As part of a study, I'm giving different types of exams to 2 classes that
(seem) otherwise identical (the classes are almost the same in size,
taught the same way, and are back to back). The first class gets multiple
choice exams (about 1/2 the questions are from a test-bank, 1/2 from me),
and the second has written exams (both short and long answer). I gave the
first exam last week, and I was surprised by the difference in the
results:
mean 25th % 50th % 75th %
MC 66 52 62 77
written 79 69 80 88
I was surprised by the difference. While it could be argued that the
written exam was too easy, the difference is still pretty striking.
I suspect that many of us are used to poorer results for multiple choice
exams, but as they are often given in larger classes, we chalk it up to
the class size. Has anybody else seen such results in evenly matched
classes?
Finally, many students have a preference for multiple choice exams; one
would assume that this is due to their performance on them. I'd hazard a
guess that in other disciplines their multiple choice exams are relatively
easier.
- Bill
--
*------------------------------------------------------*
| Bill Goffe goffe@oswego.edu |
| Department of Economics voice: (315) 312-3485 |
| SUNY Oswego fax: (315) 312-5444 |
| 443 Mahar Hall <wuecon.wustl.edu/~goffe> |
| Oswego, NY 13126 |
*--------*------------------------------------------------------*-----------*
| "What do you mean why?" |
| -- Igor Makharov, when asked why he liked to ice-fish in his native |
| Siberia in the winter. The temperature was -32F, and the ice was two |
| feet thick. Apparently, this is a very common hobby in that part of |
| the world in the winter months. Michael Specter, "Cold War of the |
| Soul," New York Times, 2/9/98, p. A1. |
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