This document discusses best practices for creating true/false questions. It notes that true/false questions are among the easiest for instructors to write but assess recognition over recall. When writing statements, they should be short, have a similar length of true and false statements, and not make the answer obvious. Ambiguous terms like "usually" should be avoided for clarity. True and false statements should be varied and not follow patterns. Examples are provided of poorly designed true/false questions that could be improved by splitting into multiple statements or removing ambiguous language.

1. Creating True/False
Dr. Tina Rooks

2. What is the average response time for
a true/false question?
30
seconds
60-90
seconds
2m
inutes
5m
inutes
25% 25%25%25%A. 30 seconds
B. 60-90 seconds
C. 2 minutes
D. 5 minutes

3. True / False Items
A true/false item is a sentence about which students must decide
the veracity.
Often times students are instructed to correct (or make true) a false
statement.
• Advantages:
True/false questions are among the easiest to write, and can be
scored electronically.
• Disadvantages:
True/false questions are limited in what kinds of student mastery
they can assess. They have a relatively high probability of student
guessing the correct answer (50%). True/false also assesses
recognition of information, as opposed to recall.

4. Developing True/False Items
• Statements should be relatively
short and simple.
• True statements should be about
the same length as false
statements. (There is a tendency to
add details in true statements to
make them more precise.)
• The answers should not be obvious
to students who don't know the
material.
• Sweeping broad general
statements or absolutes (all,
always, never, none, only)
• A similar situation occurs with the
use of "can" in a true-false
statement. If the student knows of
a single case in which something
could be done, it would be true.
• Ambiguous or vague statements
and terms, such as "large," "long
time," "regularly," "some," and
"usually" are best avoided in the
interest of clarity.
• Vary the ratio of T/F.
• Avoid Patterns.

5. Practice
User your clicker and vote on
the following test items

6. Please select a Team.
Team
1
Team
2
Team
3
Team
4
Team
5
20% 20% 20%20%20%1. Team 1
2. Team 2
3. Team 3
4. Team 4
5. Team 5

7. Is the following T/F item well designed
50%50%
Yes No
1. Yes
2. No

8. Is the following T/F item well designed
50%50%
Yes No
Students almost never open their books to study.
1. Yes
2. No

9. Use of “almost never” is a clue to
the falsehood.

10. Is the following T/F item well designed
50%50%
Yes No
Heavy smoking causes lung cancer.
1. Yes
2. No

11. Avoid over generalizing.

12. Is the following T/F item well designed
50%50%
Yes No
Porpoises are able to communicate
because they are mammals.
1. Yes
2. No

13. Do not include two ideas in one statement unless
you are evaluating student’s understanding of
cause and effect relationships.
Better: Porpoises are mammals. T F
Porpoises are able to communicate. T F