Thursday, January 17, 2008

Essay Exam Or Multiple Choice Exam

What test format do you prefer? Essay or multiple choice? Almost every student choose multiple choice. Am I correct? Multiple choice exams the student reads the question and selects the correct choice(s). I took multiple choice exams there are more than one answer. If the student either forgets the answer or has no idea the answer, then the student makes a guess. Always answer all multiple choice questions. And never change the answers. The probability the student answers correctly the first time is higher than changing the answer from wrong to correct—assuming the student absolutely and positively confident the first answer is wrong.

Essay exams the student writes down the answer to the question. The student must write key concepts in sentences. The more key concepts the student writes, the higher the score. The student need not worry about grammar. The instructor has no time to correct grammar. If the instructor thinks the essay is interesting to read regardless of good or bad grammar, then the student done a good job answering the question proving the instructor the student knows the material.

My suggestion is take the essay exam. Students are penalized in multiple choice exams if they don't know the answer, and the success rate for guessing is small. Conversely, students are rewarded in essay exams when they know the material. Students earn higher scores when they write more concepts. If the student can write the material in basic grammar, then the student earn a good grade.

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