With objective test questions, there is only one correct answer. True-false and multiple choice items are popular formats for objective questions. Objective tests are popular in economics courses, especially in the introductory principles classes, such as principles of microeconomics and principles of macroeconomics. Objective questions in economics may seem easy to design, but require solid economics knowledge, as well as an understanding of write good test questions.
Question Components
Objective questions in economics or in any subject consist of four parts: the stem, or the text of the question itself; the options the set of answer choices (two in the case of a true-false question, or three to five with a multiple choice question); the key, or the correct option; and the distracters, the incorrect options.
Before writing an economics test, it is important to consider the question format. Many examiners and instructors recommend multiple choice questions, with four or five answer choices. With the true-false format, a student has a 50-percent probability of choosing a correct answer, making it possible to get at least some questions correct through blind guesses.
Economic Terms and Concepts
Most objective economics questions focus on key terms and concepts in the discipline. The following question illustrates this:
"In a free market economy, production and allocation decisions are made by: a) the government; b) voters; c) the private sector; d) consumers." The correct answer in this example is c, the private sector. Questions such as this help to gauge student knowledge of basic economic concepts, which will inform their understanding of more advanced principles.
Tools of Analysis
Other objective questions can test students' understanding of some of the basic tools of economic analysis. For example, a question could measure a students' understanding of supply and demand curves, which they will see on many economic diagrams. One such question might be the following:
"A supply curve can shift because of changes in: a) prices of inputs; b) increased demand; c) government regulation; d) all of the above." The correct answer here is d. This question tests students' knowledge of one of the basic characteristics of supply curves.
Cautionary Notes
When writing objective questions for economics tests, it is important to write the questions in clear, straightforward language that is free of extraneous material. To use an earlier example, the question "In a free market economy, such as that advocated by Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations, production and allocation decisions are made by..." contains unnecessary information because of the phrase about Adam Smith.
Other important considerations when designing questions include ensuring that there is only one correct answer for each question and that distracters are plausible.
Tags: correct answer, multiple choice, objective questions, questions economics, Adam Smith, allocation decisions