1. This presentation was developed for the
exclusive use of students enrolled in:
Educational Testing & Grading,
Professor Gregory E. Stone.
© 2004 Gregory E. Stone. All rights reserved. This presentation may not be
reproduced in any form, in part or as a whole, without the express written permission
of the author.

2. 1. Simple, Direct, Concise
Avoid presenting irrelevant
information.

3. Of the following gentlemen, who was elected
president by a majority of the citizens of the United
States after the Civil War?
A. Abraham Lincoln
B. Andrew Jackson
C. Andrew Johnson
D. Ulysses S. Grant

4. Of the following gentlemen, who was elected
president by a majority of the citizens of the United
States after the Civil War?
A. Abraham Lincoln
B. Andrew Jackson
C. Andrew Johnson
D. Ulysses S. Grant

5. 
Of the following, who was elected president of the
United States after the Civil War?
A. Abraham Lincoln
B. Andrew Jackson
C. Andrew Johnson
D. Ulysses S. Grant

6. 2. Parallel response options
Make certain options are
grammatically correct and of
parallel content.

7. Christopher Columbus travelled to America in a
A. airplane.
B. boat.
C. car.
D. forest.

8. Christopher Columbus travelled to America in a
A. airplane.
B. boat.
C. car.
D. forest.

9. 
Christopher Columbus travelled to America in a/an
A. airplane.
B. boat.
C. car.
D. train.

10. 3. Plausible and real
Don’t make up nonsense terms.
Ensure that incorrect answers are
reasonable but clearly incorrect.

11. The free-floating structures within the cell that
synthesize protein are called
A. chromosomes.
B. free ribosomes.
C. lysomenes.
D. mediocrities.

12. The free-floating structures within the cell that
synthesize protein are called
A. chromosomes.
B. free ribosomes.
C. lysomenes.
D. mediocrities.

13. The free-floating structures within the cell that
synthesize protein are called
A. chromosomes.
B. free ribosomes.
C. lysomenes.
D. mitochondria.


14. 4. Alphabetize options
Alphabetizing options ensures a
true randomization of responses
(i.e. A is not always the correct
answer).

15. Which of these instruments is used to measure
humidity?
A. hygrometer
B. barometer
C. anemometer
D. thermometer

16. Which of these instruments is used to measure
humidity?
A. hygrometer
B. barometer
C. anemometer
D. thermometer

17. Which of these instruments is used to measure
humidity?
A. anemometer
B. barometer
C. hygrometer 
D. thermometer

18. 5. Option length similar
Ensure that your correct answer
and incorrect answers are of the
same length.

19. Which of the following best illustrates the law of
diminishing returns?
A. Short supply
B. Over population
C. Decreased utility
D. A factory doubled its labor force and increased
production by 50 percent.

20. Which of the following best illustrates the law of
diminishing returns?
A. Short supply
B. Over population
C. Decreased utility
D. A factory doubled its labor force and increased
production by 50 percent.

21. 
Which of the following best illustrates the law of
diminishing returns?
A. A factory doubled its labor force and increased
production by 50 percent.
B. A machine decreased in utility as its parts
became worn.
C. The demand for a farm product increased faster
than the supply of the product.
D. The population of a country increased faster than
the means of subsistence.

22. 6. Avoid repeating words
If all the options begin with “the”,
simply move “the” up into the
stem.

23. Pascal’s Law may be used to explain the operation of
C. a lever
B. an electric fan.
C. an empty bucket.
D. a syringe.

24. Pascal’s Law may be used to explain the operation of
A. a lever.
B. an electric fan.
C. an empty bucket.
D. a syringe.

25. Pascal’s Law may be used to explain the operation
of a/an
C. electric fan.
B. hydraulic break.
C. empty bucket. 
D. syringe.

26. 7. Don’t be ambiguous
Avoid using terms like “usually”
“often” or “rarely” - these require
speculation. Be specific!

27. 8. Avoid the Use of Negatives
Reverse thought questions may
be easy to write but are generally
just confusing - and perform
poorly.

28. Which of the following states is not north of the
Mason-Dixon line?
A. Maine
B. New York
C. Pennsylvania
D. Virginia

29. Which of the following states is not north of the
Mason-Dixon line?
A. Maine
B. New York
C. Pennsylvania
D. Virginia

30. 
Which of the following states is south of the Mason-
Dixon line?
A. Maine
B. New York
C. Pennsylvania
D. Virginia

31. 9. Avoid abbreviations
Use abbreviations only where
they are standard, should be
remembered and are printed in
textbooks/standards.

32. 10. Avoid regional biases
Not all students come from YOUR
community or background.
Ensure all items are fair for a
diverse culture.

33. 11. Order numbers and letters
When letters or numbers are the
options, ensure that they are
alphabetized and/or in numerical
order.

34. With which of the following vitamins is milk most
often fortified?
A. Vitamin D
B. Vitamin C
C. Vitamin B
D. Vitamin A

35. With which of the following vitamins is milk most
often fortified?
A. Vitamin D
B. Vitamin C
C. Vitamin B
D. Vitamin A

36. With which of the following vitamins is milk most
often fortified?
C. Vitamin A
B. Vitamin B
C. Vitamin C

D. Vitamin D

37. 12. Options should be
independent and mutually
exclusive.
Do NOT overlap item options

38. The founding fathers included
A. Jefferson, Lincoln and Washington
B. Lincoln, Jefferson and Adams
C. Adams, Jefferson and Washington
D. Washington, Lincoln and Nixon

39. The founding fathers included
A. Jefferson, Lincoln and Washington
B. Lincoln, Jefferson and Adams
C. Adams, Jefferson and Washington
D. Washington, Lincoln and Nixon

40. Who among the following is considered
to be one of America’s “founding fathers?”
A. Jackson
B.
C.
Jefferson
Lincoln

D. Nixon

41. Disco was a dominant musical form between which
years?
A. 1960-1970
B. 1970-1980
C. 1980-1990
D. 1990-2000

42. Disco was a dominant musical form between which
years?
A. 1960-1970
B. 1970-1980
C. 1980-1990
D. 1990-2000

43. Disco was a dominant musical form between which
years?
A. 1960-1969
B. 1970-1979
C. 1980-1989

D. 1990-1999

44. 13. Don’t clue the answer
Avoid using associations, phrases
or similarity in option wording that
my “clang” with the stem.

45. Which of the following organizations should you
contact to find out about a tornado warning in your
locality?
A. Local radio station
B. State farm bureau
C. United States Post Office
D. United States Weather Bureau

46. Which of the following organizations should you
contact to find out about a tornado warning in your
locality?
A. Local radio station
B. State farm bureau
C. United States Post Office
D. United States Weather Bureau

47. Which of the following organizations should you
contact to find out about a tornado warning in your
locality?
A. Nearest radio station 
B. State farm bureau
C. United States Post Office
D. United States Weather Bureau

48. 14. Don’t teach
Exams are not meant as learning
exercises. Leave teaching to the
schools. Let the learning occur
before and after the exam.

49. Most of South America was settled by colonists from
Spain. How would you account for the large numbers
of Spanish colonists settling there? They
A. wanted lower taxes.
B. were seeking religious freedom.
C. were adventurous.
D. were in search of wealth.

50. Most of South America was settled by colonists
from Spain. How would you account for the large
numbers of Spanish colonists settling there? They
A. wanted lower taxes.
B. were seeking religious freedom.
C. were adventurous.
D. were in search of wealth.

51. 
Spanish colonists settled most of South America in
search of
A. adventure.
B. lower taxes.
C. religious freedom.
D. wealth.

52. 15. Watch those negatives
Negative questions are sneaky --
ensure that there is no reverse
polarity

53. Which of the following is not a safe driving practice
on icy roads?
A. Accelerating slowly.
B. Holding the wheel firmly.
C. Not slamming on brakes.
D. Not slowing down gradually.

54. Which of the following is not a safe driving practice
on icy roads?
A. Accelerating slowly.
B. Holding the wheel firmly.
C. Not slamming on brakes.
D. Not slowing down gradually.

55. Which of the following is considered a safe driving
practice on icy roads?
A. Accelerating quickly.
B. Braking gently and slowly. 
C. Holding the wheel with one hand.
D. Making sharp turns.

56. 16. Refer to a learning objective
Ensure that all items closely
match your objectives - you can’t
test what you don’t talk about

57. 17. Avoid biased language
Try not to be offensive to any
particular racial, ethnic, gender
etc group.

58. 18. Present a Problem
A complete problem should be
presented in the stem. Don’t
make candidates read the entire
item before they figure out your
question.

59. The artificial satellite with the highest orbital speed
A. is the most recently launched satellite.
B. is the satellite in the higher orbit.
C. is the satellite in the lower orbit.
D. is the satellite with an orbit closest to the equator.

60. The artificial satellite with the highest orbital speed
A. is the most recently launched satellite.
B. is the satellite in the higher orbit.
C. is the satellite in the lower orbit.
D. is the satellite with an orbit closest to the equator.

61. Does the artificial satellite in higher or lower orbit
have the higher orbital speed?
A. Higher orbit.
B. Lower orbit.
C. Orbit speeds are identical. 

62. 19. Straightforward vocabulary
Don’t use $100 words when a $25
word will do just fine.

63. 20. All and Nothing
Avoid the use of All or None of the
Above in your responses.

64. Which of the following characteristics is not a
difference between a trumpet and a trombone?
A. Both are made primarily of metal.
B. Both can play notes an octave below middle C.
C. Both can change pitch primarily with valves.
D. All of the above.
E. None of the above.

65. Which of the following characteristics is not a
difference between a trumpet and a trombone?
A. Both are made primarily of metal.
B. Both can play notes an octave below middle C.
C. Both can change pitch primarily with valves.
D. All of the above.
E. None of the above.

66. 
Which of the following is true of both trumpets and
trombones? They
A. are made primarily of metal.
B. can play notes an octave below middle C.
C. can change pitch primarily with valves.

67. Questions & Comments