Assessment of Learning - Multiple Choice Test

Introduction
The multiple – choice test is
regarded as one of the best
forms of testing. This form is
the most valuable and widely
– used in standardized test
due to its flexibility and
objectivity in scoring.

Introduction
The multiple – choice item is
considered somewhat more
difficult to construct than the
other objective items.
However, it is as much more
effective item for measuring
higher cognitive processes.

Introduction
The multiple – choice type of test is a
form of assessment in which students are
asked to select the correct or best answer
out of the choices from the list. It requires
the student to select from the given
options that will make the stem complete
or correct. All incorrect or less
appropriate responses are called
“distracters” or “foils”.

Introduction
Oftentimes, multiple – choice tests
include a stimulus material where
the item or question is drawn. A
stimulus material, or an introductory
material, is added information in the
form of chart, graph, stanza of a
poem, or novel pictorial.

Introduction
A multiple – choice test is
made up of items each of
which presents two or more
responses, only one of which is
correct or definitely better
than the others.

Introduction

The multiple – choice item
consists of two parts: (a) the
stem, which identifies the
question or problem; and (b) the
response alternatives. Students
are asked to select one
alternative that best completes
the statement or answers to the

Example

Item stem:
•Which of the following is
a chemical change?

Example

Response alternatives:
•A. Evaporation of Alcohol
•B. Freezing of water
•C. Burning of oil
•D. Melting of wax

Introduction
The given options are the
possible answers that the
examinees can choose
from, with the correct answer
called “key”. The minimum
number of options is three
while the maximum is five.

Introduction
In short, each multiple – choice
item consist of a stem and a
series of alternative
responses, one of which is the
correct response. Alternatives
that are incorrect are, for
obvious reasons, called
“distracters”.

Stem
The introductory part of an item is
called the stem, and its functions
are to ask question, set the task to
be performed, or state the problem
to be solved. As a general rule, after
the examinee has read the stem, he
or she should understand the task
at the hand and know what task is
required by the stem.

Stem
The stem is the beginning part of the item
that presents the item as a problem to be
solved, a question asked of the students, or
an incomplete statement to be completed. It
can be presented in three ways: a direction,
an incomplete statement, or a mathematical
equation. If it is an incomplete statement, all
the options or the last one ends with the
period. For elementary students, it is
advisable to use a direct question.

Stem
Example of a direct
question:
•Who is the President of
the Philippines after
EDSA I?

Stem
Example of an incomplete
statement:

•The President of the
Philippines after EDSA I is

Stem
A stem may also be presented
in the form of a mathematical
equation:

•In the equation 2x + 3 =
4, solve for x.

Stem
The stem in multiple –
choice question should
present the problem so
clearly that the students
will know exactly what is
expected of them.

Stem
It should be constructed in such a
way that it leads directly to the
alternatives without ambiguity.
This can be assured if both the
stem and the correct alternative
are written as grammatically
complete statements.

Stem

Example:

The Connecticut
River originates at
the Connecticut
Lakes in Northern
Vermont.

Stem
Stated this way, the entire item
is more likely to have a clearly –
stated stem and a good set of
alternatives. Then, break the
sentence in the following way to
construct the
alternatives, responses, or
distracters:

Stem

Example:

The Connecticut River
originates at the
Connecticut Lakes in:
A. Southern Canada
B. Northwestern New
Hampshire
C. Northern Vermont
D. Northeastern
Connecticut

Stem
It does not matter very
much where the stem is
split so long as it makes
good sense and contains
most of the information.

Stem
Items at this level should
provide clues for accurate
recall in order for the
students to be accurate in
their selection of an
answer.

Stem
It does not matter either
whether the stem is
written as an incomplete
sentence, as above or
whether it is restated as
question.

Stem

Example:

Where does
Connecticut River
originate?
A. Southern Canada
B. Northwestern New
Hampshire
C. Northern Vermont
D. Northeastern
Connecticut

The
Alternatives/Response/
Options

Alternatives/Response/Options

The suggested responses are
called
alternatives/responses/options.
Usually, only one of the
alternatives is the correct or best
answer to the question or
problem posed.


The remaining incorrect alternatives
are called “distracters” or “foils”.
Their function is to appear as
plausible answers or solutions to the
problem for those examinees who do
not possess sufficient knowledge.


The alternatives
(sometimes called
options) are the
“multiple choices” from
which students select.


Since alternatives are as
plausible as the correct
responses, they are called
“distracters”. They are
designed to force students to
think by making their choices
more difficult.

Advantages of
Multiple – Choice
Test

It has a great versatility in
measuring objectives from the
level of the rote memorization
to the most complex level.

It often requires less time to
administer than tests
requiring written responses.

Because this style of test does
not require a teacher to
interpret the answers, test –
takers are graded purely on
the selection, thus creating a
lower likelihood of teacher
bias in the results.

Factors irrelevant to the
assessed materials, such as
handwriting and clarity of
presentation, do not come
into play in a multiple
choice assessment.

Because student writing is
minimized, the teacher can
cover a substantial amount of
course material in relatively
short time.

Scoring is objective since only
little interpretation is needed
to count the number of correct
responses.

Teachers can construct options
that require students to
discriminate among them.
These items vary in the degree
of correctness.

The effects of guessing
are largely reduced since
there are more options.

Items are more amenable to
item analysis, and this can be
used to detect areas of
student weaknesses, evidence
of the item ambiguity, item
difficulty, and the extent to
which the item can measure
individual differences.

The multiple – choice
item can be used to
test a greater variety
of instructional
objectives.

It does not require the
examinee to write out and
elaborate their
answers, minimizing the
opportunity for less
knowledgeable examinees
to “bluff” or “dress up” their
answer.

It focuses on reading
and thinking.

Highly reliable test
scores.

A wide sampling of
content or objectives.
Different response
alternatives which can
provide diagnostic
feedback.

Limitations of
Multiple – Choice
Test

This type of test is more
time consuming in terms
of looking for options
that are plausible.

Multiple – choice tests are
ambiguous. Failing to
interpret the question as the
test maker intended can
result in an incorrect
response, even if the test
taker’s response is potentially
valid.

The term multiple guess has
been used to describe this
scenario because test –
takers may attempt to
guess, rather than
determine the correct
answer.

In a multiple – choice
test, a student who is
incapable of answering a
particular question can
simply select a random
answer and still have a
chance of receiving a mark
of it.

It is a common practice of
students who have no time
left to give all the
remaining questions
random answers in the
hope that they will get at
least some of them right.

Test naïve student complain
of more than one defensible
correct answer.
They require students to
choose from among a fixed list
of options, rather than to
create or express their own
ideas and solutions.

Poorly written multiple –
choice test items can be
superficial, trivial, and limited
to factual knowledge.
Multiple – choice items tend to
based on
“standardized”, “vulgarized”, or
“approved” knowledge and give
students the impression that there
is a single, correct answer.

Lead a teacher to favor
simple recall of facts.
Place a high degree of
dependence on student’s
reading ability and
teacher’s writing ability.

Suggestions for
Constructing a
MULTIPLE – CHOICE
TEST

Constructing/Improving
the Main Stem

A. Constructing/Improving the Main Stem

Statements barrowed from
textbooks or other reference
materials must be avoided.
Use familiar phrasing to test
the comprehension of
students.


Question form
The main stem of
the test item
Completion form
may be
constructed in:
Direction form

Question Form
Which is the same as four hundred
seventy?
A.
B.
C.
D.

Completion Form
Four hundred seventy is the same as
______________.
A.
B.
C.
D.

Direction Form
Add 22 and 43

A.
B.
C.
D.


Articles “an” and “a” must be
avoided as last words in an
incomplete sentence. These words
give clues to the probable answers
as to whether the best option
starts with a consonant or vowel.


The main stem should be clear.
Avoid awkward stems.

Example of an awkward stem:

If there are 9 chairs in the classroom
and 16 children in the class, the
classroom lacks how many chairs?
A.6
B.7
C.8
D.9

Improved stem:

There are 16 children and 9 chairs in the
classroom. How many more chairs are
needed?
A.6
B.7
C.8
D.9


In items testing definitions, place
the word or term in the stem and
use definitions or descriptions as
alternatives.


Avoid negatively – worded items.


When possible, state the stem as a
direct question rather than as
incomplete statement.

Example

Poor
Better

Alloys are ordinarily
produced by. . .

How are alloys
ordinarily produced?


Present a definite, explicit
singular question or problem
in the stem.

Example

Poor
Better

Psychology. . .

The science of mind
and behavior is called.
..


Eliminate excessive verbiage
or irrelevant information
from the stem.

Example

Poor
Better

While ironing her
formal, polo shirt June
burned her hand
accidentally on the hot
iron. This was due to a
transfer of heat because. . .

Which of the following
ways of heat transfer
explains why June’s hand
was burned after she
touched a hot iron?


Include the stem any word
(s) that might otherwise be
repeated in each
alternative.

Example

Poor

In the national elections in
the United States, the
President is officially
A. chosen by the people
B. chosen by electoral
College
C. chosen by members of
Congress
D. chosen by the House of
Representatives

Example

In the national elections in
the United States, the
President is officially
chosen by

Better

A. the people
B. electoral College
C. members of Congress
D. the House of
Representatives


Use negatively questions
sparingly. When
used, underline and/or
capitalized the negative
word.

Example

Poor
Better

Which of the following is
not cited as an
accomplishment of Arroyo
administration?

Which of the following is
NOT cited as an
accomplishment of
Arroyo administration?

Constructing/Improving Alternatives

Alternatives should be
as closely related to
each other as possible.

Constructing/Improving
Alternatives

B. Constructing/Improving Alternatives

Alternatives should be
arranged accordingly
to length: from shortest
to longest or vice versa.


All options must be plausible
with each other to attract
student to choose detractors or
incorrect responses where only
those with high intellectual
levels can get the best option.


All options must be
grammatically consistent. For
instance, if the stem is
singular, the options are all
singular.


Four or more options
must be provided in
each item to minimize
guessing.


The order of correct answers
in all items is randomly
arranged rather than
following a regular pattern.


A uniform number of options in
each item must be used. For
instance, if there are twenty items
for this type and if item 1 starts
with five options, the rest of the
items will have also five options.

Constructing/Improving Alternatives

A uniform number of options in
each item must be used. For
instance, if there are twenty items
for this type and if item 1 starts
with five options, the rest of the
items will have also five options.


Avoid using “not
given”, “none of the
above”, “all of the
above”, etc. as alternatives in
best – answer types of items.


Make all alternatives
plausible and attractive to
the less knowledgeable or
skillful student.

Example

Poor
A.Digestion
B.Relaxation
C.Respiration
D.Exertion

What process is most nearly
the opposite of photosynthesis?

Better
A.Digestion
B.Assimilation
C.Respiration
D.Catabolism


Make the alternatives
grammatically parallel with
each other and consistent
with the stem.

Example

Poor

What would do most to
advance the application of
atomic discoveries to
medicine?

A.Standardized techniques for treatment
of patients.
B.Train the average doctor to apply the
radioactive treatments.
C.Remove restriction on the use of
radioactive substances.
D.Establishing hospital staffed by highly
trained radioactive therapy specialist.

Example

Better

What would advance the
application of atomic
discoveries to medicine most?

A.Removal of restriction on the use of
radioactive substances.
B.Development of standardized techniques
for treatment of patients.
C.Addition of trained radioactive therapy
specialists to hospital staffs.
D.Training the average doctor in
application of radioactive treatments.


Make the alternatives
mutually exclusive.

Example

Poor

The daily minimum required
amount of milk that a 10 –
year old child should drink is

A. 1 – 2 glasses
B. 2 – 3 glasses
C. 3-4 glasses
D. At least 4 glasses

Example

Better
A. 1 glass
B. 2 glasses
C. 3 glasses
D. 4 glasses

What is the daily minimum
required amount of milk a 10
– year old child should drink?


When possible, present
alternatives in some logical
order (chronological, most to
least, alphabetical).

Example
At 7 a.m. two trucks leave a diner and
travel north. One truck averages 42
miles per hour and the other truck
averages 38 miles per hour. At what
time will they be 24 hours apart?

Example

Undesirable
A. 6 p.m.
B. 9 p.m.
C. 1 a.m.
D. 1 p.m.
E. 6 a.m.

Desirable
A. 1 a.m.
B. 6 p.m.
C. 9 a.m.
D. 1 p.m.
E. 6 p.m.


Be sure that there is only one
correct or best response to the
item.

Example

Poor
A. Precision
B. Reliability
C. Objectivity
D. Consistency

The two most desired
characteristics in a classroom
test are the validity and

Better
A. Precision
B. Reliability
C. Objectivity
D. Standardization


Make alternative
approximately equal in
length.

Example

Poor

The most general cause of low
individual incomes in the
United States is

A. Lack of valuable productive services to
sell.
B. Unwillingness to work.
C. Automation
D. Inflation

Example

Better

What is the most general cause
of low individual incomes in
the United States?

A. A lack of valuable productive services to
sell.
B. The population’s overall unwillingness to
work.
C. The nation’s increase reliance on
automation.
D. An increasing national level of inflation.


Avoid irrelevant
clues, such as
grammatical
structure, well – known
verbal associations or
connections between stem
and answer.

Example

Grammatical clue

Poor
A chain of islands is called an
A. Archipelago
B. Peninsula
C. Continent
D. Isthmus

Example

Verbal associations

Poor
The reliability of test can be estimated
by the coefficient of
A. Measurement
B. Correlation
C. Testing
D. Error

Example

Poor

Connection between
stem and answer

The height to which a water dam is built
depends on
A. The length of the reserve behind the
dam.
B. The volume of water behind the dam.
C. The height of water behind the dam.
D. The strength of the reinforcing wall.


Use at least four
alternatives for each item
to lower the probability of
getting the item correct
by guessing.


Randomly distribute the correct
responses among the
alternative positions throughout
the test having approximately
the same proportion of the
alternatives a, b, c, d, and e as
the correct response.


Use the alternative NONE OF
THE ABOVE and ALL OF THE
ABOVE sparingly. When
used, such alternatives
should occasionally be used
as the correct response.

An illustration of a
Multiple – Choice
Item that Measures
behavior in the
Cognitive Domain

K
N
O
W
L
E
D
G
E

Where is the mouth of the
Connecticut River Valley located?
A. New Haven
B. New London
C. Saybrook
D. Essex

Simple recall of information is
all that is asked.

U
N
D
E
R
S
T
A
N
D
I
N
G

Which term most accurately describes
the soil deposited at the base of a
Canyon?

A. Volcanic rock
B. Alluvial
C. Sedimentary deposit
D. Conglomerate

Children need to recall information
about erosion and soil formation
accurately and understand how
these phenomena build specific
geographic formations.

A
P
P
L
I
C
A
T
I
O
N

To help retain valuable farm lands
along a river, man often builds:
A. Dikes
B. Underwater dams
C. Waterfalls
D. Floodgates

Children must apply their knowledge
and understanding of rivers and
flooding to know that dikes will
prevent rampaging floods from
carrying the soil away.

A
N
A
L
Y
S
I
S

A river that flows between steep
mountains for a hundred miles
and then suddenly into a broad
plain will require people who
live in the plain to build dams:
A. At the head of the canyon
B. At the mouth of the canyon
C. Two miles below the mouth of
the canyon
D. At the several points along
the canyon

A
N
A
L
Y
S
I
S

In analyzing the flow of such a
river, students should understand
how water from the water from
the mountain streams will swell the
water level in the river and cause it
to flow faster and dangerous
amounts. They should conclude, if
they can perform at this cognitive
level, that a series of dams will
likely afford the best protection.

S
Y
N
T
H
E
S
I
S

In addition to providing
drinking water, a reservoir high
in the mountains can be an
important source for which of
the following needs of man?

A. Transportation
B. Irrigation
C. Electricity
D. Energy

S
Y
N
T
H
E
S
I
S

Students now will have to
analyze the information
they have gained about
the flow of water in order
to synthesize a new way
to make use of the
reservoir.

E
V
A
L
U
A
T
I
O
N

Which of the following strategies
would be the most equitable solution
to the perennial drought problems of
a large population living in a plain
below a well – watered upland area?
A. Divert the water from the upland
lakes by aqueducts.
B. Change the course of a major river
that serves the upland region.
C. Drill deep wells in the plains area.
D. Build a series of dams in the
upland region to store water for the
plains area

E
V
A
L
U
A
T
I
O
N

Each response is plausible
and each poses economic
and emotional problems.
Making a thoughtful
judgment in terms of
available information is
called for.

Types of Multiple –
Choice Tests

Types of Multiple – Choice Tests

Stimulus Material –
Stem – Options

The papers, of course, had been full of
tragedy – glaring headlines, sandwiched
biographies of every member of the
household and the usual familiar tag
about the police having no clue. Nothing
was spared. The war was momentarily
inactive and the newspapers seized with
avidity on this crime in fashionable life:
“the mysterious affair styles” was the topic
of the moment.
From “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” by

Agatha Christie

Why are the newspapers making
The Mysterious Affair at Style
their lead story?
A. They are bored with regular
news.
B. The Cavendishes were
fashionable.
C. The war is over.


Stem – Options

Which of the following serves
as an example of formative
evaluation?

A. Diagnostic test
B. Entrance test
C. Periodical test
D. Short quizzes


Negative stem/The
Negative Variety

The following are examples of
an adjective EXCEPT


Best Answer/The
Best Answer Variety

Since there is no clear –
cut or well defined
policies on observing
privacy in all
instances, the teacher is
simply required to be


Contained Options

Identify the error in the sentence.
My parents was in
A
B
Manila to assist my
C
sister enroll in College.
D
No Error
E


Correct
Answer/Correct
Answer Variety

What is the summer capital
city of the Philippines?


Group Options

Write –
A. If the item is a simple
sentence
B. If the item is a compound
sentence
C. If the item is a complex
sentence


Morse Variety

Write –
A. If W affects X but X affects Y
but Y affects Z.
B. If W does not affect X but X
does not affect Y but Y does
not affect Z.
C. If W affects X but X does not
affect Y but Y affects Z.


The Multiple –
Response Variety

What factors are principally
responsible for the clotting of
blood?
A. Contact of blood with
foreign substance.
B. Contact of blood with
injured tissue
C. Oxidation of hemoglobin


The Incomplete
Statement Variety

Millions of dollars’ worth of
corn, oats, wheat, and rye are
destroyed annually in the U.S.
by:


Substitution
Variety


The Incomplete –
Alternative
Variety

An apple that has a sharp, pungent, but not
disagreeably sour or bitter, taste is said to be [4]
A. P
B. Q
C. T
E. V
F. W
(The numeral in the parentheses indicates the
number of letters in the correct answers which in
this case is “tart”)


The Combined –
Response Variety

Scoring the Multiple –
Choice Tests

Children below the fourth
grade should probably
answer questions on the
test booklet itself rather
than on a separate sheet.

A separate sheet is an
advantage to older children
since the scoring time, and
the scoring and counting of
errors can be reduced. It can
also facilitate the analyzing
of the class’ response to
each item for diagnosis.

Determining the
optimal number of
options

The number of items
on a test and the
number of
alternatives for each
item affect the
accuracy of
measurement.

Current evidence shows
that the teacher would
better off with 80 items
having three alternatives
each than 60 items with
four options each. Three
to five choices are
reasonable for multiple –
choice tests.

CHECKLIST FOR WRITING MULTIPLE –
CHOICE ITEMS

Are the item and the main problem
in the stem clearly presented?
Has the item been cast so that there is no
repetition of the key words or phrases for
each question?

Do the options come to the
end of the stem?

Have the responses been arranged in some
systematic fashion, such as alphabetically or
by the length of options?

Are all distracters plausible?
Have all irrelevant clues been
avoided?
Are the correct answers randomly
assigned throughout the test with
approximately equal frequency?

Is there only one correct or best answer?

Has “all the above” been
avoided?
Have all irrelevant clues been
avoided?
Has the “none of the above” option
been used sparingly or only when
appropriate?

Have the overlapping
options been avoided?
Have the negative statements
been avoided? If used, has the
negative been underlined or
written in capital letters?

If you don’t
know
where you
are
going, you
will
probably
end up
somewhere
else.

Laurence J.
Peter

References
Buendicho, F.C. (2010) Assessment
of Learning 1. Quezon City: REX
Printing Company.
Bandiola, E.I (2003) Assessing
Student Learning. Quezon City: Great
Books Trading.

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Assessment of Learning - Multiple Choice Test

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