A multiple choice question (MCQ) gives the reader a stem, which is the question, and a set of options that includes the correct answer and several incorrect ones called distractors (존스 홉킨스 대학). Here are 10 types of multiple choice questions, each with a worked example, when to use it and how to write it well.
They suit quizzes, lessons, training and live polls. Multiple choice questions are good at factual recall and, when well written, can test analysis and evaluation, but they cannot measure how well someone organises and expresses ideas (존스 홉킨스 대학). So pick the type that fits what you want to learn. The 10 types below move from simple to more demanding, and the last two have no right answer at all.
Multiple choice question types at a glance
한눈에4가지 간단한 답변
몇 가지 유형이 있습니까?
대답10, grouped by how the stem is written, how many answers are right, what skill they test and whether there is a right answer at all.
How many options should each question have?
대답3~4개. Research finds three is generally enough; a common university guideline asks for at least four.
Which types suit a quiz?
대답Direct question, sentence completion, negative, single best answer, multiple response, true or false, scenario and data questions.
Which types suit a poll or survey?
대답The opinion poll and the rating scale, because neither has a wrong answer.
The 10 types of multiple choice questions, with examples
Types by how the stem is written
These three differ only in how the question is phrased. The answer is one correct option in all of them.
How the stem is written3 유형
1Direct question. Which gas do plants take in from the air for photosynthesis?
대답이산화탄소. Plants take it in through their leaves and use it, with water and light, to make sugars.
사용할 때 사용하세요You want the clearest, fastest question. University guidance says to write the stem as a complete question rather than an incomplete statement when you can.
2문장 완성. At sea level, pure water boils at ____ °C.
대답100. Put the blank at the end so the stem still reads as one clear thought.
사용할 때 사용하세요The fact reads naturally as a statement, such as a definition or a measurement. If a direct question is just as easy to write, use that.
3Negative stem. Which of these is 않습니다. a primary colour in the RGB model used by screens?
대답노랑. Screens mix red, green and blue light; yellow is made by combining red and green.
사용할 때 사용하세요Knowing the exception matters, such as a safety rule. Capitalise and bold the NOT, because readers skim past a small one.
Types by how many answers are right
These change the number of correct options, from one best answer to several, or to just two choices.
How many answers are right3 유형
4Single best answer. Which is the best way to check whether learners understood a new topic during a lesson?
대답Run a quick three-question quiz. Every learner answers, so you see the whole room instead of the loudest voices. Several options are partly useful, which is why the stem says "best".
사용할 때 사용하세요Judgement matters and more than one option is defensible. Say "best" in the stem so nobody argues for a second correct answer.
5Multiple response. Which of these are prime numbers? Select all that apply.
대답2 및 11. 9 is 3 × 3 and 15 is 3 × 5, so each has another factor.
사용할 때 사용하세요More than one answer is right and you want to see whether people can find all of them. Tell players that several answers are correct.
6참 또는 거짓. The three angles of a triangle on a flat surface add up to 180 degrees.
대답참된. A guesser still has a 50 per cent chance, so this type suits warm-ups better than serious assessment.
사용할 때 사용하세요You need a fast check of one clear fact. Keep each statement fully true or fully false.
Types that test application
These ask people to use what they know. Well-written multiple choice questions can reach analysis and evaluation, not only recall.
테스트 애플리케이션2 유형
7Scenario question. A student heats a pan of ice, and the thermometer stays at 0 °C for several minutes while the ice melts. What best explains this?
대답The heat is being used to melt the ice. While a substance changes state, the energy goes into the change rather than a rise in temperature.
사용할 때 사용하세요You want people to apply an idea, not recall it. A short realistic situation moves a question beyond facts.
8Data or image question. Quarterly sales were Q1 £12,000, Q2 £18,000, Q3 £14,000 and Q4 £21,000. Between which two consecutive quarters did sales rise the most?
대답Q3 to Q4. The rises were £6,000, a fall of £4,000 and £7,000. On a slide you would show the numbers as a chart or table.
사용할 때 사용하세요You want people to read information, such as a chart, map, diagram or table, instead of remembering it. It has only three options, which is enough.
Types with no right answer
These gather opinions instead of checking knowledge, so they belong in polls and surveys. They use the same layout, a stem plus options, which is why they count as multiple choice.
설문 조사 및 설문 조사2 유형
9Opinion poll. Which day works best for our weekly team meeting?
결과No wrong answer. The votes are the data. The group sees the split at once and can decide.
사용할 때 사용하세요You are gathering preferences or making a group decision, in a meeting, a workshop or a class.
10Rating scale. I could explain today's topic to a colleague.
결과No wrong answer. Each option sits at a fixed point on one ordered scale, so you can compare groups and track change over time.
사용할 때 사용하세요You are measuring attitudes or confidence. Label every point, and keep the direction the same across a whole survey.
Want more on the rating-scale type? See our 리커트 척도 예시및 Sullivan and Artino article on analysing Likert-type data. For quiz formats beyond multiple choice, see our guide to 퀴즈의 종류 이러한 참 또는 거짓 질문.
How to write a good multiple choice question
These six rules come from university teaching guidance, and they apply to every type above.
- Write the stem as a complete question, and cut what it does not need. "What is the definition of psychoanalysis?" beats "Psychoanalysis is…". Move any words repeated in every option into the stem (존스 홉킨스 대학).
- Make one answer correct and the distractors believable. If the wrong options are silly, such as a cartoon character in a history question, people guess without knowing anything (존스 홉킨스 대학).
- Keep options parallel and in a logical order. Match grammar and length, and sort numbers or dates so the order gives nothing away (존스 홉킨스 대학).
- Avoid "all of the above" and "none of the above". They let people reach the answer with partial knowledge (존스 홉킨스 대학).
- Use three or four options. A meta-analysis of 80 years of research found three options generally optimal (로드리게스, 2005), while the Johns Hopkins guide recommends at least four. Either is fine; padding to five rarely helps.
- Highlight any negative. If you must use NOT or EXCEPT, make it obvious so people do not misread the question (존스 홉킨스 대학).
One more caution. Results can be affected by things unrelated to the subject, such as reading ability and the use of context clues (존스 홉킨스 대학), so keep the wording plain and the stems short.
Run multiple choice questions live with AhaSlides
무료로 퀴즈 메이커, people answer on their phones and the results update on screen. Here are three of the types above, captured from a real session with 12 players.
Scenario and single best answer questions suit a Pick Answer quiz slide. The correct option is marked once the question closes, so you can discuss why the wrong ones were tempting.
여론 조사 use a Poll slide. There is no correct answer, so the chart is the result.
등급 척도 use a Scale slide, which shows the average as well as the spread of answers.
Prefer to start from a ready-made set? The 템플릿 라이브러리 has quizzes and feedback surveys you can copy and edit.
자주하는 질문
What are the main types of multiple choice questions?
The 10 types in this guide are direct question, sentence completion, negative stem, single best answer, multiple response, true or false, scenario, data or image, opinion poll and rating scale.
How many options should a multiple choice question have?
Three or four. A meta-analysis of 80 years of research found three options generally optimal (로드리게스, 2005), and a Johns Hopkins guide recommends at least four (Brusini).
What is a distractor?
A distractor is an incorrect option. Good ones are plausible to someone with partial knowledge, so guessing does not work (존스 홉킨스 대학).
Can multiple choice questions test more than recall?
Yes. Written well, they can assess analysis, evaluation and critical thinking, but they cannot measure a person's ability to organise and express ideas (존스 홉킨스 대학). Scenario and data questions are the usual route.
지우면 좋을거같음 . SM
- Brusini, A. Writing effective multiple choice questions. The Innovative Instructor, Best Practice vol. 17, Johns Hopkins University (2018)
- Rodriguez, M. C. Three options are optimal for multiple-choice items: a meta-analysis of 80 years of research. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice 24(2), 2005
- Sullivan, G. M. and Artino, A. R. Analyzing and interpreting data from Likert-type scales. Journal of Graduate Medical Education 5(4), 2013
