State the stem in simple and clear language
The problem in the stem of a MCQ should be stated as precisely as possible and should be free of unnecessarily complex wording and sentence structure. Anyone who possesses the knowledge measured by a test question should be able to select the correct answer. Poorly stated stems frequently introduce sufficient ambiguity to prevent a knowledge able student from responding correctly. Complex sentence structure may make the question a measure of reading comprehension than of the intended knowledge outcome.