What is a multiple choice question?
A multiple choice question (MCQ) presents a question followed by a fixed set of options, and asks the candidate to select the correct answer. It's the most widely used objective format because it's fast to answer and can be marked automatically and consistently.
MCQs come in several forms: single-answer (choose one), multiple-response (choose all that apply), and the more sophisticated Single Best Answer, where every option is plausible but one is the best. Well-written MCQs, backed by question statistics, are the backbone of most standardised testing.