Assess the following test item using the criteria for preparing multiple-choice items. Then rewrite the item to make it more effective. (The correct answer is b.)
Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe primarily as a result of a:
a. inability of the countries to make a decision for themselves.
b. collapse in the countries' economies.
c. lack of well-equipped armies to protect the countries.
d. revolution among the people of all the countries.
The following are problems with the item. First, choice a is grammatically inconsistent with the stem. Second, the stem and the correct choice both contain the word collapse, which provides a clue to test-wise students. Third, choice d contains the absolute term all, and fourth, the correct choice is shorter than the distracters.
An example of a more effective item might be:
Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe primarily as a result of a
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