Well-constructed tests and quizzes can do more than capture students' grasp of the material - they provide detailed feedback on teaching and, as some studies suggest, they can increase student learning as well. The following resources and strategies offer suggestions for constructing quizzes efficiently, equitably, and in ways that enhance learning.

Strategies and Resources

General

• Test construction: Some practical ideas (University of Texas Center for Teaching)
• Constructing written test questions (National Board of Medical Examiners)
• Examples of test questions that correspond to Bloom's six levels of learning (University of Illinois: Illinois Online Network)
• The agony and the equity: Testing and grading (Speaking of Teaching, Stanford's Center for Teaching and Learning)

Multiple choice exams

• Improving multiple choice questions (University of North Carolina Center for Teaching and Learning)
• Improving multiple choice tests (IDEA Paper No. 16)
• Multiple choice questions that ask for critical thinking (University of Oregon's Teaching Effectiveness Program)

Essay exams

• Writing and grading essay questions (University of North Carolina Center for Teaching and Learning)
• Improving essay tests (IDEA Paper No. 17)

Giving tests and quizzes online

• Blackboard
• Respondus

Discouraging cheating on exams

DePaul resources

Additional Readings

Haladyna, T. (1994). Developing and validating multiple-choice test items. Hillsdale, N.J. : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Available at DePaul Library: 371.261 H157D1994

---.(1997). Writing test items to evaluate higher order thinking. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn& Bacon. Available at Office for Teaching, Learning and Assessment.