Multiple choice

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Multiple choice (MCQ) questions or items are a form of assessment item for which respondents are asked to select one or more of the choices from a list. This type of question is used in education testing, in elections (choose between multiple candidates, parties, or policies), in market research, and many other areas.

Frederick J. Kelly is credited with creating multiple choice questions in 1914 at the University of Kansas. One of the first uses of multiple choice questions was to assess the capabilities of World War I military recruits.

Pros

Efficiency: Multiple choice questions allow a large amount of material to be tested in a small amount of time, whereas other tests may require the taker to use up a large amount of time to write out responses. Grading is also quicker, as most tests are now graded using optical readers.
Universal: Most subject matter can easily be broken down into multiple choice selections, thereby allowing easier standardization of testing practices.
Neutrality: The taker is graded purely on his selection of one (or more) of the pre-determined responses, and the test doesn't allow the grader to introduce personal bias or misinterpretations.
Response clarity: The responses are independent of the taker's ability to express himself clearly with language or handwriting. This eliminates a source of errors and makes grading simpler.

Cons

Ambiguity: Failing to interpret information as the test maker intended can result in a "incorrect" response, even if the taker's response is valid. The term "multiple guess" has been used to describe this scenario. A free response test allows the test taker to make an argument for their viewpoint and potentially receive credit.
No partial credit: Even if a student has some knowledge of a question, they receive no credit for knowing that information if they select the wrong answer. Free response questions may allow a taker to demonstrate their understanding of the subject and receive partial credit.
Logical reasoning: Test takers may be able to rule out answers (due to infeasibility), or even test each answer individually (especially when dealing with mathematics), thereby increasing the chance of providing a correct answer without actually knowing the subject matter. On the other hand, especially on mathematics tests, some answers are included simply for this reason, such as the giving the equation 4x^2 + bx=3 and asking what b^2 equals- it cannot possibly be a negative answer.

The use of multiple choice question in educational fields is sometimes contested due to some of the negative aspects, whether actual or perceived, but the format remains popular due to its utility.

Structure

A typical MCQ consists of at least three parts as follows:

Stem The Stem is usually a short text that explains the problem at hand, the setting and gives information that is relevant for solving the question.
Question Usually directly after the stem follows the question one has to answer. It should be short yet concise.
Answer options Following the question comes a list of answer options from which one has to choose either as many as true or as many as requested. The incorrect answer options may be referred to as distractors. The correct answer may be called the key. [1]