Interview Preparation
Practice answers to common assessment developer interview questions.
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Answer Practice Top 10 Questions Mock Interview
What makes a good multiple choice question?
What the interviewer is testing: Tests knowledge of MCQ design principles.
Key terms: MCQ, stem, distractors, key
A good MCQ has several characteristics. The stem should present a clear, focused problem - a learner should be able to answer without seeing the options. The key must be unambiguously correct. Distractors should be plausible but incorrect, and each distractor should be diagnostic - a learner who selects it likely has a specific misconception. Options should be similar in length and grammatical structure to avoid giving clues. I avoid "all of the above" and "none of the above" where possible, as they can inflate or deflate scores. I also ensure the question tests more than recall where the specification demands higher-order thinking. After writing, I would have the question reviewed by a peer and an SME before it goes into a live assessment.
A question with four options where one is right. The harder the distractor, the better the question.
Likely follow-up: How would you analyse MCQ performance after learners have taken the test?