| Many educators new to teaching assume that they know how to create test questions, but this is a learned skill that can take years to develop. Fortunately, a few key strategies can help turn mediocre exams into effective ones. The following are a few general strategies to help educators learn how to write good test questions, or build upon the skills they already possess.
Starting Out: How to Design an Exam Question
Learning how to design an exam question is often the most difficult part of the process. Educators should begin by identifying the main objectives or learning outcomes of the course. It may be helpful for instructors to come up with a list of ten things that they want their students to remember. They can then use these to focus the exam questions.
Next, determine the structure of the exam. Often, a mixture of multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions will best allow students to demonstrate the breadth and depth of their knowledge. However, certain subjects that emphasize critical thinking over memorization, such as literature studies, are more conducive to exams based solely on essays. Once educators determine how to design the exam, they should assign each section a grade weight.
Remember that exam questions should accomplish two objectives: they should determine students' knowledge of the material, and give them a fair chance to succeed. Questions should not exist to "trick" students, nor should they be so straightforward that students who have not studied will easily be able to guess the correct answer.
Next Step: How to Write Test Questions Using Bloom's Taxonomy
Writing good test questions involves deciding on a pedagogical goal for the exam. Instructors may wish to begin with Benjamin Bloom's taxonomy, which lists six "levels" of test questions according to their cognitive requirements. They are:
Knowledge
Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
A question at the "knowledge" level will only test whether a student has memorized the information. A question at the highest level of "evaluation" will test whether a student can assess and compare the value of different theories, ideas, or systems. Educators should aim to include questions that address each of the six levels of Bloom's taxonomy.
Final Stage: Reviewing and Re-writing Test Questions
Educators should carefully review their exam questions before the test is given, preferably by asking at least one other person to read them over. This will help prevent grammatical errors and ambiguous language. Indiana University's guide to creating exams recommends that educators keep in mind the following for multiple choice questions:
Edit excessive wordiness and unnecessarily complex language (particularly problematic for students with ESL issues).
Avoid "all of the above" options as much as possible, as they make the question too easy. Also avoid "none of the above" options, as they only test what a student does not know.
Make sure the correct answer is not markedly longer or shorter than the incorrect ones.
Make sure the article that introduces the options of a multiple choice question does not give away the answer. Use "a/an" rather than one or the other.
While learning how to write good test questions can be a challenge, practicing these strategies will yield positive results. Educators should also consider requesting feedback on exam questions from the students themselves, as they can offer valuable insights that can lead to further improvement.
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