FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

Which type of questions should a teacher avoid to prevent guessing from improving test scores?

1. Open-ended questions

2. Multiple choice questions

3. True and false questions

4. Matching questions

The correct answer is: True and false questions

True and false questions provide a format where students have a 50% chance of guessing the correct answer. This binary choice can lead to inflated test scores that do not accurately reflect a student's understanding or knowledge of the material. When students can guess, it undermines the assessment's intent, which is to evaluate comprehension and critical thinking skills. In contrast, open-ended questions require students to articulate their thoughts and demonstrate their understanding, thereby reducing the opportunity for guessing. Multiple choice and matching questions can vary in their effectiveness based on their design; however, they also provide more than two options, which can lower the likelihood of successful guessing when crafted thoughtfully. In the context of assessment, minimizing the potential for guessing is crucial for obtaining an accurate measure of a student’s competencies.