Showing 1 - 2 of 2 Research Library Publications

When Examinees Cannot Test: The Pandemic's Assault on Certification and Licensure

Posted: | M. G. Jodoin, J. D. Rubright

Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice

 

This short, invited manuscript focuses on the implications for certification and licensure assessment organizations as a result of the wide‐spread disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Category:Product-Oriented Research, NBME, USMLE

The Optimal Number of Options for Multiple-Choice Questions on High-Stakes Tests: Application of a Revised Index for Detecting Nonfunctional Distractors

Posted: | M.R. Raymond, C. Stevens, S.D. Bucak

Adv in Health Sci Educ 24, 141–150 (2019)

 

Research suggests that the three-option format is optimal for multiple choice questions (MCQs). This conclusion is supported by numerous studies showing that most distractors (i.e., incorrect answers) are selected by so few examinees that they are essentially nonfunctional. However, nearly all studies have defined a distractor as nonfunctional if it is selected by fewer than 5% of examinees.

Category:Assessment-Oriented Research, General Measurement