University of San Jose-Recoletos

College of Education
ETEEAP Programs

Guidelines for Constructing Multiple Choice Type of Test

1. Base each item on a specific problem and clearly stated stem.

2. Construct each item to assess a single written objective.
3. Keep the alternatives mutually related or homogeneous in content.
4. Keep the alternatives free from clues as to which response is correct.
a. Keep the grammar of each alternative consistent with the stem.
b. Keep the alternatives similar or parallel in length.
c. Avoid textbook, verbatim phrasing.
d. Avoid the use of specific determiners.
e. Avoid keywords in the alternatives
f. Avoid the alternatives “all of the above” and “none of the above”
5. Use plausible distracters.
6. Include one and only one correct or clearly best answer in each item.
7. Lay out the items in a clear and consistent manner.
a. Arrange the options in alphabetical order.
b. Arrange the options in chronological order.
c. Options and tables of each option must appear on the same page.
8. Use proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
9. Avoid using unnecessarily difficult vocabulary.
10. Each question should tap one ability only.
11. Arrangement of correct items should not follow any pattern.
12. Use negative questions or statements only if the knowledge being tested requires it. In most cases it is more
important for the student to know what a specific item of information is rather than what it is not.

Rules in Constructing Alternative-Response Items

1. Avoid specific determiners

2. Avoid a disproportionate number of either true of false statements.
3. Avoid the exact wording of the textbook (verbatim phrasing)
4. Avoid the double negatives.
5. Avoid ambiguous statements.
6. Avoid unfamiliar, figurative, or literary language
7. Avoid long statements, especially those involving complex sentence structures.
8. Avoid qualitative language whenever possible.
9. If a statement is to test for truth of falsity of a reason, the main clause should be true and the reason either true or
false.
10. Require the simplest possible method of indicating the response.
11. Indicate by a short line or by () where the response is to be recorded.
12. Arrange the statements in groups.
Suggestions for Constructing Matching Type Exercise

1. Be careful about what material is to put into the question column and option columns
2. Include only a homogeneous material in each matching exercises.
3. Check each exercise carefully for unwarranted clues that may indicate matching parts.
4. Be sure that the student fully understand the bases on which matching is to be done.
5. Put items on the left and number them, put options on the right and designate them by letters.
6. Arrange the items and options in systematic order. Options in alphabetical order or chronological order.
7. Place all the items and options for a matching exercise on a single page if possible.
8. Limit a matching exercise to not more than 1-15 items

Construction of Simple Recall Type (Identification)

1. The test item should be so worded that the response is brief as possible preferably a simple word, number,
symbols or a very brief phrase.
2. The direct-question form is usually preferable to the statement form.
3. The blanks for their responses should be in a column preferably at the right column or left column of the
items and should be in the same length.
4. There must be only one correct response.
5. The question should not be copied verbatim from the textbook.

Rules for Constructing Completion Test

1. Avoid indefinite statements

2. Avoid overmutilated statements
3. Omit key words and phrases rather than trivial details.
4. Avoid lifting statements directly from the text.
5. Whenever the article is required before a blank, write it in the form a(n) so that the pupil must decide for
himself whether the correct answer begins with a consonant or vowel sound.
6. Make the blanks of uniform length.
7. Avoid grammatical clues to the answer.
8. Try to choose statements in which there is only one correct response for the blanks.
9. The required response should be a single word or a brief phrase.
10. Arrange the test so that te answers are in a column at the right of the sentence.
11. Prepare a scoring key that contains all the acceptable responses.
12. Allow one point for each correctly filled blank.
13. Leave the blank at the end of the statement.

Some General Considerations in Preparing Good Essay Tests

1. State the questions that require clear, specific and narrow task or topic to be performed.
2. Give adequate should be written so that it will elicit the type of behavior you want to measure.
3. Do not provide optional questions in an essay test
4. Use relatively large number of questions requiring short answers rather than just a few questions requiring
long answers.
5. Require students to answer all questions.
6. Don’t start essay questions with such words as list, who, what, whether.
7. Adapt the length of the responses and the complexity of the question and answer to the maturity of the
students.
 8. Use the novel type of question whenver feasible
9. Make it clear to students if spelling, punctuation, content, clarity and style are to e considered in scoring the
essay questions. When these criteria are clear and specific to students, the item becomes valid.
10. Grade each essay question by the point method, using well –defined criteria (Rubrics)
11. Evaluate all of the students’ responses to one question before going to the next question.
12. Evaluate answers to essay questions without identifying the student.
13. If possible, two or more correctors must be employed to ensure reliable results.

Suggestions in Scoring an Essay Test

1. Check your scoring key against actual responses.

2. Be consistent in your grading
3. Grade only one question at a time for all papers.
4. Grade the responses anonymously.
5. The mechanics of expression should be judged separately from what the student writes.
6. Try to score all the responses to a particular quesion without interruption.
7. If possible, have two independent readings of the test and use the average as the final score.
8. Provide comments and correct errors.