RE: Multiple choice vs essay testing

[H. Gelpi]

Tipsters,   My own rationale for including a portion of essays along with my MC items are that, for whatever reason, some really bright students are really not great MC test takers.  It seems like small portion of students (I ask every class for a show of hands) show a preference for essays, to the majority of the class’ horror!   So, I like to include an opportunity for all my students to have access to different testing modalities because of the diversity of their abilities.  And I don’t really think that students who prefer MC items are necessarily lazy either.  It may have to do with exposure to particular testing methods, training, practice… I am not in a position to speak on this and I’m admitting that I haven’t researched it at all.    This obviously, is my completely unscientific conclusion based on my own experience and anecdotal evidence.   My own experience is that I don’t get it, as I have always had good “luck” with MC tests as a student, and plenty of anxiety associated with essays (I always felt that the grading is so unpredictable, and now, since I grade them, I know its true).  In addition, I have met quite a few hard-working, motivated, scholarly colleagues that cringe at MC tests and perform poorly, but shine when given an opportunity to write.      Haydee Gelpi Broward Community College DHHS/FOH Florida     -----Original Message----- From: Rick Stevens [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2001 11:06 AM To: TIPS Subject: Re: Multiple choice vs essay testing   [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Tipsters, I guess I am a little flummoxed now because I feel like I am battling an argument that basically states that "If Anastasi says it, it must be correct." ...