Results in the engineering literature on "k out of n system reliability" can be used to characterize tests based on estimates of the probability of correctly determining whether the examinee knows the correct response. In particular, the minimum number of distractors required for multiple-choice tests can be empirically determined.…

The second response conditional probability model of decision-making strategies used by examinees answering multiple choice test items was revised. Increasing the number of distractors or providing distractors giving examinees (N=106) the option to follow the model improved results and gave a good fit to data for 29 of 30 items. (SLD)

Research related to the multiple choice test item is reported, as it is conducted by educational technologists in Japan. Sato's number of hypothetical equivalent alternatives is introduced. The based idea behind this index is that the expected uncertainty of the m events, or alternatives, be large and the number of hypothetical, equivalent…

Two methods of interactive, computer-assisted testing methods for multiple-choice items were compared with each other and with conventional multiple-choice tests. The interactive testing methods compared were tailored testing and the respond-until-correct (RUC) item response method. In tailored testing, examinee ability is successively estimated…

This study compared student performance on language-usage test items presented in two different formats: as discrete sentences and as items embedded in passages. American College Testing (ACT) Program's Assessment experimental units were constructed that presented 40 items in the two different formats. Results suggest item presentation may not…