Guidelines for writing MC items and Essay items

1. Guidelines for writing MC items and Essay items

2. MC Items • It is recommended that the stem be a direct question • The stem should pose a clear, definite, explicit, and singular problem • Include in the stem any words that might otherwise be repeated in each response • Items should be stated simply and understandably, excluding all nonfunctional words from the stem and alternatives

3. MC Items … • Avoid interrelated items • Avoid negatively stated items • Avoid making the correct alternative systematically different from other options • If possible, the alternatives should be presented in some logical, numerical or systematic order • Response alternatives should be mutually exclusive

4. MC Items … • Make all responses plausible and attractive to the less knowledgeable or skillful student • The response alternative “None of the above” should be used with caution • Make options grammatically parallel to each other and consistent with the stem • Avoid irrelevant cues as “common elements” between the correct option and the stem • In testing for understanding of a term or concept, it is generally preferable to present the term in the stem and alternative definitions in the options.

5. Essay Items • Determine extended-response or restricted-response (the latter is referred to structural essay items) • Determine whether emphasis is on content, expression or both • It is recommended that an analytic method be applied in marking essay items, partitioning the response into a series of points, each of which is specifically defined • if expressive skills are not part of the instructional results, it is not ethical to evaluate them

6. Essay Items … • Essay times should be relevant and limited in scope • Contain clearly defined tasks • Write an “ideal” answer to verify the tasks • Teachers should almost never rely exclusively on essay items to access the total learning outcomes