At 5:35 PM -0500 3/28/01, Stephen Black wrote:
>"Multiple-choice tests have largely replaced essay questions
>in standardized testing programmes, not only because of time
>restriction but also--and more important--because they provide
>broader subject-matter coverage, yield more reliable and valid
>scores, and are fairer to individuals"
I agree w/ Stephen and others on this issue. MC questions are a fine
testing instrument. I use take-home essays (in addition to MC) to
lead my students to do a different kind of thinking than they would
for a MC only test. They receive my grading rubric for the essay
question ahead of time, so they know what I am looking for in the
answer. No surprises. But the questions (see example below) get
them to think about things in ways that MC tests alone would not.
So I treat the test itself as a learning event for the student. What
experience do I want the student to have? One experience is that of
mastering the jargon and conceptual matrix of an area. Another is
thinking through a difficult and meaty question. A mix of methods
gets at both of these.
-Chuck
PS Sample take home essay: What are Skinner and Freud's position on
Free Will vs. Determinism? Does Huff agree with them? Do you? Why?
- Chuck Huff; 507.646.3169; http://www.stolaf.edu/people/huff/
- Psychology Department, St.Olaf College, Northfield, MN 55057
