Context: The accuracy of summative assessment scoring and discriminating the level of knowledge in subject matter is critical in fairness to learners in health care professional programs and to ensure stakeholders of competent providers. An evidence-based approach to determine examination quality for the assessment of applied knowledge is…

Different versions of multiple-choice exams were administered to an undergraduate class in human physiology as part of normal testing in the classroom. The goal was to evaluate whether the number of options (possible answers) per question influenced the effectiveness of this assessment. Three exams (each with three versions) were given to each of…

The use of video lectures and authentic listening tasks (e.g., taking notes; responding to short answer questions) is common practice in EAP classrooms. However, many classroom-based tests of L2 listening comprehension continue to employ audio-only listening texts and a multiple-choice response format. The effect of these differences in input type…

Measurement tools that are used in education are important factors that affect course success and motivation of students. This study aims to determine the opinions of high school students on different question types. As the subgoals of the research, the study aims to determine the reasons for multiple choice test preference and its effect on…

This study investigates meaning-making processes in language and literacy assessments. Using a social semiotic perspective, it examines how adult second language learners with emerging literacy self-articulate their understanding of multimodal elements and components utilized in low-stakes assessments, and the strategies they use to make meaning…

Optics is a core field in the curricula of secondary physics education. In this study, we present the development and validation of a test instrument in the field of optics, the ray optics in converging lenses concept inventory (ROC-CI). It was developed for and validated with middle school students, but can also be adapted for the use in higher…

Multiple-choice testing is a staple within the U.S. higher education system. From classroom assessments to standardized entrance exams such as the GRE, GMAT, or LSAT, test developers utilize a variety of validated and heuristic driven item-writing guidelines. One such guideline that has been given recent attention is to randomize the position of…

Speeded tests set time limits so that few examinees can reach all items, and power tests allow most test-takers sufficient time to attempt all items. Educational achievement tests are sometimes described as "timed power tests" because the amount of time provided is intended to allow nearly all students to complete the test, yet this…

We compared high school students' performance in a traditional comprehension assessment requiring them to identify key information and draw inferences from single texts, and a scenario-based assessment (SBA) requiring them to integrate, evaluate and apply information across multiple sources. Both assessments focused on a non-academic topic.…

Research suggests that the three-option format is optimal for multiple choice questions (MCQs). This conclusion is supported by numerous studies showing that most distractors (i.e., incorrect answers) are selected by so few examinees that they are essentially nonfunctional. However, nearly all studies have defined a distractor as nonfunctional if…

The study determines to find out the present situation of Bangladesh and Global Studies test items/creative questions in Bangladesh. This descriptive study was conducted using a concurrent triangulation research design. To conduct this study both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. 16 test of Bangladesh and Global Studies test…

Many university programs include Microsoft Excel courses given their value as a scientific and technical tool. However, evaluating what is effectively learned by students is a challenging task. Considering multiple-choice written exams are a standard evaluation format, this study aimed to uncover the features influencing students' success in…

This study was to compare the processes that second language learners implemented when completing reading tasks in a multiple-choice question format (MCQ) with those in a short-answer question format (SAQ). Sixteen nonnative English-speaking students from a large Midwestern college in the United States were invited to complete MCQ and SAQ English…

This empirical research study investigates the relationship between the utilization of Universal Design (UD) elements and math performance among eighth graders. We analyzed 2017 National Assessment of Educational Progress process data using Poisson Generalized Linear Mixed-Effects Models to examine how the frequency of UD element usage varies…

The aim of the present study is two-fold. First, it uses eye-tracking to investigate the dynamics of item reading, both in multiple choice and matching items, before and during two hearings of listening passages in a computerized while-listening performance (WLP) test. Second, it investigates answer changing during the two hearings, which include…