Item and Question Development
Item and Question Development
High-quality items are clear, concise, and measure a single cognitive objective. The stem should present a complete problem, and options (distractors) must be plausible and homogeneous in length and grammar. Avoid window dressing (irrelevant details), clang associations (sound-alike cues), and absolute terms (e.g., “always,” “never”) that signal incorrect options. Each item should have one best answer; for multiple-choice, only one correct option. Item formats include multiple-choice, multiple-response, and constructed-response; the choice depends on the construct. Cognitive level (e.g., recall, application, analysis) must align with the blueprint. A common trap is cueing-one item revealing the answer to another-or testwiseness flaws like grammatical inconsistency between stem and key. Fairness requires avoiding content that disadvantages groups based on race, gender, or culture. Sensitivity review by diverse SMEs is essential. Item writing rules: use positive phrasing, avoid “not” unless necessary, and ensure distractors are error-based (common misconceptions). Worked example: An item asking for the first step in a process should have distractors that are plausible later steps, not absurd actions. Rule of thumb: if an item can be answered by test-taking skill alone, it is flawed. Always verify that the key is unambiguously correct and that each distractor is clearly incorrect to a knowledgeable candidate.