Serdar Balcı
“ Written properly, multiple choice exams correlate strongly with assessments by descriptive tests ”
Brown, Robert, “Multiple Choice Versus Descriptive Tests”, Frontiers in Education Conference, Reno NC 2001.
Descriptive
Questions
Setting the exam
Grade Consistency
Stem
Answers
Single correct answer options
Collective answer options:
__ “ (a) and (c) are both correct ”__
__ “ all of the above are correct ”__
__ “ none of the above are correct ”__
Good questions contain several plausible answer options
Grey area between designing “tricky” questions and providing answer options that test knowledge thoroughly.
**Inadvertently giving away the answers **
A verbal question:
__ The forbidden fruit that Eve offered Adam was an:__
__ (a) apple (b) pear__
__ (c) banana (d) melon__
__ (e) carrot__
i.e. a numerical question:
__ It costs a vendor $1.00 each time s/he sells a hot dog to a customer. If the price of the hot dog is $3.00, what is the contribution margin percentage?__
__ (a) 17.5% (b) 22.5%__
__ (c) 47.5% (d) 66.7%__
__ (e) 82.0%__
__ It costs a vendor $1.00 each time s/he sells a hot dog to a customer. If the price of the hot dog is $3.00, what is the contribution margin percentage?__
__ (a) 300% (b) 200%__
__ (c) 67.7% (d) 50%__
__ (e) 33.3%__
Use Nonsense Words ** **: __ __
__ Colio Wines in Ontario produce an interesting product classified as Vin de Curé in much the same way as Amarone is made in Veneto. The Italian word describing the drying process used to desiccate the grapes is:__
__ a) Ripasso b) Appasimento__
__ c) Raisinato d) Pommace__
__ e) Prunello__
The term “fortified wine” means:
__ a) the bottle had been reinforced__
__ b) the wine has had tannins and acid __
__ added__
__ c) the wine has had sugar added__
__ d) the wine has had SO__ 2 __ added__
__ e) none of the foregoing__
*Choose the ** *best __ answer.__ __ __
__ Rootham’s, a well-known local manufacturer of brandied fruit preserves sells their product through gourmet food shops and at craft fairs throughout Canada. Their recipes use genuine brandy and all natural ingredients. They are able to sell these legally because:__
(a) the alcohol used is produced by fermentation
(b) the product is made with ethyl alcohol
(c) the alcohol used is purchased from the LCBO
(d) the alcohol concentration is less than 1.2%
(e) the label says “made with genuine brandy”
__ A gracious, but parsimonious hostess wants to receive guests in the private dining room of your restaurant with a glass of champagne just to tantalise the taste buds and set the mood for the evening. __
**1.You suggest that if the wine is being poured at the bar, she should consider serving a Canadian sparkling wine that is very similar to Champagne in quality but considerably less expensive. Such a wine would be a: **
2. The cheapest sparkling wine would be obvious to sophisticated guests because they would know that in the best sparkling wines…
**3. If the gracious hostess insists on having “French” Champagne and you are left to rationalise costs, the most cost effective solution is to serve Champagne from.. **
**4. Occasionally, a patron asks you to do something that will distinguish their event from others. One client wants to obtain a large bottle of Champagne to celebrate a particular event. Which is the largest bottle of champagne on the list below? **
5. If someone wanted to serve a “glass of bubbly” during a reception, which of the following would be the most ** ina **pp ro p riate __ type of wine to select as the pre-prandial (before dinner) libation? __
Difficulty Factor = R/N
**R = # of times the correct answer is **
__ selected__
N = # of people taking the exam
Good Discrimination
Reverse Discrimination
For the Correct Answer Option
__ Values ~ 0.5 give good discrimination__
__ < 0.2 consider dropping__
__ negative… drop the question__
For Incorrect Answer Options
__ Values should be negative.__
**Depends on the number **
of answer options per question
and the number of questions!
Number of Questions
Percent Pass (≥50%) by Chance
from Brown, 2001
Prepare lectures incorporating all material covered in the questions to be used
After each lecture, check coverage by reviewing questions
Provide students with multiple choice questions for self-evaluation at the end of readings
__ Use stem questions to teach additional or ancillary terms not covered in the course:__
__ i.e. …. For post-prandial (after dinner) drinks you want to stock a supply of fortified wines and brandy. The term “fortified wine” means….__
Exam questions should cover all the course material being tested
Provides more detail than a course outline
Students focus their study effort on the topics they understand the least
Increases learning
Reduces stress
Thanks for your interest in my topic!
I look forward to your questions and ideas.
J.E. (Joe) Barth
School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
University of Guelph, Ontario CANADA