On Fri, 9 Jul 1999 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I need some citations that say that multiple choice exams can test > more than just simple factual knowledge. On one of my other lists > the topic of credentialing in a health profession is being hotly > debated. One of the frequent statements when this topic comes up > on this list is that the exam is MC and therefor does not really > test whether the practitioner is competent. I think it's a myth that multiple choice exams are inferior to other means of testing student knowledge. One reason why students believe this may be that they are sometimes only familiar with the multiple choice questions provided by textbook publishers, which are often inadequate. Perhaps they might be more impressed if they tried the multiple choice questions on the Graduate Record Exam, which are of much higher quality. But this doesn't explain why many teachers also believe in the inferiority of multiple choice. As for a citation, the eminent psychometrician Anne Anastasi (caspule review of her distinguished career at http://ericae.net/ets/womentest.html#ANNE ANASTASI) had this to say about the issue, among other things: [Multiple-choice tests] "have largely replaced essay questions...not only because of time restriction in test scoring but also--and more important--because they provide broader subject-matter converage, yield more reliable and more valid scores, and are fairer to individuals". Earlier, she had noted that essay questions can't adequately test the ability to "select, relate, and organize material" or to "express ideas clearly and accurately". In contrast, she concludes that good multiple choice questions can "tap complex thinking processes, reasoning, evaluation of arguments, and the application of knowledge to new situations". My quotes come from the 6th edition of her respected textbook _Psychological Testing_. I believe a 7th was subsequently published and it might be worth checking as well. -Stephen ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Stephen Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470 Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661 Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Lennoxville, QC J1M 1Z7 Canada Department web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy ------------------------------------------------------------------------
