True/False test questions are easy for teachers to write and they make for quick, efficient grading. These questions, however, limit what kinds of student knowledge a professor can ascertain. They are limited in what they can ask and they do not allow students to express their creativity. Additionally, they're not accurate gauges of retention because students have a 50 percent chance of guessing the correct answers.
Multiple choice tests are generally regarded as simple, but sophisticated tests can be just as difficult as essay exams. These tests, which allow students to select one of several answer options, test a variety of skills, including students' abilities to analyze phenomena, apply learned principles to novel situations, interpret cause-and-effect relationships and interpret charts and graphs. They are easy and efficient to grade and provide reliable results. However, multiple choice tests do not allow students to demonstrate creativity, as there is only one correct answer to each problem.
Short answer tests use open-ended questions that ask students to create answers based on problems. These questions require students to answer said prompts in a few sentences or words. These test questions allow professors to gauge students' recall of information without placing too much pressure on them to elaborate. They do, however, limit student creativity and the grading can be less efficient, especially if questions aren't worded carefully. These types of tests are best for questions that ask students to recall specific facts.
Essay test questions elicit long answers to writing prompts. They allow students to express their creativity in writing, explore their thoughts and opinions and present their knowledge in a way that makes apparent their abilities to transfer their knowledge from one situation to another. These test questions are difficult to construct, however, because professors must consider time constraints and they are difficult to grade because there are no established answers.