Creating exams

Please find below suggestions for creating good open and multiple choice exam questions.

9 tips for creating multiple choice exam questions

1.	Make your questions as clear as possible - one question should address one problem
2.	Make the alternative answers equally long Arrange the answers in alphabetical order
3.	Only use reliable alternatives. Avoid ambiguous answers like "none of the above" or "all of the above"
4.	Avoid negatives (especially double negatives) in the question ("no", "not"). If you cannot avoid them - emphasise them by bolding/italicising/underlining them
5.	Make sure that information in the question does not (partially) answer the same question or another question in the test
6.	Should your question have a quote, provide a context for the quote
7.	Make sure that propositions are either fully wrong or fully correct
8.	Make sure that the alternative answers don't overlap
9.	In International Studies, please make sure that no more than 50% of your exams consists of multiple choice questions.

1.	Make sure that there is only one way to interpret the question and the question makes clear what subject is concerned
2.	In every question mention what you expect from the answer (number of arguments, concepts that should be used, length of the answer)
3.	If you use graphics or drawings, make sure they are explained
4.	Avoid double negatives or other formulations that make the formulation of the question complicated.
5.	Separate the question in two parts: one providing the information and context for the question and other asking the question
6.	Make sure the information in the question does not answer the question asked
7.	Formulate the answer first. Then formulate the question.
8.	Check if question and answer fit well together
9.	Avoid all unnecessary and irrelevant information
10.	Ask an expert-colleague to read (and answer) your questions