Multiple-choice tests are widely used in education, often for high-stakes assessment purposes. Consequently, these tests should be constructed following the highest standards. Many efforts have been undertaken to advance item-writing guidelines intended to improve tests. One important issue is the unwanted effects of the options' position on test…

Four considerations that enhance the instructional importance of tests are content match, use of feedback, a flagging function, and the increasing tendency to attach sanctions and rewards to standardized test results. These sanctions are apt to force greater attention to the other three characteristics, strengthening the links between instruction…