricky or unnecessarily complicated
TLISI - (NBME)
Georgetown
University Written Test Questions
Reference: Case & Swanson
Constructing
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Item Shape
Appropriately Shaped Item
Long Stem
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Poorly Shaped Item
Short Stem
a.
b.
c.
d.
5/21/08
e.
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When Writing Options...
…make sure that they are:
Homogenous in content
Incorrect or inferior to the correct answer
Plausible and attractive to the uninformed
Similar to the correct answer in construction
Grammatically consistent and logically
compatible with the stem
TLISI - (NBME)
Georgetown
University Written Test Questions
Reference: Case & Swanson
Constructing
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General Guidelines
Bulk of question in the stem.
Try “cover-the-options” test.
Avoid superfluous information.
Avoid “tricky” and overly complex items.
Write grammatically consistent options.
Avoid absolutes! (e.g. always, never, all)
And most important: Focus on important
concepts. Don’t waste time testing trivial facts.
TLISI - (NBME)
Georgetown
University Written Test Questions
Reference: Case & Swanson
Constructing
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Pulling it together!
Summary:
Decide what you want to test.
Well-written objectives make the job easier.
Use guidelines for writing quality MCQ.
Local resources here to help!
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Contact information
Aviad Haramati
[email protected]
202-687-1021
9/14/2011
Peg Weissinger
[email protected]
202-687-4556
CNDLS & OFAA
Georgetown University
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