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Tricks of The Trade: Effective Multiple Choice Questions

This document discusses effective strategies for writing multiple choice questions and analyzes sample questions based on those strategies. It provides feedback on whether each sample question is well-written and effective or could be improved. The document also demonstrates how to analyze question statistics like p(diff) and point biserial to evaluate question quality and determine if revisions are needed.

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Amit Jain
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34 views

Tricks of The Trade: Effective Multiple Choice Questions

This document discusses effective strategies for writing multiple choice questions and analyzes sample questions based on those strategies. It provides feedback on whether each sample question is well-written and effective or could be improved. The document also demonstrates how to analyze question statistics like p(diff) and point biserial to evaluate question quality and determine if revisions are needed.

Uploaded by

Amit Jain
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Tricks of the Trade: Effective Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which health reform became effective in 2010 as part of the Patient Protection
and Affordable Care Act?

A. Insurance exchange
B. Closure of the Medicare Part D doughnut hole
C. Young adults <26 years may remain on their parents’ health insurance
plan
D. Individual health insurance mandate

What kind of question is this?

2. Over the past decade, the percentage of Americans who obtain health insurance as
an employer sponsored benefit has:

A. Increased
B. Decreased
C. Remained the same

How can we improve this question?

3. The most beneficial health policies are those that are improve healthcare quality,
increase healthcare access, and are of low cost. Using these criteria, which of the
following policies would be considered most beneficial?

A. Offering neonatal intensive care at the local community hospital


B. Initiating a routine mother baby home visit by a nurse following hospital
discharge of teen mothers
C. Offering robotic surgery at each hospital within a county
D. Providing healthcare to all Medicaid patients at one hospital site within a
county

What kind of question is this? Do you want to change this question?


Tricks of the Trade: Effective Multiple Choice Questions

4. On examination of a 10 year old, you note a red, friable canal, pain on moving the
pinna, and a tympanic membrane with normal landmarks. What is the most likely
diagnosis?
a. Otitis externa
b. Otitis media
c. Red reflex of the drum

Is this a good question? Why or why not?

5. An afebrile 14 year old female presents with a history of back pain localized to
the waist. She denies any weakness or any trauma. The physical exam is
remarkable for a positive one-legged extension test. What is the most likely
diagnosis?

a. Fractured disc
b. Spondylolysis
c. Muscular strain
d. Osteomyelitis

What kind of question is this? Do you want to change this question?

Let’s look at p(diff) and point biserial as we get them from the testing service

P(diff) Point biserial Choice Response index Point biserial

40. 0.586 .608 A .103 -0.073


B .276 -0.624
C .586 0.608
D .034 0.011

Is this a good question?


Should I revise the distractors?

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