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STUDENT OPINION OF MULTIPLE‐CHOICE EXAMINATIONS IN SURGERY
Author(s) -
Cox Kenneth R.,
Lee Dow Kwong
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1971.tb87972.x
Subject(s) - multiple choice , preference , psychology , mathematics education , social psychology , mathematics , statistics , significant difference
Students’ preferences for multiple‐choice as against essay examinations have been obtained over two final‐year populations at the University of Melbourne. In the first year, choice was roughly equally divided, but in the next year there was a marked preference for multiple‐choice papers. Reasons for the preferences have been analysed. Despite previous experience with the range of item formats, the more complicated types are progressively less favoured by students. The majority of students, however, were not unhappy with any type. Performance on the more complex types was just as good as on the straightforward ones. Those preferring essay questions were students who either performed quite well or relatively poorly. This can be explained in terms of past experience and the reasons offered for their preferences.