Basic characteristics of multiple-choice tests
Usually there are four or five choices. You are required to select the option which
provides the correct or the best response. Each test item often consists of a
sentence or two to start you thinking about a specific aspect of the subject. This
initial material may be in written form only or a combination of text and
illustrations. The text may be in the form of a question, or an incomplete
statement.
Rarely is the correct answer immediately obvious. This means that those who
believe that multiple-choice tests are an easy or straightforward form of
assessment are mistaken. Remember that, although an option might be correct,
it may not be the best response, and in multiple-choice tests you are looking for
the best answer from several alternatives where the wording is typically fairly
similar. Incorrect options are designed to distract you from the correct option and
encourage you to think carefully about why a particular option is or is not the
appropriate response. Your choice of the answer usually cannot be made without
your comparing the various options. Often the difference between options lies in
a single word or phrase. For example:
... pays a higher rate of interest and ... pays a lower rate of interest