Despite the ease of creating MCQs, failing to follow proper standards can result in low-quality questions that impact the outcome. Here, we’ll discuss the common MCQ mistakes and how to rectify the multiple choice question design using AI-based assessment tools.
MCQs, or multiple-choice questions, are a preferred format for many competitive exams. It follows a simple structure of a statement or stem sentence followed by three to six options, one or more of which could be the right answer. Participants are expected to select the most relevant/ accurate option as the answer. At first glance, the multiple choice question design may seem simple and easy to replicate when creating quizzes and exam papers. However, reality says otherwise. In fact, mistakes are more common when creating MCQs, and many people don’t even realize them until the errors are pointed out.
Luckily, there are powerful AI tools for teachers that help in generating high-quality MCQs for any given topic or subject, be it STEM-related, languages, general knowledge, or anything else. Statistics indicate a 15% increase in the adoption of AI tools in education. 83% of K-12 teachers already use AI tools for various reasons, such as lesson planning, grading, personalized feedback, assessment creation, etc. For example, PrepAI is a user-friendly AI assessment platform and faculty-readiness solution that converts input content into HOTS questions and MCQs.
In this blog, we’ll read in detail about the common mistakes teachers make when creating multiple choice questions and the best practices for MCQ writing.
Common Mistakes in Multiple Choice Question Design and How to Fix Them
Using Absolute Terms
Absolute terms are words like all, never, always, only, etc. Using these terms in the stem or options is not recommended. Firstly, such words make it easy for students to eliminate one or more options, even if they don’t know the answer. Secondly, absolute terms in the stem itself can be an easy clue for students to ‘guess’ the right answer. In both instances, the validity of the test is reduced.
Repetition of Words
If the stem and the answer have the same words, it will indirectly point to the option students have to mark. At the same time, repeating the words in all options can make the whole question too confusing or unnecessarily complicated. To find a balance in MCQ question writing, it is best to prevent repetition in statements (stem and options).
Grammar and Typos
Grammatical rules should not be ignored when creating MCQs. For example, if the stem refers to something in the past tense, the options should follow the same tense. If the stem indicates a plural word, the options should also have plurals. Articles, prepositions, conjunctions, etc., should be appropriately even at the end of an open sentence. Moreover, unchecked typos can alter the question’s meaning, thus resulting in an incorrect answer. Such issues can be avoided using AI-based assessment tools.
Mismatched Complexity
One of the common assessment mistakes is the mismatch of the complexity of the questions with the syllabus, intent, and purpose of the test. The questions have to match and be consistent with what the students have learned so far. This mistake can be avoided by gaining clarity about the purpose of the test. For example, a simple class test doesn’t have to be difficult or put unnecessary pressure on students.
Not Using Plausible Distractors
A plausible distractor is an option that appears a lot like the correct answer to the question. These are used to ensure that students don’t guess the answers but select the right option based on their knowledge. If the other options are not connected to the topic, students will immediately eliminate them to figure out the correct answer. This limits critical thinking.
Length of the Options
Another of the MCQ design mistakes is the mismatch in the length of the options. Ensure all options are similar in length for uniformity and to prevent guesswork. If the right answer is longer or shorter than the other options, it stands out and calls attention to itself. Similarly, using ‘all of the above’ and ‘none of the above’ as options is not recommended. While these can still be used sparingly, they should not be repeated in the same question paper.
Patterns in Correct Answers
Unknowingly, teachers may create a question paper where the maximum right answers are either option B or C, which tend to fall in the middle. Students who identify the pattern can use it to their advantage and score high marks even if they don’t know the subject. With AI and assessment in education solutions, you can shuffle the options to eliminate the traces of such patterns.
Being too Vague or too Detailed
The stem and the options should neither be vague nor overly detailed. A vague question makes it hard to understand what it actually deals with. A stem with too much information can confuse the students or give away the answer implicitly. The ideal MCQ stem is one that directly mentions the intent/ question and provides relevant options with one correct answer.
Why Choose PrepAI to Create MCQs?
PrepAI is an NLP-powered (natural language processing) AI assessment solution supported by Bloom’s Taxonomy framework to create a robust multiple choice question design that measures higher-order thinking skills effectively.
Save Time
PrepAI saves around 10 hours per week per faculty by automating the process of converting input content into question papers. It also grades the submissions automatically to share instant results with students, thus enhancing learning outcomes by over 20%.
User-Friendly
With a neat interface and mobile-responsive design, PrepAI can be used on different browsers, smartphones, tablets, etc., whenever necessary to create MCQ-based quizzes and exam papers in just a few minutes.
Difficulty Levels
PrepAI offers three difficulty levels for multiple-choice questions: easy, medium, and hard. Using this, teachers can create question papers that align with their intent and purposes. A combination of all three can also be used in the same test.
Accreditation Compliance
PrepAI comes with accreditation compliance to ensure transparency, reliability, data security and privacy, as well as standardization of the assessment and grading parameters. This ensures greater efficiency in the process and a higher accuracy in the learning outcomes.
Final Words
With the right AI-powered assessment platform like PrepAI, teachers can enhance the multiple choice question design to create high-quality questions that help in evaluating students’ abilities and knowledge accurately. It is fast, straightforward, and effective.
Teachers, coaches, educators, and instructors can check out the PrepAI Community and its offerings to know more about seamlessly using AI in the education industry. Talk to our team to schedule a workshop!
FAQs
1. Can I edit the multiple choice question design using AI assessment tools?
Yes, you can edit the MCQs, both the question statements and options, using PrepAI. Once the question paper is generated, you can edit each question to ensure it aligns with your specifications. Additionally, you can add or delete questions manually.
2. Which AI-powered assessment platform creates HOTS MCQs?
PrepAI is a reliable and user-friendly AI assessment platform that creates higher-order thinking questions in MCQ format. The MCQs can be categorized into six levels of learning based on Bloom’s Taxonomy framework.
3. How to include visual content in the multiple choice question design?
You can include visual content in MCQs by selecting the related feature when converting input content into questions using PrepAI. The platform will automatically create visuals (diagrams, charts, tables, pictures, etc.) wherever possible. Moreover, you can manually upload an image for each MCQ when editing the test paper.
