In general, the majority of questions fall into one of two wide categories: objective and subjective. Clearly an evaluation should include both objective and subjective questions. For instance, it may be a multiple choice or an essay. But it is significant not to include into assessments both. It is good enough to make some only objective or only essay.

1. Objective Questions
This type of questions usually evaluates realistic knowledge of students. An objective question is the following:

- After the election of Abraham Lincoln, which was the first state to secede from the Union?

a) North Carolina
b) South Carolina
c) Maryland
d) Maine

The question is objective as it tests essential factual knowledge. You will notice something else about the question. Students who know the material have a realistic possibility of answering the question. They can with no trouble eliminate Maine for the reason that it is in the North. They may think for a moment about Maryland before disqualifying it because it was a border state. Carolinas should give them pause, but if they know the material, they should be capable of determining the right answer. It is better not to include in the test trick questions or based on the material that was has not been taught yet.

2. Subjective Questions
This type of questions involves opinion, reasoning, argument, attitude, logic, and other things that may differ from student to student. Asking students "What is your opinion for the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861?" is a subjective question because there were a lot of causative things. Students may address any number of them in an assortment of ways, any of which could be supposed to be right. Answering a subjective question engages more than having students express their feelings and give their opinions. Their answers have to be based on a mastery of the facts, on hard reasoning, and on obvious expression.