Problem-Solving Multiple-Response Tests: Guessing is not a Favourable Strategy

Abstract

This publication proposes an objective examination format for assessing students' ability to solve problems in Analogue Electronics. It suggests that a problem asking more than one question can take the form of a Problem-Based Multiple-Response (PBMR) item. Depending on the inter-relationship between the questions addressed in the stem, this paper identifies four types of items and suggests a scoring rule for each one of them. Issues related to the time slot given per item are also discussed. Examination results show that both the facility (F.I) and the discrimination (D.I) indices improve, and much guesswork is discarded whenever the scoring of an item considers the inter-relationship between the questions addressed in the stem. PBMR items addressing two or more fully inter-related questions are more suitable for testing the students' ability to solve problems when an objective examination is desirable. Such problem items give a more realistic picture of the student's actual knowledge.