1. Alternate Choice Test Items
Easy to write (?), easy to grade, guessing is high
Good alternate choice tests are actually difficult to write
Many objectives can be tested quickly
Write items definitely
Use short statements
Avoid absolutes (always, all, never, only)
Alternatives: tend, generally, usually
You may require revision of false statements (underline & revise)

2. Alternate Choice Test Items
Trick questions are seldom appropriate
Avoid double negatives
Highlight or emphasize negatives
Avoid double-barreled items
Write approximately equal numbers of each alternative
Keep statements the same approximate length
Avoid a systematic order
Avoid taking statements directly from the text and placing them out of context
Use other symbols other than T/F, G/O, O/Q, N/M

3. Alternate Choice Test Items
T F - High IQ children always get high grades in school
Guns should not be outlawed unless they are never fired
The Duroc is a red breed of swine with erect ears

4. Matching Test Items Easy to grade
Appropriate for associations between facts
Emphasize facts and memorization
Problems when using many scan sheets
Keep the list and descriptions short (8-12) & homogeneous
Arrange in a logical order

5. Matching Test Items Use plausible distractors
Descriptions should be in the left column and longer
Lists should be in the right column and short phrases, words, or symbols
Descriptions should be numbers, lists lettered
Include more options than descriptors & instruct as such

6. Completion Test Items Easy to write, easy to grade, guessing is low
Many answers could be correct
Refer to alternate choice rules
Avoid grammatical clues
Write items so there is a single word answer
A question is usually better
Omit only key words from statements
Avoid awkward sentences
Word so that the blank is near the end of the sentence

7. Essay/Short Answer Test Items
Easy to write, bears to grade, guessing is low, bluffing is high
Also measure communication skills
Write the items for specific answers
Grade on evidence instead of opinion
Avoid giving students options in answering
Establish reasonable time & page limits
Grade using a scoring scheme
Rubric

8. Multiple Choice Test Items
Hard to write, easy to grade, guessing is reasonable
Like alternate choice, items can become tricky
Use longer stems than choices
Use only one correct answer
Use plausible distractors
Avoid grammatical clues & double negatives
Avoid negative statements
If used … emphasize the negative
Include 4-5 options … Put in logical order
Avoid “None of the Above” and “All of the Above”

9. Multiple Choice Test Items
Red pigs with droopy ears are __________
A. Hampshire
B. Yorkshire
C. Duroc
D. Hard of hearing
E. None of the Above
F. All of the Above

10. Quantitative Item Analysis
A numerical method for analyzing test items (usually alternate choice, matching, or multiple choice)
Difficulty Index (P) – The proportion of students who answered the item correctly
Discrimination Index (D) – Measure of the extent to which a test item differentiates between students who do well and those who do not do well

11. Quantitative Item Analysis
The Discrimination Index
Positive – Those who did well chose the correct answer more than those who did poorly
Negative – Those who did poorly chose the correct answer more than those who did well
Zero – No discrimination between those who did well and poorly

12. Qualitative Item Analysis
Are the items based on the objectives?
Do the distracters distract?
Is there only one correct answer?
Or do the students have to find the “MOST” correct answer?