Quizzes and Exams
Appendix
C
In this appendix we consider some guidelines for preparing, administering, and grading
quizzes. We also discuss (1) the pros and cons of different types of questions, (2) quiz
preparation and administration, and (3) grading, student complaints, and cheating. We begin
with a discussion of the different types of exam questions.
Types of Questions
Essay Questions
Short-answer tests can be viewed as mini-essay questions because they usually require the
One problem with any sort of essay exam, even short-answer ones, is that they often confront
the grader with a number of factors—such as poor handwriting, incorrect spelling, and bad
grammar—that may have little bearing on the student’s knowledge of the subject matter. As
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Multiple Choice Questions
The advantage of multiple-choice questions is that they can be scored quickly and
objectively. Overall, the multiple-choice test can examine a broad range of material in a
relatively short time. A disadvantage of multiple-choice questions is that they are often far
To ensure the highest quality multiple-choice test, you should never provide more than one
acceptable answer. That answer should appear to be the best choice to students. The positions
Fill–in-the–Blank Questions
The fill-in-the-blank, or completion, question requires students to provide the missing words
or short phrase. These questions are easier to construct than multiple-choice questions and
are easier to score objectively than essay questions. Students need less time to read fill-in–
Matching Questions
Matching questions consist of two lists; students are required to match an item on one list
with the appropriate item on the other list. The directions should be clear about the criteria
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True/False Questions
True/false questions evaluate the student’s ability to identify correct statements. These
questions are easy to construct, easy to grade, and require little time for students to read, so
more questions can be asked in a given period. The problem with true/false questions is that
Test Preparation and Administration
To discriminate among students of different abilities, present questions that offer a range of
difficulty. Some should be easy, some moderately difficult, and some more difficult. If all the
questions are easy or all are difficult, your quiz will not sort students out very well. One way
to promote attendance is to test students on material covered primarily during your class. But
limiting questions only to material covered in class is adopting the standards of high school.
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spare. You should be consistent across students in the way exams are administered. For
example, you can’t say that exams will be collected at a certain time and then decide, after
Grading
As you know, so-called objective exams are easier to grade than essay exams. In grading
long essay questions, point out the major errors of fact or reasoning and note the good
responses. Often an overall comment at the end of the exam provides the student with useful
Dealing with Complaints
When students do ask you to explain the results, don’t get defensive. Students have a right
and, indeed, an obligation to understand their source of error. During class you should review
student special consideration.
Often students seek higher grades, claiming that they may be placed on academic
probation, flunk out, not get accepted to a certain program, or whatever. These and
other reasons unrelated to the exam at hand should be irrelevant in your
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Nothing bothers students more than a belief that the exam was unfair. Special problems arise
if you are a graduate assistant and you must defend an exam you had no role in preparing.
For example, suppose that deep down you may agree with the student that a certain question
on the exam (which was put together by the professor) seemed unfair or misleading. You
should be diplomatic. Without indicating how you really feel, say that you will raise the
student’s concerns with the professor. Then do just that. But don’t be too quick to criticize the
exam, since you could be making the same error as the student.
If you are a graduate assistant, one way to eliminate having to second guess the professor on
Cheating
Academic pressure may prompt some students to cheat. You should become familiar with
how your institutions deal with cheating. Armed with knowledge of the college’s policies,
You must also supervise the quiz closely; exercise constant vigilance to prevent cheating.
Walk around to make sure “cheat sheets” are not used. Don’t leave the room, read, or be
otherwise distracted while the quiz is underway. Give students reasonable time to complete
the quiz; however, students with extra time on their hands may be more tempted to cheat.
Don’t give them more time than is necessary. As we said, no matter how much time you allot,
some students will use it all and want more.
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On the day of the exam, students sit in the seat number they randomly selected. The
advantage of having seats randomly assigned in this way is that students are not able to sit
Take-Home Assignments
For student assignments done outside the classroom, such as homework assignments, case
studies, or even take-home exams, make sure you clearly define the bounds of student
interactions. If no student collaboration is allowed, then say so. You should also follow a
SOURCE: Adapted from material written by William A. McEachern, University of
Connecticut.