Multiple choice is a form of assessment in which test-takers are supposed to select the “best” answer/answers among a set of options. It plays an important role in educational testing and could be the most widely used question type on examinations nowadays.
There are many advantages to multiple choice quiz. If item writers are well trained and items are quality assured, it can be a very effective assessment technique. As the multiple choice quiz is a good assessment tool, there are many strategies for writing multiple-choice test items. A hot discussion for educators and students is how to take a multiple choice test successfully. Here, I will discuss the utilization of quiz making software to assist educators to make multiple choice quiz efficiently.
Why multiple choice test making software?
In a traditional paper-based test, making a different test on the same topic for each class member is impossible unless you retype everything again, LOL. In addition, randomizing the order of the questions and options is time-wasting and trivial, especially when the quiz includes many questions. There are many limitations with a manual paper-based test. However, with a software-based quiz creator, you can do all these tasks very easily. It is wise to have such computer tools at your fingertips.
Which quiz making software fits you best?
It depends on the test’s form and the specified features you need. Test designing software can create multiple choice tests in two formats. One is an online test, the other is printable paper test. Good test creators support both formats. Computer generated tests can shuffling questions and answers or selecting questions at random save time and reduce the cheating risk. Next, I will explain why these factors should be considered when you select the quiz maker to make multiple choice test.
Online testing
Online testing is a necessary tool in the world of eLearning, especially in this Web 2.0 era. It lowers long-term training expenditures and significantly reduces time spent creating and correcting examination papers. Online testing makes correcting tests automatic. So the ability to create online tests is vital for choosing a quiz creation tool.
Paper testing
Online testing isn’t effective in all situations, for example if there is no Internet available. Besides, online testing doesn’t do a good job for subjective item testing. Many certification tests, therefore, also use paper-based tests, so the ability to create random paper tests should also be considered in your test creation tool selection.
Randomize and shuffle questions and answers
Reducing the chance of cheating and time are the obvious advantages for randomizing and shuffling questions and answers. When creating paper tests, you could make a different test on the same topic for each of your classes–or even a different test for each student! Imagine how long that would take to generate manually. For online testing, shuffling choices out of a question bank makes the test different each time a test-taker attempts the quiz. So this makes it a little harder for students to copy from each other, a good way to reduce the chance of cheating.
Reusability is another consideration when you pick out a multiple choice quiz maker. Therefore, when you want to select the right quiz maker from numerous quiz tools, you could take these above aspects into consideration. Of course, the most important element is meeting your needs.
