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Negatively-Marked MCQ Assessments That Reward Partial Knowledge Do Not Introduce Gender Bias Yet Increase Student Performance and Satisfaction and Reduce Anxiety

A. Elizabeth Bond, Owen Bodger, David Skibinski Orcid Logo, D. Hugh Jones, Colin Restall, Ed Dudley, Geertje van Keulen, Hugh Jones, Geertje Van Keulen Orcid Logo

PLoS ONE, Volume: 8, Issue: 2

Swansea University Authors: David Skibinski Orcid Logo, Colin Restall, Ed Dudley, Hugh Jones, Geertje Van Keulen Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1371/journal.pone.0055956

Abstract

Multiple-choice question (MCQ) examinations are increasingly used as the assessment method of theoretical knowledge in large class-size modules in many life science degrees. MCQ-tests can be used to objectively measure factual knowledge, ability and high-level learning outcomes, but may also introdu...

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Published in: PLoS ONE
ISSN: 1932-6203
Published: 2013
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa14174
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MCQ-tests can be used to objectively measure factual knowledge, ability and high-level learning outcomes, but may also introduce gender bias in performance dependent on topic, instruction, scoring and difficulty. The &#x2018;Single Answer&#x2019; (SA) test is often used in which students choose one correct answer, in which they are unable to demonstrate partial knowledge. Negatively marking eliminates the chance element of guessing but may be considered unfair. Elimination testing (ET) is an alternative form of MCQ, which discriminates between all levels of knowledge, while rewarding demonstration of partial knowledge. Comparisons of performance and gender bias in negatively marked SA and ET tests have not yet been performed in the life sciences. Our results show that life science students were significantly advantaged by answering the MCQ test in elimination format compared to single answer format under negative marking conditions by rewarding partial knowledge of topics. Importantly, we found no significant difference in performance between genders in either cohort for either MCQ test under negative marking conditions. Surveys showed that students generally preferred ET-style MCQ testing over SA-style testing. Students reported feeling more relaxed taking ET MCQ and more stressed when sitting SA tests, while disagreeing with being distracted by thinking about best tactics for scoring high. Students agreed ET testing improved their critical thinking skills. We conclude that appropriately-designed MCQ tests do not systematically discriminate between genders. We recommend careful consideration in choosing the type of MCQ test, and propose to apply negative scoring conditions to each test type to avoid the introduction of gender bias. The student experience could be improved through the incorporation of the elimination answering methods in MCQ tests via rewarding partial and full knowledge.</abstract><type>Journal Article</type><journal>PLoS ONE</journal><volume>8</volume><journalNumber>2</journalNumber><publisher/><issnPrint>1932-6203</issnPrint><keywords>science education, multiple choice, gender</keywords><publishedDay>20</publishedDay><publishedMonth>2</publishedMonth><publishedYear>2013</publishedYear><publishedDate>2013-02-20</publishedDate><doi>10.1371/journal.pone.0055956</doi><url>http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0055956</url><notes></notes><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><department>Medical School - School</department><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><DepartmentCode>SGMED</DepartmentCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><apcterm/><lastEdited>2019-10-14T10:16:04.8678779</lastEdited><Created>2013-02-02T11:35:52.2823305</Created><path><level id="1">Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences</level><level id="2">Swansea University Medical School - Medicine</level></path><authors><author><firstname>A. Elizabeth</firstname><surname>Bond</surname><order>1</order></author><author><firstname>Owen</firstname><surname>Bodger</surname><order>2</order></author><author><firstname>David</firstname><surname>Skibinski</surname><orcid>0000-0003-4077-6236</orcid><order>3</order></author><author><firstname>D. Hugh</firstname><surname>Jones</surname><order>4</order></author><author><firstname>Colin</firstname><surname>Restall</surname><orcid/><order>5</order></author><author><firstname>Ed</firstname><surname>Dudley</surname><order>6</order></author><author><firstname>Geertje van</firstname><surname>Keulen</surname><order>7</order></author><author><firstname>Hugh</firstname><surname>Jones</surname><order>8</order></author><author><firstname>Geertje</firstname><surname>Van Keulen</surname><orcid>0000-0002-6044-1575</orcid><order>9</order></author></authors><documents><document><filename>0014174-14102019101354.PDF</filename><originalFilename>14174.PDF</originalFilename><uploaded>2019-10-14T10:13:54.3400000</uploaded><type>Output</type><contentLength>237934</contentLength><contentType>application/pdf</contentType><version>Version of Record</version><cronfaStatus>true</cronfaStatus><embargoDate>2019-10-14T00:00:00.0000000</embargoDate><documentNotes>Distributed under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY-4.0)</documentNotes><copyrightCorrect>true</copyrightCorrect><language>eng</language></document></documents><OutputDurs/></rfc1807>
spelling 2019-10-14T10:16:04.8678779 v2 14174 2013-02-02 Negatively-Marked MCQ Assessments That Reward Partial Knowledge Do Not Introduce Gender Bias Yet Increase Student Performance and Satisfaction and Reduce Anxiety 328d16903f98c2b03a1cc64a7530322a 0000-0003-4077-6236 David Skibinski David Skibinski true false 5ab1c70f1c6c02bdedbe094af9fba33e Colin Restall Colin Restall true false c7d05f992a817cd3b9a5f946bd909b71 Ed Dudley Ed Dudley true false 8dc36ef652250f108e64d22aa0f3e353 Hugh Jones Hugh Jones true false 6b2c798924ac19de63e2168d50b99425 0000-0002-6044-1575 Geertje Van Keulen Geertje Van Keulen true false 2013-02-02 SGMED Multiple-choice question (MCQ) examinations are increasingly used as the assessment method of theoretical knowledge in large class-size modules in many life science degrees. MCQ-tests can be used to objectively measure factual knowledge, ability and high-level learning outcomes, but may also introduce gender bias in performance dependent on topic, instruction, scoring and difficulty. The ‘Single Answer’ (SA) test is often used in which students choose one correct answer, in which they are unable to demonstrate partial knowledge. Negatively marking eliminates the chance element of guessing but may be considered unfair. Elimination testing (ET) is an alternative form of MCQ, which discriminates between all levels of knowledge, while rewarding demonstration of partial knowledge. Comparisons of performance and gender bias in negatively marked SA and ET tests have not yet been performed in the life sciences. Our results show that life science students were significantly advantaged by answering the MCQ test in elimination format compared to single answer format under negative marking conditions by rewarding partial knowledge of topics. Importantly, we found no significant difference in performance between genders in either cohort for either MCQ test under negative marking conditions. Surveys showed that students generally preferred ET-style MCQ testing over SA-style testing. Students reported feeling more relaxed taking ET MCQ and more stressed when sitting SA tests, while disagreeing with being distracted by thinking about best tactics for scoring high. Students agreed ET testing improved their critical thinking skills. We conclude that appropriately-designed MCQ tests do not systematically discriminate between genders. We recommend careful consideration in choosing the type of MCQ test, and propose to apply negative scoring conditions to each test type to avoid the introduction of gender bias. The student experience could be improved through the incorporation of the elimination answering methods in MCQ tests via rewarding partial and full knowledge. Journal Article PLoS ONE 8 2 1932-6203 science education, multiple choice, gender 20 2 2013 2013-02-20 10.1371/journal.pone.0055956 http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0055956 COLLEGE NANME Medical School - School COLLEGE CODE SGMED Swansea University 2019-10-14T10:16:04.8678779 2013-02-02T11:35:52.2823305 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences Swansea University Medical School - Medicine A. Elizabeth Bond 1 Owen Bodger 2 David Skibinski 0000-0003-4077-6236 3 D. Hugh Jones 4 Colin Restall 5 Ed Dudley 6 Geertje van Keulen 7 Hugh Jones 8 Geertje Van Keulen 0000-0002-6044-1575 9 0014174-14102019101354.PDF 14174.PDF 2019-10-14T10:13:54.3400000 Output 237934 application/pdf Version of Record true 2019-10-14T00:00:00.0000000 Distributed under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY-4.0) true eng
title Negatively-Marked MCQ Assessments That Reward Partial Knowledge Do Not Introduce Gender Bias Yet Increase Student Performance and Satisfaction and Reduce Anxiety
spellingShingle Negatively-Marked MCQ Assessments That Reward Partial Knowledge Do Not Introduce Gender Bias Yet Increase Student Performance and Satisfaction and Reduce Anxiety
David Skibinski
Colin Restall
Ed Dudley
Hugh Jones
Geertje Van Keulen
title_short Negatively-Marked MCQ Assessments That Reward Partial Knowledge Do Not Introduce Gender Bias Yet Increase Student Performance and Satisfaction and Reduce Anxiety
title_full Negatively-Marked MCQ Assessments That Reward Partial Knowledge Do Not Introduce Gender Bias Yet Increase Student Performance and Satisfaction and Reduce Anxiety
title_fullStr Negatively-Marked MCQ Assessments That Reward Partial Knowledge Do Not Introduce Gender Bias Yet Increase Student Performance and Satisfaction and Reduce Anxiety
title_full_unstemmed Negatively-Marked MCQ Assessments That Reward Partial Knowledge Do Not Introduce Gender Bias Yet Increase Student Performance and Satisfaction and Reduce Anxiety
title_sort Negatively-Marked MCQ Assessments That Reward Partial Knowledge Do Not Introduce Gender Bias Yet Increase Student Performance and Satisfaction and Reduce Anxiety
author_id_str_mv 328d16903f98c2b03a1cc64a7530322a
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author_id_fullname_str_mv 328d16903f98c2b03a1cc64a7530322a_***_David Skibinski
5ab1c70f1c6c02bdedbe094af9fba33e_***_Colin Restall
c7d05f992a817cd3b9a5f946bd909b71_***_Ed Dudley
8dc36ef652250f108e64d22aa0f3e353_***_Hugh Jones
6b2c798924ac19de63e2168d50b99425_***_Geertje Van Keulen
author David Skibinski
Colin Restall
Ed Dudley
Hugh Jones
Geertje Van Keulen
author2 A. Elizabeth Bond
Owen Bodger
David Skibinski
D. Hugh Jones
Colin Restall
Ed Dudley
Geertje van Keulen
Hugh Jones
Geertje Van Keulen
format Journal article
container_title PLoS ONE
container_volume 8
container_issue 2
publishDate 2013
institution Swansea University
issn 1932-6203
doi_str_mv 10.1371/journal.pone.0055956
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str Swansea University Medical School - Medicine{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}Swansea University Medical School - Medicine
url http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0055956
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description Multiple-choice question (MCQ) examinations are increasingly used as the assessment method of theoretical knowledge in large class-size modules in many life science degrees. MCQ-tests can be used to objectively measure factual knowledge, ability and high-level learning outcomes, but may also introduce gender bias in performance dependent on topic, instruction, scoring and difficulty. The ‘Single Answer’ (SA) test is often used in which students choose one correct answer, in which they are unable to demonstrate partial knowledge. Negatively marking eliminates the chance element of guessing but may be considered unfair. Elimination testing (ET) is an alternative form of MCQ, which discriminates between all levels of knowledge, while rewarding demonstration of partial knowledge. Comparisons of performance and gender bias in negatively marked SA and ET tests have not yet been performed in the life sciences. Our results show that life science students were significantly advantaged by answering the MCQ test in elimination format compared to single answer format under negative marking conditions by rewarding partial knowledge of topics. Importantly, we found no significant difference in performance between genders in either cohort for either MCQ test under negative marking conditions. Surveys showed that students generally preferred ET-style MCQ testing over SA-style testing. Students reported feeling more relaxed taking ET MCQ and more stressed when sitting SA tests, while disagreeing with being distracted by thinking about best tactics for scoring high. Students agreed ET testing improved their critical thinking skills. We conclude that appropriately-designed MCQ tests do not systematically discriminate between genders. We recommend careful consideration in choosing the type of MCQ test, and propose to apply negative scoring conditions to each test type to avoid the introduction of gender bias. The student experience could be improved through the incorporation of the elimination answering methods in MCQ tests via rewarding partial and full knowledge.
published_date 2013-02-20T03:16:14Z
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score 11.016235

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