CONSTRUCTION OF COMPUTER COMPATIBLE QUESTIONS
The following is from JAR AGM FCL Feb 2002:
I wonder if all of the CQB authors have read this?
I would like to emphasize
9. Formulate the questions and answers as simply as possible: the examination is not a test of language. Avoid
complex sentences, unusual grammar and double negatives.
and
12. The correct answer should be absolutely correct and complete or, without doubt, the most preferable. Avoid
responses that are so essentially similar that the choice is a matter of opinion rather than a matter of fact. The
main interest in MCQs is that they can be quickly performed: this is not achieved if doubt exists about the
correct answer.
JAA Administrative & Guidance Material
Section Five: Personnel Licensing Part 2: Procedures
Section 5/Part 2 10-13 01.12.2001
Attachment 2
CONSTRUCTION OF COMPUTER COMPATIBLE QUESTIONS
1.The following principles should be observed when developing questions for the central question bank (CQB).
General
2. The examination should measure clearly formulated goals. Therefore the field and depth of knowledge to be
measured by each question must be fully identified.
3. The more important the field of knowledge, the more questions should be included in the examination, or the
more points the answer should be given.
4. Most of the questions should be of the multiple choice type with four alternative answers.
5. Questions should relate to the essentials of the fields of knowledge and not to minor related detail. Numerical
questions which differ only in the numbers used and not the method of calculation test the same knowledge;
nevertheless, a variety of examples of the same calculation should be available in the CQB to help to minimise
cheating.
6. Purely academic questions which have no practical use should be avoided, unless they relate to fundamental
concepts. Examples of academic questions which are acceptable are the role of dihedral and camber in
aerodynamics, and the definition of dew point in meteorology.
7. Questions which require specialised knowledge of specific aircraft types, should not be asked in a licence
examination.
8. Use abbreviations and acronyms only in forms internationally recognised. In case of doubt use the full form,
eg angle of attack = 12 degrees instead of "= 12°. A list of recommended abbreviations for examination
purposes is in IEM FCL 1.475(b), (See also Attachment 3 to this Chapter).
9. Formulate the questions and answers as simply as possible: the examination is not a test of language. Avoid
complex sentences, unusual grammar and double negatives.
10. A question should comprise one complete positive proposition. No more than 8 different statements should
appear among the suggested responses otherwise the candidate may be able to deduce the correct answer by
eliminating the unlikely combinations of statements.
11. Questions should have only one true answer.
12. The correct answer should be absolutely correct and complete or, without doubt, the most preferable. Avoid
responses that are so essentially similar that the choice is a matter of opinion rather than a matter of fact. The
main interest in MCQs is that they can be quickly performed: this is not achieved if doubt exists about the
correct answer.
13. The incorrect alternatives must seem plausible to anyone ignorant of the subject. All of the alternatives
should be clearly related to the question and of similar vocabulary, grammatical construction and length. In
numerical questions, the incorrect answers should correspond to procedural errors such as corrections applied
in the wrong sense or incorrect unit conversions: they must not be mere random numbers.
14. Questions must be referred to the examination syllabus/learning objectives. [The level, eg ATPL, CPL,
should be indicated.]
15. An examination sitting should normally last for between 2 and 3 hours. Exceeding 3 hours may result in
wrong answers because the candidate makes errors through fatigue and not because the answer is not known.
JAA Administrative & Guidance Material
Section Five: Personnel Licensing Part 2: Procedures
Section 5/Part 2 10-14 01.12.2001
16. The author must estimate a reasonable time for answering: about 1-2 minutes, but could vary from 1 to 10
minutes. Consequently, the number of questions for a specific examination may vary.
17. Any documentation required to answer the question (eg tables, graphs) must be provided with the question.
Such documentation must be of the same typographical and accuracy standards as normal aeronautical
publications. Tables and graphs must include a typical example of their usage. All other documentation is
forbidden.
18. Question producers may assume that a simple pocket calculator is available to the candidate.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A QUESTION
! JAA MCQ number*
! National MCQ number
! Syllabus reference Subject/section
! Syllabus reference Topic
! Syllabus reference Paragraph
! Syllabus reference Subparagraph
! Origin
! Text of the question
! True answer
! False answer 1
! False answer 2
! False answer 3
! Question input date
! Number of associated documents
! Reference of associated documents
! Sub reference of associated document
! Kind of associated document(s)
! Validation
! Application ATPL(A)
! Time allowed for the answer
! Score
! Application ATPL(H)
! Time allowed for the answer
! Score
! Application CPL(A)
! Time allowed for the answer
! Score
! Application CPL(H)
! Time allowed for the answer
! Score
! Application IR(A)
! Time allowed for the answer
! Score
! Application IR(H)
! Time allowed for the answer
! Score
! Application PPL(A)
! Time allowed for the answer
! Score
! Application PPL(H)
! Time allowed for the answer
! Score
*A unique number shall characterise the question and shall not be related to the syllabus. This number shall be allocated on the introduction
of the question in the bank and shall never be changed whatever the amendments to the latter. If the question is deleted, the number shall
not be re-used.