The guides to decision-making, particularly in the context of multiple-choice questions (MCQs), can be summarized based on decision-making principles and the structure of MCQs:
Guides to Decision Making (Based on Decision-Making Process)
According to Mary K. Coulter and Stephen P. Robbins, the decision-making process involves eight key steps:
- Identifying the Problem
- Identifying Decision Criteria
- Allocating Weights to the Criteria
- Developing Alternatives
- Analyzing Alternatives
- Selecting an Alternative
- Implementing the Decision
- Evaluating the Decision's Effectiveness
These steps guide a manager or decision-maker to systematically approach a problem and choose the best course of action
. At the decision analysis stage, the manager assesses the types of decisions needed, evaluates alternatives, and analyzes potential outcomes to make informed choices
MCQ Guides for Decision Making
When crafting or answering MCQs related to decision making, the following guides are important:
- Clear and Focused Stem: The question should clearly present the problem or concept to be tested without irrelevant material
- Plausible Alternatives: Distractors (wrong answers) should be realistic and homogeneous in content to effectively test knowledge
- Avoid Ambiguity: Questions should be phrased positively unless negation is necessary for learning objectives
- Number of Options: Usually, three to four alternatives are sufficient for effective discrimination
- Mutually Exclusive Options: Alternatives should not overlap to avoid confusion
- Logical Order: Present options in a logical or numerical sequence
- Avoid "All of the Above": This can cue students and increase guessing chances
Example of Decision-Making MCQ Content
- Which of the following is NOT one of the eight steps in the decision-making process?
- (Answer: Delegating the decision making)
- At which stage does the manager find out what kind of decisions will be required?
- (Answer: Decision analysis)
- Statements about policies as guides to action and decision boundaries can be tested to assess understanding of decision frameworks
Summary
The guides to decision making in MCQs include understanding the structured decision-making steps and constructing or answering questions with clear, plausible, and focused options that test knowledge effectively. The decision- making process itself is a systematic approach involving problem identification, criteria setting, alternatives development, analysis, selection, implementation, and evaluation
. This combination ensures that decision-making MCQs accurately assess comprehension and application of decision-making principles.
