The Validity Of Multiple-choice Questions In English Reading Tests For Senior High School Learners

M-C question is the only form in National Matriculation English Test (NMET) reading tests, but, according to a recent survey made by the author, not all the English teachers in senior schools know how to construct valid Multiple-choice (M-C) questions and most of them can not distinguish the well-designed testing papers from the ill-designed ones. This study aims at verifying the hypothesis that the quality of M-C items determines their validity in testing reading abilities of students, and finding out as complete as possible the factors that affect the validity of M-C in reading tests, so as to identify the principles for constructing effective M-C items.The writer chose the reading section of 2003 NMET as the validity criteria. The research steps are: (1) Using the reading section of a test the writer chose from an exercise book to test the students of Class One, Senior Grade Three. After that is a questionnaire survey. (2) Revising the test paper according to testing theory as well as the problems reflected in the questionnaires soon after the test is given. (3) Using revised paper to test the students of Class Two, Senior Grade Three, making sure the English levels of the test-takers of the two groups are similar, and the time giving the test is as close to the first test as possible. (4) Using 2003 NMET to test the students of Class One and Class Two just one day after the second test. (5) Comparing respectively the scores of the reading sections of the unrevised reading test paper and the refined test paper with those of 2003 NMET of the two classes to get the two concurrent validities.The conclusions drawn from the results of the concurrent validities and the analysis of questionnaires are as follows: (1) the quality of M-C items designed determines their validity in testing reading abilities of students; (2) some factors affect validity of M-C in reading tests, such as: technical factors, theoretical factors, psychological factors, and administrative factors. (3) the quality of the M-C items is a main factor which affects the students to choose the answers when they do not understand the reading test passages or the questions to the passages. At the last part...