Subject matter experts (SMEs) tasked with the unfamiliar process of authoring questions for a training course may need a little help to write practical assessments. Here I outlined a few simple tips that I pass along to help them write better questions, which provides more clarity on the intent of the question when the final version is written.
Here is a list of guidelines I use to help my SMEs write better questions:
- Write the questions after the training content is complete, correct, edited, and approved.
- Explain how the stem and responses must be relevant to the content; that is, pull questions directly from the material.
- Write questions that directly challenge the content. Never write questions where the answer is nowhere identified in the training material. It happens, I see this all the time.
- Avoid True/False or Yes/No type questions. Instead, write a question that provides some thought, such as “From the following statements, which two provide positive results?” Or “From the following items, which one provides a return on investment?”
- Avoid “all of the above” or “none of the above” answers. Instead, use wording such as “From the following, which two statements are correct.”
- Never write a question that requires a student to remember the wrong answer. For example, “From the following statements, which two are incorrect?” You ask the learner to recall what is wrong rather than challenge them on a correct method or task identified in the training.
- For each multiple choice question, provide a consistent total of four responses per question with the following credentials: provide one or two correct answers, provide two or three credible distractor responses (no give-a-way or nonsense distractors). This is where many quizzes or tests fail their learners. Providing nonsense answers does not challenge a learner’s knowledge; instead, it shows laziness in writing a qualified question stem.
- Finally, make sure the answers are 100% correct or 100% incorrect. Avoid questions that are “more” or “less” correct than others—they must be either correct or incorrect.
Help your subject matter experts in these areas, and you will experience great dividends when you develop the final assessment. As training professionals, promote your knowledge of assessment development within your organization. Let others know that you are an expert and provide real value to your company and training reputation. See the Assessment_Template_and_Guidelines.docx on the Downloads page for a more detailed outline and template for writing questions.