Distractor Efficiency in Foreign Language Testing

guage but from different geographical areas? The type of test question used was clarifiedi the types of distractors were defined and the process of selection described, the test design was discussed, and the resulting data tabulated and interpreted. In conclusion, we found a definite hierarchy of preference, also differences and agreements in the effectiveness of the distractor types. Greater differences existed for our populations of contrasting English proficiency. Few differences existed for our populations of similar proficiency. No differences existed for our populations of similar proficiency but dissimilar location. The Multiple Choice Test (MCT) format has been selected by many language teachers for the measurement of student achievement or general proficiency. Writing such a test, however, is not easy. The professionally developed test has applied procedures unavailable to the classroom teacher, who usually has little training, equipment or time in the construction of MCT to exercise some of the arcane operations of the testing specialist. Yet most teachers are required to prepare class tests at some point in their teaching careers. How can the teacher improve his test writing efforts? Let us first look at the type of test questions being considered.