I’ve just delivered a beta release for the TTA SGD EE training course, and now I’m writing a multiple-choice exam for the students. I think I’d prefer to be taking the exam rather than writing it.
It’s not so much coming up with the questions (mind you, I need about 200) but figuring out the three wrong answers for each. I know the theory: one right answer, one nearly right answer, and two madly wrong answers. I just don’t think I’m programmed to create wrong answers. I think I might burn out a valve and start to smoke, like computers in Star Trek.
So I’m prevaricating a bit. Writing blog entries and the like.
It’s very enlightening to read the multiple-choice exam for the previous iteration of this course. It includes gems like the following:
- What tools does Tarantella Enterprise 3 provide for administration?
- The Control Center
- The Object Manager and the Array Manager
- The Control Center and the Object Manager
- All of the above
The correct answer is marked as, guess what: D. (It should be B.)
Avaragado's blog 
Multiple choice
The general rule of thumb is to create one answer that’s completely implausible. For instance:
What tools does Tarantella SGD EE provide for administration?
Re: Multiple choice
I haven’t managed to reach that level of implausibility yet. Yet.
My favourite so far, for the slight egginess for those in the know, is:
(Recall someone’s feature request for a “real-time clock” in Control Center?)
Re: Multiple choice
There is always:
e) Please send me the home address of whoever wrote it so I can prevent them from reproducing.
You should also give the test to someone who has never used Tarantella and see what score they get.
The other thing to be aware of is that in the US everyone expects to pass the test. Since they paid for the course the feel an obligation for the examiner to pass them. If not, it is blamed on the course.