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Why MCQs Are the Most Preferred Test and Quiz Format for Online Exams

Multiple choice questions or MCQs have become one of the most chosen formats for teachers to choose when preparing an online exam using an examination software. Apart from the multiple choice question format, teachers also incorporate the true/false, match the following, short answer, essay, oral, and computational format into the tests and quizzes they prepare using an online exam software.

Even though teachers tend to incorporate more than one format into the exam they create for their students, the multiple choice question format remains one of the most chosen methods used by them.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Teachers give their students a question and several possible answers. Students need to select one answer out of the three or four options given to them. Unlike on paper where students need to either circle the correct answer or fill in the correct circle, on an online exam software, they need to click on the right answer from their digital screen.

The Reason Teachers Tend to Use MCQs

Students can complete the test or quiz in less time, as all they have to do is read the question, the given choices, and then select the right answer. Another reason for using this method is that it allows instructors to test their students’ knowledge on a diverse number of topics.

Since the instructor used an examination software to prepare the exam, the software will grade the paper, thus saving them a lot of time and presenting the results of the exam to their students quickly.

The Advantages of Using MCQs

Here are seven advantages of using MCQs:

·         A wide sampling of objectives and content

·         Can be written to test a wide range of thinking skills at a higher level

·         Different response choices which can offer diagnostic feedback

·         Highlight reliable test results

·         MCQs are difficult to set, but reliable to measure

·         MCQs are highly versatile and can be prepared to examine different levels of learning outcomes, from analysis, evaluation, and application

·         Quick and easy to score, both by hand and electronically

Even most students prefer answering questions, which provides them choices, as it makes it easier for them to process the question and answer it quickly, especially if they have studied for it. Instructors can also benefit from preparing MCQs on an online exam software, as it allows them to minimize the chances of cheating by creating two different version of the same paper by shifting the questions and answers around, so no two papers are the same. If they teach more than one class, they can give the test or quiz on an examination software.

In doing so, it will decrease the time they spend on grading each exam, as the online exam software will grade all the papers in less time. Instructors who prefer MCQs over other formats will be glad to know that they are not alone.