How to Set Good Quality Question Paper: A Teacher's Guide ! Discover, Apply and Succeed !!

Abstract:

Effective questions in teaching can help students understand key concepts and can be designed using a variety of strategies: 

 

Open-ended questions

Start with "why" to ask students to explain the cause of an event or why a situation has arisen. 

 

Divergent questions

Allow students to explore different avenues and create multiple answers or scenarios. 

 

Essential questions

Ask questions that help students consider important topics, such as how writers influence their audience, or what we can learn from the past. 

 

Questioning techniques

Ask questions that help students understand concepts, such as "Are you sure?", "How do you know?", "What do you notice?", "What's the same and what's different?", or "Is there another way?" 

 

Taxonomies

Use taxonomies to classify questions and elicit specific cognitive processes. 

 

Question prompts

Use nonhierarchical question prompts, such as focal, brainstorm, shotgun, and funnel questions. 

 

Keywords:

Open-ended questions, Taxonomies, Questioning techniques, Divergent questions, Essential questions

Learning Outcomes :

After undergoing this article you will be able to understand the following

1. What's a question paper for examination?

2. What's the purpose of question paper?

3. Types of question paper

4. Properties of a well balanced question paper

5. How to develop contents step by step of question paper?

6. What's elements are necessary in a question paper in order?

7. Qualities of good questions

8. How to improve quality of question paper ?

9. How to evaluate question paper for its appropriateness?

10. What's the benefits of asking good questions?

11. What's the impacts about asking inappropriate questions?

12. Conclusions

13. FAQs

References 

1. What's a question paper for examination?

The question paper is the document that tests a candidate's ability for the specific examination which he/she is appearing for. It consists of the questions which are based on the specific exam syllabus.

A good question paper is framed in a clear, easily understandable language, without any vagueness. A good question guides the learners towards understanding the concept in the picture. Objectivity, practicality, and candidate friendly are also characteristics of a good question paper.

2. What's the purpose of question paper?

Asking questions can serve many purposes, including: 

 

Learning: Questions can help you learn new things, find answers, and make informed decisions. They can also help you identify gaps in your understanding. 

 

Teaching: Questions can help teachers engage students, keep them focused, and test their understanding of material. Questions can also help students retain information by putting their thoughts into words. 

 

Communication: Questions can help you build trust, develop relationships, and engage in meaningful conversations. 

 

Problem solving: Questions can help you identify problems and find solutions. 

 

Creativity: Questions can stimulate creativity and imagination. 

 

Understanding: Questions can help you understand the beliefs, reasons, and objectives of others. 

 

Assessing student 

Results for pass or fail

3. Types of question paper

Here are 15 types of questions with definitions and examples:

Open-Ended Questions:

Definition: Questions that allow for a wide range of possible responses and encourage the respondent to provide detailed answers.

• Example: "What are your thoughts on the current economic situation?"

Closed-Ended Questions:

Definition: Questions that typically require a specific answer, often a yes or no, or selecting from predefined options.

• Example: "Did you attend the meeting yesterday?"

Multiple Choice Questions:

Definition: Questions that present several options, with the respondent choosing the correct one.

Example: "Which of the following is not a primary color?

a) Red

b) Green

c) Yellow

d) Purple"

Yes/No Questions:

Definition: Questions that can be answered with either "yes" or "no."

• Example: "Are you ready to start the presentation?"

Binary Questions:

Definition: Questions that offer only two possible answers.

• Example: "Do you prefer cats or dogs?"

Probing Questions:

Definition: Questions used to gather more information or clarify a previous response.

• Example: "Could you elaborate on your answer?"

Leading Questions:

Definition: Questions that subtly suggest the desired answer or contain biased language.

• Example: "Don't you agree that the new policy is a positive change?"

Rhetorical Questions:

Definition: Questions asked for effect or emphasis, with an implied answer rather than a genuine request for information.

• Example: "Isn't it a beautiful day?"

Hypothetical Questions:

Definition: Questions that pose a scenario or situation that may not exist in reality.

• Example: "What would you do if you won the lottery?"

Clarification Questions:

Definition: Questions used to seek further understanding or clarification about a previous statement or answer.

• Example: "I'm not sure I understand. Could you explain that again?"

Interview Questions:

Definition: Questions asked during an interview to assess a candidate's qualifications, experience, and suitability for a position.

• Example: "Can you describe a challenging situation you faced in a previous job and how you resolved it?"

Survey Questions:

Definition: Questions used in surveys to collect data or opinions from respondents.

• Example: "On a scale of 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with our customer service?"

Reflective Questions:

Definition: Questions that prompt self-reflection or introspection.

• Example: "What could you have done differently in that situation?"

Sequential Questions:

Definition: Questions that follow a logical sequence or order, building upon each other.

• Example: "First, what is your name? Second, what is your date of birth?"

Critical Thinking Questions:

Definition: Questions designed to stimulate critical thinking and analysis.

• Example: "What are the potential implications of this decision?"

These are just a few examples, and questions can be further classified based on various criteria such as context, purpose, and complexity.

4. Properties of a well balanced question paper

A well-balanced question paper has the following characteristics: 

 

Clarity: The language used in the question paper should be clear, simple, and unambiguous. 

 

Validity: The question paper should measure what it intends to measure. 

 

Reliability: The question paper should consistently measure the students' achievements. 

 

Objectivity: The question paper should be objective and practical. 

 

Candidate-friendly: The question paper should be friendly for the candidates. 

 

No irrelevant information: The question paper should not contain any irrelevant information that may confuse the students. 

 

No sub-questions: Sub-questions should not be given in the question paper, except for one question. 

 

Consider length of solution: The length of the solution should be kept in mind while preparing different types of problems. 

 

Thoughtful structure: The question paper should be structured after careful thought on the nature of questions, their answers, possible alternate answers, language, and distribution of marks. 

 

5. How to develop contents step by step of question paper?

The steps of making question paper are as follows 

1. Determine the Need for the Test. 
2. Stay Updated with the Latest Syllabus. 
3. Decide the Layout of the Question Paper. 
4. Choose the Type of Questions. 
5. Use Authentic and Validated References. 
6. Rely on Question Generation Platforms. 
7. Edit and Finalize the Exam Paper.

6. What's elements are necessary in a question paper ?

The parts of a question include: 

 

Subject matter: The topic or general subject of the question 

 

Aspect or focus: The angle or point of view of the question 

 

Instruction or comment: The instruction word or phrase 

 

Directive or task words: Words that tell you what to do, such as "discuss" or "argue" 

 

Limiting words: Words that may narrow or change the focus of your answer 

 

The structure of a question is typically a question word, auxiliary, subject, and main verb. The intonation of a question can also indicate the type of question. For example, closed questions with auxiliary verbs often have a rising intonation at the end. 

 

7. Qualities of good questions:

Open-ended questions: 

Allow participants to provide detailed responses and help researchers uncover unexpected insights. 

 

Clear and concise: 

Clear and concise test cases and bug reports help teams understand the test objectives and expected results. 

 

Focused questions: 

Narrow down the scope of questions to address only one topic. 

 

Well-presented findings: Findings should be supported by evidence and tied back to the research objectives. 

 

Logical structure: 

The paper should follow a logical and coherent structure. 

 

Appropriate difficulty: 

The paper should be appropriate in difficulty. 

 

Balanced: 

The paper should be balanced. 

 

Authentic: 

The paper should be authentic. 

 

Objective: 

The paper should be objective. 

 

Economical: 

The paper should be economical. 

Meaningful: 

Questions should be understandable and meaningful to students. 

 

Challenging: 

Questions should challenge students, but not be too difficult. 

Relevant: 

Questions should be relevant to the objectives of the lesson. 

 

Concise: 

Questions should be short and to the point, without unnecessary details. 

 

Unbiased: 

Questions should not suggest how the respondent should answer. 

 

Purposeful: 

Questions should have a clear reason for being asked. 

 

Stimulating: 

Questions should encourage students to think through and recall concepts. 

 

Guiding: 

Questions should help students understand the concept being taught. 

 

8. How to improve quality of question paper ?

These are some key perspectives that every teacher should keep in mind while curating a question paper:

1. Objective and scope of examination.
2. Design and format of questions.
3. Relative weightage of concepts.
4. Analysis of questions.
5. Assessment aspects.
6. Criteria for moderation.

9. How to evaluate question paper for its appropriateness?

The principal questions to ask when evaluating a test is whether it is appropriate for the intended purposes. The use intended by the test developer must be justified by the publisher on technical or theoretical grounds. Questions to ask:

1. What are the intended uses of the test scores? What score interpretations does the publisher feel are appropriate? What limitations or restrictions of interpretations apply?
2. Who is the intended population for testing? What is the basis for considering whether the test applies to a particular situation?
3. How was content/coverage decided? How were items developed and selected for the final version?
4. The questions should be baked by relevant answers 

10. What's the benefits of asking good questions?

Asking good questions can have many benefits, including: 

 

Critical thinking

Asking good questions helps you gather information, clarify your thoughts, and challenge assumptions. This can help you become a better critical thinker and find better solutions to problems. 

 

Communication

Asking questions helps you show interest in others and get to know them better. It also gives people a chance to express themselves or ask for clarification. 

 

Learning

Asking questions can help you learn and discover how things work. It can also help you solve problems by exploring why things don't work. 

 

Broadening your mind

Asking questions can help you think about new possibilities and open your mind to other perspectives. 

 

Developing your personality

Asking questions can help you develop your personality and be treated as a respected person. 

 

Active learning

Asking questions can make you an active participant in the learning process. This can help you retain and recall information more efficiently. 

 

11. What's the impacts about asking inappropriate questions?

Asking inappropriate questions can be offensive and can be a sign of a lack of empathy.

 

Some examples of inappropriate questions include: 

 

Asking about someone's vaccination status 

 

Asking about someone's sex life 

 

Asking about someone's finances 

 

Asking about someone's plans to get married or have children 

 

Asking about someone's marital status 

 

Asking about someone's pregnancy 

 

Asking about someone's ability to reproduce 

 

Asking about someone's spouse or spouse's employment, salary, arrangements, or dependents 

 

Asking about someone's age, race, ethnicity, color, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, country of origin, birthplace, religion, disability 

 

Some ways to respond to an inappropriate question include:

Deflecting the question

Saying "Hmm, interesting"

Saying "Okay"

Saying "Thanks, I'll think about it"

Saying "Hard to say"

Saying "That's private"

Saying "I'm not comfortable sharing that" 

 

12. Conclusions

A conclusion to a question paper should: 

 

Summarize: Summarize the main points of the paper and answer the essay question. 

 

Restate: Restate the main idea or thesis of the paper. 

 

Connect: Connect the conclusion back to the introduction. 

 

Provide closure: Provide closure for the reader. 

 

Suggest future research: Suggest possible future research. 

 

Avoid new ideas: Avoid introducing new ideas. 

 

Be clear: Present conclusions in clear, concise language. 

 

Help readers reflect: Help readers reflect on what they just read. 

 

Spark interest: Spark the reader's desire to further explore the subject. 

 

Help readers care: Help readers answer the question "Why should I care about this topic?" 

 

13. FAQs

Q. What is Question Bank?

Ans. 

Students tend to take a lot of tests online. These tests are stored somewhere, right? Well, the place where all these questions are stored is known as the question bank. It is a place that stores all the quiz-related questions and organizes them in perfect categories. Some of the different types of questions that are included in the question bank are multiple-choice questions, true and false questions, file uploading, essays, and filling the blanks along with some other specific types. 

Q. What's the Benefits of Creating a Question Bank?

Ans. 

There are certain benefits to creating a question bank. Suppose you want to create a question bank biology for the test taker. These are the benefits that creating a question bank will include. 

It is basically an organized and simple way to ensure the secure storage of questions to use in future quizzes. This method is efficient and convenient for creating online tests by simply picking out the number of questions you need from every single category. This enables the students to retake the test more than once. 

There will always be different questions included in the set when the test is repeated. 

The creation of a question bank also minimizes cheating since the pool of important questions is pretty large. 

It is less likely that the students will get the same questions in another set. 

Plus, the order of the questions will also be randomized. The inclusion of categories ensures that questionnaires are able to analyze as well as view the performance of the test taker according to the category that they choose. 

Hence, the question bank also helps in assisting with the development requirements of the test takers.

Q. What's the role of Moderator in developing question paper?

Ans.

The moderator is the person who needs to validate question papers defined by the paper setter. The moderator is also a subject matter expert for a particular subject. Moderators need to ensure the following things-

Question Paper is defined strictly as per the syllabus and guidelines defined.

No question is out of syllabus or out of context of the question paper

There are no errors or spelling mistakes in the question paper.

Approve one of the question papers for the final examination Process.

In case the moderator is travelling or situated in a different city then the above-mentioned activity may not be possible. So, travelling and logistics is one of the key tasks, and they can add to the delay in the question paper generation process. In the traditional process, a moderator needs to visit the central hub where question papers can be kept at a secure location for verification and validation.

Online Question authoring and Question Paper Generation can help education entity to simplify this process. The moderator can be situated at any location and can log in to a secure software system to validate question papers defined by the paper setter.

References