Multiple Choice Questions:

The Anatomy of Test Questions

How do you attack a Multiple Choice Question?

Here is an example of a math multiple choice question:

1. Matt has twice as many baseball cards as Aman. If Matt gives Aman 10 cards, Aman will have twice as many cards as Matt.

How many cards do Matt and Aman have all together?

a. 10b. 20c. 30d. 40e. 60

First, Let’s Identify the Pieces of the Multiple Choice Question!

The Question Stem: this is what the question is asking. In the previous example, the question stem is “How many cards do Matt and Aman have all together?”

The Question Stimulus: this is background information given to help answer the question. In the previous example, the stimulus is “Matt has twice as many baseball cards as Aman. If Matt gives Aman 10 cards, Aman will have twice as many cards as Matt.”

The Answer Choices: these are the possible responses to choose from to answer the question. Remember, there is one and only one correct answer to a multiple choice question!

Where do we start?

The first part to look at is the Question Stem.

If you read the Question Stem first, it will be easier to find the information you need from the Stimulus.

Pay careful attention to evaluate exactly what the question stem is asking!

Where do we go next?

The second part to look at is the Stimulus.

The Stimulus will provide the background information. In a word problem like our example, it may be necessary to translate the information in to an equation/s!

Be careful to read the whole Stimulus!

What is the last step?

The last part of the question to evaluate is the Answer Choices.

The Answer Choices are the multiple responses to select to answer the question.

Remember, only one response is correct, and the others are traps!

Let’s Try Out an Example!

What would you read first in the example question below?(click on the correct section below to advance to next slide)

2. Sharman has half as many web pages as Matt. If Sharman creates 4 new pages, she will have 3 less pages than Matt.

How many web pages does Matt have?

a. 8b. 10c. 12d. 14e. 15

Incorrect!

This is the Question Stimulus!

Remember that the first step is to read the Question Stem.

The Question Stem is the first step so that we know what to look for in the Stimulus!

Incorrect!

These are the Answer Choices!

Remember that the first step is to read the Question Stem.

The Question Stem is the first step so that we know what to look for in the Stimulus!

Correct!

This is the Question Stem!

Remember, the Question Stem is the first part to read so that we know what to look for when reading the Stimulus.

It is a good idea to re-read the Question Stem after choosing an Answer Choice to make sure that your selection is the answer to the question asked, not an Answer Choice Trap!

Let’s Try Another Example!What would you read first in the example question below?

(click on the correct section below to advance to next slide)

3. Matt and Sharman have the same number of students this semester. If Matt had three more students and Sharman had six more students, there would be 33 students all together.

How many students do Matt and Sharman each have?

a. 8b. 9c. 10d. 11e. 12

Incorrect!

This is the Question Stimulus!

Remember that the first step is to read the Question Stem.

The Question Stem is the first step so that we know what to look for in the Stimulus!

Incorrect!

These are the Answer Choices!

Remember that the first step is to read the Question Stem.

The Question Stem is the first step so that we know what to look for in the Stimulus!

Correct!

This is the Question Stem!

Remember, the Question Stem is the first part to read so that we know what to look for when reading the Stimulus.

It is a good idea to re-read the Question Stem after choosing an Answer Choice to make sure that your selection is the answer to the question asked, not an Answer Choice Trap!

So you have learned…

• The Question Stem is the first thing to read with Multiple Choice Questions

• When we read the Question Stem first, we know what to look for in the Stimulus and save time

• This method can be used no matter what subject matter is being tested

Now that we have the method…

Now that we know where to start with a multiple choice question, let’s use this method to answer some questions.

We’ll use the “Millionaire” format to test English, Science and History skills!

Directions

This game is in the “Millionaire” format.• If you need help with choosing an answer you

may– Choose the 50/50 option and reduce your choices by

two– Ask you classmates– Search the web as your “Phone a friend”. Web

searches may only be 2 min. in length.

• Use the techniques you have learned to answer the questions that will follow.

• This symbol means you can narrow your answer choices to two, or will return you to the 50/50 slide.

• Click on this symbol if you choose the wrong answer. It will take you back to the question.

• This symbol will take you to the next question.

• So, click here and let’s begin!

Back to ?

Let’s see if you’ve got it! You can demonstrate your ability to use techniques you

have learned.

Suicide means to kill one’s self. Homicide means to kill another person. Patricide means to kill one’s parent. So, what would be the best definition for infanticide?

A. To kill a baby

B. A toddler kills someone else

C. To put a child on his or her side

D. To make a juvenile decide

A. To kill a baby

B. A toddler kills someone else

Suicide means to kill one’s self. Homicide means to kill another person. Patricide means to kill one’s parent. So, what would be the best definition for infanticide?

Sorry!

This is just referred to as murder.

Back to ?

Sorry!

Putting a child on his or her side does not cause death.

Back to ?

Sorry!

Although some teenagers think making a decision will kill them, there is no scientific evidence to support this theory.

Back to ?

You are right!

The only things that the first three words have in common is that they all refer to the act of killing. The suffix “cide” means to kill, and infant refers to a child or a small baby.

Many authors choose to write under a pen name or pseudonym. Mark Twain is the pseudonym of what famous American author?

A. William Shakespeare

B. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

C. Jean Paul Sartre

D. Samuel Clements

A. William Shakespeare

B. Samuel Clements

Many authors choose to write under a pen name or pseudonym. Mark Twain is the

pseudonym of what famous American author?

Sorry!

William Shakespeare is an English playwright.

Back to ?

Sorry! Does Henry Wadsworth Longfellow sound

like a made up name or one that evil parents have dumped on you?

(It was dumped!)

Back to ?

Sorry!

Jean Paul Sartre is a very French sounding name. Try again.

Back to ?

You are right!

This is the name he chose because it refers to a water depth of 20 feet. Mark Twain spent his youth working on a Mississippi riverboat.

Narmer’s Reign marked the beginning of the first Egyptian dynasty from one family. Historians have organized the dynasties into three great periods. What are they called?

A. Grateful Dead, Rolling Stones, Mott the Hoople

B. Lower Egypt, Upper Egypt, Nile Valley

C. Neolithic, Old Stone Age, New Stone Age

D. The Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdom

Narmer’s Reign marked the beginning of the first Egyptian dynasty from one family. Historians have organized the dynasties into three great periods. What are they called?

A. Neolithic, Old Stone Age, New Stone Age

B. The Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdom

Sorry!

These are old, but not completely dead, bands of musicians.

Back to ?

So sorry!

The Neolithic, Old Stone Age, New Stone Age occurred about 3,000 years before Narmer.

Back to ?

Sorry!

Lower Egypt, Upper Egypt, Nile Valley name the divisions of Egypt.

Back to ?

You are right!

Yes, you do understand that Narmar was the first in his line. Good job!

The mandibular foramen is an important landmark for the inferior alveolar injection that will provide anesthesia for the teeth of the mandible. This foramen is located on which bone?

A. Maxilla

B. Inferior Alveolar

C. Alveolar

D. Mandible

A. Inferior Alveolar

B. Mandible

The mandibular foramen is an important landmark for the inferior alveolar injection that will provide anesthesia for the teeth of the mandible. This foramen is located on which bone?

Sorry!

The maxilla provides bony support for the teeth of the maxilla.

Back to ?

So sorry!

Inferior alveolar refers to nerve or a blood vessel that travels within the mandible.

Back to ?

Sorry!

The term “alveolar” is not associated with any bony structure.

Back to ?

You are right!

Yes, there are two foramen located in the mandible, the mandibular foramen and the mental foramen. Good job!

Abraham Lincoln was president during 1861-1865. This was during which war?

A. The Revolutionary War

B. The War of 1812

C. The Civil War

D. World War II

A. The Revolutionary War

C. The Civil War

Abraham Lincoln was president during 1861-1865. This was during which war?

Sorry!

The Revolutionary War was fought so that the US could gain independence from England and began in 1776. Lincoln was not even born yet! Try again.

Back to ?

So sorry!

The War of 1812 followed the Revolutionary War. The English were trying to regain what was lost in the Revolutionary War. Lincoln was only 3 years old.

Back to ?

Sorry!

World War II took place from 1939 to 1945. Lincoln was no longer with us at that time. Try again!

Back to ?

You are right!

The Civil War occurred from 1861 to 1865, during Lincoln’s Presidency. Good job!

So you have learned…

• The Question Stem is the first thing to read with Multiple Choice Questions

• When we read the Question Stem first, we know what to look for in the Stimulus and save time

• This method can be used no matter what subject matter is being tested