When in Doubt, Choose "C"

For the past couple of years I have disliked the concept of multiple choice tests. They give a person who doesn't understand a topic the chance to get points just for guessing. And a lot of times the questions can be so confusing that the writer doesn't always realize what he/she has written. But this summer I have taken a summer class which has changed my attitude toward this type of test. The key is to make sure each question only focuses on one specific idea and there are multiple questions testing the same topic with slight alterations to the questions. This results in many questions that will have similar answers, yet those who really understand the concepts will most likely see the various nuances in each question, therefore have a better chance at receiving a higher grade than the guesser. I still believe that free response questions are the best method in order to test the knowledge of a student; yet if multiple choice questions are formed in this manner, they can be almost as effective and is best used as a quick test for students.