What is an important guideline when writing matching questions?

When crafting matching questions, brainstorming before starting to write is essential. This step helps clarify your thoughts and the relationships between the items being matched. By considering what associations exist among the concepts, terms, or definitions, you can create more relevant and coherent items. This preparatory phase ensures that the questions are well-structured, logical, and tailored to assess the specific knowledge or skills intended.

Using complex vocabulary can obscure meaning and may confuse the test-taker, while creating confusion intentionally detracts from the clarity and educational value of the assessment. Relying solely on memory may also lead to inaccuracies or biases in representing the material. Therefore, taking the time to brainstorm contributes significantly to writing clear and effective matching questions.