The number right (NR) method, in which students pick one option as the answer, is the conventional method for scoring multiple-choice tests that is heavily criticized for encouraging students to guess and failing to credit partial knowledge. In addition, computer technology is increasingly used in classroom assessment. This paper investigates the effect of computer-adaptive assessment software ...

With the implementation of the Bologna Process several challenges have been posed to higher education institution, particularly in Portugal. One of the main implications is related to the change of the paradigm of a teacher centered education, to a paradigm that is student centered. This change implies the change of the way to assess courses in higher education institutions. Continuous and form...

Retrieval practice improves meaningful learning, and the most frequent way of implementing retrieval practice in classrooms is to have students answer questions. In four experiments (N=372) we investigated the effects of different question formats on learning. Students read educational texts and practised retrieval by answering short-answer, multiple-choice, or hybrid questions. In hybrid condi...

MCQ examinations are frequently used but there is no consensus as to whether a penalty for wrong answers should be used or not. For example, in some countries examinations for medical licensing include MCQ sections with penalty while in others there is no penalty for wrong answers. We contribute to this discussion with the analysis of the effects of penalties. In a partial knowledge model there...

Instructors can use both “multiple-choice” (MC) and “constructed response” (CR) questions (such as short answer, essay, or problem-solving questions) to evaluate student understanding of course materials and principles. This article begins by discussing the advantages and concerns of using these alternate test formats and reviews the studies conducted to test the hypothesis (or perhaps better d...

The purpose of this project is to explore the feasibility a new approach for producing evidence-based distractor sets. We use Common Wrong Answers (CWAs), and associated performance data, generated by candidate responses open gap-fill tasks, produce sets multiple-choice tasks based on same texts. then investigate whether these are effective in language tests, terms empirical qualitative review,...

This study investigated the utility of all of the above (AOTA) as a test option in multiple-choice items. It aimed at estimating item fit, item difficulty, item discrimination, and guess factor of such a choice. Five reading passages of the Key English Test (KET, 2010) were adapted. The test was reconstructed in 2 parallel forms: Test 1 did not include the abovementioned alternative, whereas Te...

This work studies the psychometric properties of the multiple choice tests used to assess skills in Statistics in the Integrated Masters Degree in Engineering and Industrial Management of the University of Minho. The results show the importance of measuring the quality of the instruments to a fair assessment of the students. Moreover, in the Bologna Process context, multiple choice tests in com...

Multiple-choice tests have proved to be an efficient tool for measuring students’ achievement and are used on a daily basis both for assessment and diagnostics worldwide. Statistics suggest that the Question Mark Computing Ltd.’s testing software Perception alone has had more than 3 000 000 users so far, of which at least 95% have taken multiple-choice question tests.1 E-learning has created an...