The process proposed for the development and use of computer-based testing, including simulation and multiple-choice questions, as part of the National Board of Medical Examiners' certification sequence is outlined. Summary reports of first-phase pilot testing in six medical schools are appended. (MSE)

Presents a discussion of trying to best account for the variation resulting from guessing on a multiple-choice exam. A mathematical process is given to determine the amount of variance that could be added or subtracted from a student's score to account for guessing. Examples are provided. (MVL)

Describes how multiple-choice items can be designed and used as an effective diagnostic tool by avoiding their pitfalls and by taking advantage of their potential benefits. The following issues are discussed: correct' versus best answers; construction of diagnostic multiple-choice items; the problem of guessing; the use of justifications of…

Describes a case study to determine whether performance tests are a feasible alternative to multiple-choice tests. Examines the difficulties of administering and scoring performance assessments. Explains that the study employed three performance tests and one multiple-choice test. Concludes that performance test administration and scoring was no…

Results from the Australian Mathematics Competition for 1988 and 1989 (n=309,443 and n=331,660) were analyzed on three statistical measures to determine risk-taking tendencies by groups of students classified by gender, school year, and achievement level. Results showed statistically significant differences for gender but varied depending on the…

The effects of answer-changing on a multiple-choice test were studied for 27 poor readers and 26 good readers (19 males and 34 females) in eighth grade. Overall, subjects benefited from answer-changing. Answer-changing among young examinees should be encouraged if there is reasonable doubt about their first impression. (SLD)

This study attempted to establish the validity of an essay test of clinical judgment by defining the domain of clinical judgment and operationalizing this definition in a 12-item essay examination administered to 98 residents in internal medicine. The relationship between essay scores and other measures of competence was then examined and the…

The effect of item format on metacognitive and affective processes of children in a large-scale mathematics assessment program were studied. Results from 1032 eighth graders indicate that open-ended and multiple choice items have differential effects, although these did not vary substantially as a function of gender and ethnicity. (SLD)

Investigates effects of two advance organizers--question previewing and vocabulary preteaching--on Taiwanese college students' listening comprehension of English language videotapes. Results suggest the group exposed to a combined treatment of vocabulary preteaching and question viewing between two video viewings outperformed the groups who…

At the heart of No Child Left Behind's accountability system is the requirement that states test nearly every public school student in grades 3-8 and in one high school grade in reading and math. The magnitude of NCLB's testing requirements, the law's demanding deadlines, insufficient federal funding, and other factors have produced an undesirable…

This study compared the test scores and time required by high school students who are blind, sighted, or have low vision to complete tests administered in written and oral formats. The quantitative results showed that the blind students performed better on multiple-choice tests in braille and needed more time while taking tests in braille. The…

Listening comprehension involving dynamic cognitive mental processes is invisible and can only be measured by the listeners' reconstruction of the message they have heard. The form and type of response might influence the test takers' listening performance. This study examines whether the subjects' listening performance varied when the types of…

"Background": There are very few formal language assessments aimed at the very severely neurologically impaired individual. These individuals often have multiple deficits on top of their communication impairment that demand a novel approach to assessment. The authors set out to devise a tool (PASWORD) to enable professionals in this field to…

This study examines the reliability and validity of translation tests as a reading comprehension measure. The following tests were administered to 70 Japanese high school students: (1) open-ended translation (OE-TRAN) test from English to Japanese; (2) multiple-choice translation (MC-TRAN) test; (3) cloze test (CLOZE-T); and (4) short-answer…

Active learning promotes higher-level reasoning, and it can be achieved in large classes without wholesale changes in class format. Applicable methods include in-class mini-investigations, robust multiple-choice exam questions, online quizzes or review, and cooperative learning, particularly during exams. Data gleaned from observing student…