GUIDELINES ON CONSTRUCTING

MULTIPLE CHOICE ITEMS

Presenter: Lê Nhân Thành, PhD.
Foreign Languages Department
 Parts of a multiple-choice test item

….………
…………..
Answer
…...………...
…………..
…………..
 A standard multiple-choice test item

Stem
Distractor
Answer
Alternatives
Distractor
Distractor
 1. Which item is better?
a.
1.
a.

b.
Negative words in the stem should be italic,
bold, or CAPITALS
a.
2. Which item is better?

b.
The stem should be meaningful by itself and
should present a definite problem.
 3. Which item is better?
a.

b.
Don’t repeat redundant words or phrases in the
alternatives
 4. Which item is better?
a.

b.
Don’t put the reading burden on students with
excess material in the stem
a. 5. Which item is better?

b.
Word the alternatives clearly and concisely
a.
6. Which item is better?

b.
Keep the alternatives mutually
exclusive
a.
7. Which item is better?

b.
Keep the alternatives homogeneous in content
a.
8. Which item is better?

b.
Keep the grammar of each alternative
consistent with the stem
 9. Which item is better?
a.

b.
Keep the alternatives parallel in form.
 10. Which item is better?
a.

b.
Keep the alternatives similar in length.
 11. Which item is better?
a.

b.
Avoid such words as never, always, only, everyone,
everybody, everything, no one, nothing, etc.
 12. Which item is better?
a.

b.
Use plausible distractors
 13. Which item is better?
a.

b.
Avoid including key words in the alternatives
Do not use all of the above & none of the above