A Humorous Account of 10 Multiple-Choice Test-Item Flaws That Clue Testwise Students
Abstract
The multiple-choice test item format provides a "Best Buy" for content coverage, administration, scoring, and reliability in large classes, which are those of greater than 30 and less than the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. However, flaws in test-item structure can yield invalid measures of instructional outcomes and clue testwise students. The author presents a succinct and moderately amusing description of 10 multiple-choice test-item flaws along with an up-to-date synthesis of pertinent research to enable the reader to detect even the most subtle errors in test items. The article includes a pretest of testwiseness to assess the reader's flaw-detection proficiency level. Those who pass will not need to endure the excruciating pain of reading this article.
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