Merits of Multiple choice items:
Multiple choice type test have become very popular. They are most highly regarded because they have several advantages which are as follows:
(a) They can measure from the rote knowledge level to the most complex level knowledge i.e; understanding, judgment, and ability to solve problems.
(b) A large amount of course can be tested because the examinees do not require much time for writing the answer.
(c) They are objective in scoring because the key forthe correct answer is prepared along with the line test.
(d) They can check discriminating ability of the examinees if they are prepared in the best form.
(e) They reduce the effect of guessing because there gd in are three or four choices so reliability of each item is increased.
(f) Their format is helpful in item analysis to find out the area of weakness of the examinees.
(g) They do not require that only homogeneous materialould be tested as in the case of matching type test.
(h)They can measure cognitive levels much better than true/false items because examiners do not score for merely knowing that whether the statement is true or false but for knowing which Rabois the correct answer.
(i) They can be written in several forms which provide opportunities for measuring different kinds of thinking.esign en via your
(J) The can provide diagnostic information if the choices are so constructed that they provide information about the kind of mistakes that examinees make. However, constructing such type of response requires a lot of time and thinking.
(k) They can be easily adapted for machine scoringand for computer administration and scoring.
(l)They can be easily compiled from test items banks.
(m) They do not permit the examinees to bluff or dress up their answers because the examinees are not allowed to elaborate their answers.
Demerits of Multiple choice items:
In spite of several advantages, the multiple choice type test have the following limitations.
(a)They require examinees to select the answer from a fixed list of choices and do not permit to createor express their own ideas or solutions.
(b) They can check superficial and limited knowledge only.
(c) Intelligent examinees may suffer if they choose incorrect answer due to ambiguities of wording while the poor examinees choose correct answer due to their limited understanding.
(d) They give the impression to the examinees that there is one correct answer to each problem that is not the case in real life of human beings.
(e) They cannot measure attitudes or motor skills, which need active performance and demonstration.
(f)Examinees who do not know correct answer can succeed in guessing.
(g)It is difficult to find four choices for each item out of which three may be plausible incorrect answers.
(i) They require more time to construct so they are time consuming.
(j) Examinees may be successful in selecting the correct through a process of elimination by rejecting responses, which seem unsatisfactory.
(k) They can shape the education in undesirable way because the type of examination shapes the content and nature of teaching.