We determined the recommendations for preparing and scoring constructed-response (CR) test items in 25 sources (textbooks and chapters) on educational and psychological measurement. The project was similar to Haladyna's (2004) analysis for multiple-choice items. We identified 12 recommendations for preparing CR items given by multiple sources,…

The extent and benefit of answer switching when completing multiple-choice exams was investigated in an undergraduate course (n = 1,152) and a postgraduate course (n = 1,624). Answer switching was identified in 1.7% and 2.4% of cases, respectively. In both samples, more than half the participants changed at least one answer and, of these,…

Multiple-choice tests are generally scored using a conventional number right scoring method. While this method is easy to use, it has several weaknesses. These weaknesses include decreased validity due to guessing and failure to credit partial knowledge. In an attempt to address these weaknesses, psychometricians have developed various scoring…

An index is proposed to detect cheating on multiple-choice examinations, and its use is evaluated through simulations. The proposed index is based on the compound binomial distribution. In total, 360 simulated data sets reflecting 12 different cheating (copying) situations were obtained and used for the study of the sensitivity of the index in…

A two-phase FORTRAN IV program called ITANA-III for an IBM 1130 computer is described that permits computation of psychometric characteristics of multiple-choice examinations including test statistics (phase I) and item statistics (phase II). Consisting of 280 statements, the program can handle up to 200 items with not more than 9 alternatives…

Compares the predictive capabilities of readability formulas derived from cloze and multiple-choice reading comprehension tests. (RB)

Of three experiments using a multiple-choice procedure, two were designed to test the hypothesis that unlearning would occur if first-list responses were present as distractors during second-list learning in the A-B, A-C paradigm. (Editor)

Contrary to common belief, reliability estimates of number-right multiple-choice tests are not inflated by speededness. Because examinees guess on questions when they run out of time, the responses to these questions show less consistency with the responses of other questions, and the reliability of the test will be decreased. The surprising…

The purposes of the study were to develop a measure of overconfidence on probabilistic tests, to assess the measurement characteristics of such a measure, and to investigate the relationship of overconfidence on tests to knowledge and to risk-taking propensity. (Author/BB)

The expected reliability of a multiple choice test is maximized by the use of three alternative items. (Author)

Two variables directly related to understanding and improving notetaking practices and instructional strategies were investigated. The first variable investigated was the different levels of pretraining: pretraining vs. no pretraining; and the second was the influence of three types of test mode expectations: multiple choice, essay, or…

This paper describes two quantitative methods of hierarchical analysis used to measure the similarity of sequences or hierarchies of steps on two test formats, the Randomized Multiple Choice (RMS) format, and the free-response problem test format. The investigator first used the Consistency Ratio method to quantitatively assess the transfer…

A hand-scoring system for a three-level confidence-marking scheme for short answer and multiple-choice tests is described. The scoring system is for a test where the student is asked to indicate for each answer whether the probability of his being correct is more than 1/2 (sure), 1/2 (neutral), or less than 1/2 (guess). The effect of the system is…