advantages and limitations of multiple choice items
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Advantages and Limitations of Multiple Choice ItemsTRANSCRIPT
MULTIPLE CHOICE ITEMS
Dexby P. de Guzman
Multiple-Choice Items One of the most popular item formats
in educational testing. It consist of:
Only one option is correct, the others are distracters.
STEM - describes the problem.
OPTIONS/ ALTERNATIVES – represent possible answers.
Parts of a Multiple-Choice Item
Myths on Multiple-Choice Items
People say:
- MC format is limited to testing recall of information
- Multiple choice is multiple guess
Options need to be designed that students who are unable to solve the problem will typically mark a different answer than those who understand the concept.
The Need to Construct Effective MC Items
Advantages of MC Questions
1. Multiple-choice items allow a test to obtain a more adequate sampling of content.
Can cover more content in less time.
Can readily measure procedural knowledge as compared to short answer items.
Advantages of MC Questions2. Multiple-choice items tend to structure the problem to be addressed more effectively.
Short Answer: What should be the first step in performing acid-base titration?
Multiple Choice: Which of the following should be done first in performing acid-base titration?1. Preparation of analyte.2. Standardization of titrant.3. Calibration of cuvette.4. Plotting of titration curve.
Advantages of MC Questions3. Multiple-choice items can be quickly scored.
4. Responses to multiple choice items are objectively scored.
Advantages of MC Questions1. Multiple-choice items allow a test to obtain a more adequate sampling of content.
2. Multiple-choice items tend to structure the problem to be addressed more effectively.
3. Multiple-choice items can be quickly scored.
4. Responses to multiple choice items are objectively scored.
Limitations of MC Questions
1. Multiple-choice items are somewhat susceptible to guessing.
• grammatical cues• logical cues• absolute terms• long correct answer• word repeats• convergence strategy
Limitations of MC Questions
2. Multiple-choice items often must indirectly measure targeted behaviors.
Example:
Using a periodic table, which among these elements is the most electronegative?
A. NB. BC. HeD. Si
Limitations of MC Questions
3. Multiple-choice items are time-consuming to construct.
“… the greater your experience in their construction, the longer it takes per [multiple-choice] item to construct a reasonably fair, accurate, and inclusive question.”
- Wilbert J. McKeachie
Limitations of MC Questions1. Multiple-choice items are somewhat
susceptible to guessing.
2. Multiple-choice items often must indirectly measure targeted behaviors.
3. Multiple-choice items are time-consuming to construct.