multiple-choice testing

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July 1, 2026

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Multiple-choice testing involves questions that offer several possible answers, from which the test-taker must select the correct one. This format is used in standardized tests to assess knowledge or skills.1

The development of these tests includes tryouts and item analysis. Initially, a small, representative group takes the test to check instructions and identify ambiguities. After revisions, a larger group is tested. This allows for the calculation of a difficulty index (percentage of correct answers) and a discrimination index (how well an item correlates with the total score) for each question. Items that are too easy or too difficult, or those unrelated to the overall score, are discarded. The goal is to select items that are valid predictors of external criteria, such as academic grades. Statistical examination of alternatives in multiple-choice items also helps refine the test by identifying and improving weak or misleading options.2

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Robert M. Yerkes
…much to the development of multiple-choice testing and a widely used point scale (1915) for measuring human mental ability. During World War I he spearheaded the first mass-scale testing program, which administered psychological tests to 1,726,000 men.
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…much to the development of multiple-choice testing and a widely used point scale (1915) for measuring human mental ability. During World War I he spearheaded the first mass-scale testing program, which administered psychological tests to 1,726,000 men.
Read More