With the already widespread nature of multiple-choice assessments and the increasing popularity of answer-until-correct, it is important to have methods available for exploring the validity of these types of assessments as they are developed. This work analyzes a 20-question multiple choice assessment covering introductory undergraduate chemistry…

The use of multiple-choice (MC) instruments to assess pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) has advantages in terms of test economy and objectivity, but it also poses challenges, for example, in terms of adequately capturing the intended construct. To help address these challenges, we developed and evaluated a new instrument to assess science…

Resonance is a foundational organic chemistry concept, but it is consistently misunderstood by undergraduate students. The development of a concept inventory--a multiple-choice assessment where the incorrect answer choices stem from commonly held alternate conceptions--on the concept of resonance could help organic chemistry instructors quickly…

This study aimed to develop a standardised instrument for diagnosing science misconceptions in primary school children. Following a developmental research approach using the 4-D model (Define, Design, Develop, Disseminate), 100 four-tier multiple choice items were constructed. Content validity was established through expert evaluation by six…

In this study, it was aimed to develop an achievement test taking into account the subject acquisitions of the sound and properties unit in the sixth-grade science course. In the test development phase, firstly, literature review for the study was conducted. Then, 30 multiple choice questions in align with the subject acquisition in the 2018…

The present study has aimed to develop and validate a protein concept inventory (PCI) consisting of 25 multiple-choice (MC) questions to assess students' understanding of protein, which is a fundamental concept across different biology disciplines. The development process of the PCI involved a literature review to identify protein-related content,…

Developing tools to identify students' misconceptions about basic biology concepts is necessary. Therefore, a two-tier diagnostic test was developed to determine such misconceptions in primary school (3rd-4th Grade) students. The test content includes two-tiered multiple-choice questions addressing common misconceptions found in the literature on…

Research-based multiple-choice questions implemented in class with peer instruction have been shown to be an effective tool for improving students' engagement and learning outcomes. Moreover, multiple-choice questions that are carefully sequenced to build on each other can be particularly helpful for students to develop a systematic understanding…

Assessments of scientific reasoning that capture the intertwining aspects of conceptual, procedural and epistemic knowledge are often associated with intensive qualitative analyses of student responses to open-ended questions, work products, interviews, discourse and classroom observations. While such analyses provide evaluations of students'…

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…

Undergraduate biology students' molecular-level understanding of stochastic (also referred to as random or noisy) processes found in biological systems is often limited to those examples discussed in class. Therefore, students frequently display little ability to accurately transfer their knowledge to other contexts. Furthermore, elaborate tools…

This research aimed to evaluate the students' conceptual understanding and to diagnose the students' preconceptions in elaborating the particle characteristics of matter by development of diagnostic instrument as well as Rasch model response pattern analysis approach. Data were acquired by 25 multiple-choice written test items distributed to 987…

The purpose of this study was to develop the Critical Thinking Disposition Test in Biology as an alternative instrument in looking at the extent of one's disposition to critical thinking, especially in Biology University. Critical Thinking Disposition Tests in Biology are tests in the form of multiple choice based on biological cases. This…

Energy is a critically important topic in the K-12 science curriculum, with many applications in the earth, physical, and life sciences and in engineering and technology. To meet the challenges associated with teaching energy, new tools and assessment instruments are needed. In this work we describe the development of a three-tier assessment…

Background: Valid assessment of the understanding of Newton's mechanics is highly relevant to both physics classrooms and research. Several tests have been developed. What remains missing, however, is an efficient and fair test of conceptual understanding that is adapted to the content taught to secondary school students and that can be validly…