Students may find exam questions difficult but teachers know it is even more difficult to write them well. The CTE recommends
these resources
as starting points for writing better exam questions. Some highlights include:
Keep it fresh:
Prepare a new version each time you teach a course. Though time consuming, this allows you to include new developments that each class uniquely displays.
Space it out:
Write a few questions each week as the course unfolds while student reception of the material is fresh in your mind. Where are students stuck and struggling? Pitch exam questions to their level, make them challenging but not impossible.
Student questions:
Along with the above, have students submit questions as the semester unfolds. Revise as needed, use for review or include on the final itself.
Be supportive:
Exams inevitably involve anxiety. A few words of encouragement can go a long way. Provide suggestions for how much time to spend on certain sections or questions.
Take out the guesswork:
Multiple-choice is easier to grade but what about the element of luck? British educator
Martin Bush
has some innovative ideas for higher order multiple choice questions that leave little room for chance.
What exam question writing methods or strategies do you suggest?
Let us know
!
