Analysis of problem-solving behaviors on multiple-choice questions in general chemistry: Focusing on what the middle-achieving students do

Purpose of study: This study aims to measure the level of students' problem-solving skills, using assessment instruments in the form of multiple-choice tests based on the multiple representation approach on DC electrical circuits. Methodology: This research is a quantitative descriptive involving 46 students of physics education. Students are asked to solve the problem of DC electrical circuits on 12 multiple choice questions with open reasons, involving verbal, mathematical, and picture representations. Data were analyzed by determining means and standard deviations. Main findings: The results of the study showed that there were 3 levels of students' problem-solving skills, namely 7 (15%) students in the high category, 22 (48%) students in the medium category and 17 (37%) students in the low category. Applications of this study: The implication of this research is to continuously develop assessment instruments based on multiple representations in the form of various types of tests, to help students improve their conceptual understanding, so students can solve physics problems correctly. The novelty of this study: Researchers explain the right way to solve physics problems, 1) students are trained to focus on identifying problems, 2) students are accustomed to planning solutions using a clear approach, to build an understanding of concepts, 3) students are directed to solve problems accordingly with understanding the concepts they have built.

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Analysis of Student Performance on Multiple-Choice Questions in General Chemistry

Journal of Chemical Education ◽

10.1021/ed100133v ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 88 (9) ◽

pp. 1223-1230 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

JudithAnn R. Hartman ◽

Shirley Lin

Keyword(s):

General Chemistry ◽

Student Performance ◽

Multiple Choice ◽

Multiple Choice Questions

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Validity evidence for STEM problem solving multiple choice questions: Developing an engineering admissions test

2018 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON) ◽

10.1109/educon.2018.8363252 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Jane V. Buckle ◽

Mark Shannon ◽

David Robson ◽

Amy Devine ◽

Mike Housden ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Problem Solving ◽

Multiple Choice ◽

Validity Evidence ◽

Multiple Choice Questions ◽

Admissions Test

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MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS;

The Professional Medical Journal ◽

10.29309/tpmj/2017.24.09.824 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 24 (09) ◽

pp. 1409-1414

Author(s):

Muhammad Zafar Iqbal ◽

Shumaila Irum ◽

Muhammad Sohaib Yousaf

Keyword(s):

Problem Solving ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Multiple Choice ◽

Development Program ◽

Faculty Members ◽

Multiple Choice Questions ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Medical College ◽

Item Writing

Objectives: The main objective of this study was to judge the quality of MCQs interms of their cognition level and item writing flaws, developed by the faculty of a public sectormedical college. Setting: This study was conducted in Sheikh Zayed Medical College, RahimYar Khan. Duration with Dates: Data was collected between June 2014 to March 2015 andthis study was completed in July 2016. Sample Size: A sample of 500 MCQs collected from25 faculty members were included in the study. Study Design: Quantitative method. StudyType: Cross sectional descriptive analysis. Material and Methods: This quantitative study wasconducted in Sheikh Zayed Medical College Rahim Yar Khan over six months period after theapproval of the study proposal. Every faculty member is supposed to write 25 MCQs in order tobecome supervisor. I collected 500 multiple choice questions from 25 faculty members readyfor submission to CPSP. The quality of all MCQs was checked in terms of item writing flawsand cognition level by panel of experts. Results: Absolute terms were observed in 10(2%),vague terms in 15(3%), implausible distracters in 75(15%), extra detail in correct option 15(3%),unfocused stem 63(12.6%), grammatical clues 39(7.8%), logical clues 18(3.6%), word repeats19(3.8%), >then one correct answer 21(4.2%), unnecessary information in stem 37(7.4%),lost sequence in data 15(3%), all of above16(3.2%), none of above 12(2.4%) and negativestem 23(4.6%). Cognition level l (recall) was observed in 363(72.6%), level ll (interpretation) in115(23%) and level lll (problem solving) in 22(4.4%) items. Total 378(75.6%) flaws were identifiedand four commonest flaws were implausible distracter 75(15%), unfocused stem 63(12.6%),grammatical clues 39(7.8%) and unnecessary information in stem 37(7.4%). Conclusion: It isconcluded that assessment of medical students is very demanding and need of the time. A wellconstructed,peer-reviewed single best type MCQ is best one to complete this task becauseof cost effectiveness, better reliability and computerized marking. It is very important to startfaculty development program in order to decrease the number of item writing flaws and improvecognition level towards problem solving and application of knowledge.

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Problem‐solving strategies used in anatomical multiple‐choice questions

Health Science Reports ◽

10.1002/hsr2.209 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Klodiana Kolomitro ◽

Leslie W. MacKenzie ◽

Mackenzie Lockridge ◽

Diandra Clohosey

Keyword(s):

Problem Solving ◽

Multiple Choice ◽

Multiple Choice Questions ◽

Problem Solving Strategies

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Evaluation of Graduating Neonatal Nurse Practitioners

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.88.4.789 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 88 (4) ◽

pp. 789-794

Author(s):

Alba Mitchell ◽

John Watts ◽

Robin Whyte ◽

Susan Blatz ◽

Geoffrey R. Norman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Problem Solving ◽

Communication Skills ◽

Nurse Practitioners ◽

Educational Program ◽

Clinical Skills ◽

Multiple Choice ◽

Multiple Choice Questions ◽

Pediatric Residents ◽

Neonatal Nurse Practitioners ◽

Second Year

To compare the knowledge and problem-solving, communication, and clinical skills of graduating neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs) and pediatric residents, a cohort study was conducted in a 33-bed tertiary-level neonatal intensive care unit in a 400-bed teaching hospital affiliated with a faculty of health sciences. Participants were all (n = 10) NNP graduates from the first 3 years of the educational program and 13 (87%) of 15 second-year pediatric residents. One hundred multiple-choice questions and 20 radiographic slides were used to test knowledge; a semistructured oral examination tested problem-solving skills; three simulated interactions with parents tested communication skills; and seven simulated procedures tested clinical skills. Graduating NNPs scored similarly to the pediatric residents on the multiple-choice questions (difference –3.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI] around difference –9.7, 2.9), radiographs (difference –1.4%; 95% CI –11.5, 8.7), oral examination (difference 2.8%; 95% CI –11.1, 16.7), communication skills (simulated parents assessment: difference 0.8%; 95% CI –4.2, 5.7; expert observer assessment: difference 5.8%; 95% CI –2.8, 14.3), and clinical skills (difference 7.4%; 95% CI –5.5, 20.2). The NNPs about to graduate from their educational program showed knowledge and problem-solving, communication, and clinical skills equivalent to those of second-year pediatric residents and are thus likely to deliver comparable care in the clinical setting. The results support the adoption of the NNP role.

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Observable and Unobservable Involvement Behaviours of a Climatology Course’s Undergraduate Students

European Journal of Teaching and Education ◽

10.33422/ejte.v2i1.175 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 79-85

Author(s):

T. M. Seixas ◽

M. A. Salgueiro da silva

Keyword(s):

Academic Achievement ◽

Problem Solving ◽

Prior Knowledge ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Multiple Choice ◽

High Grade ◽

Multiple Choice Questions ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Classroom Activities ◽

The University

This study investigated students’ observable and unobservable involvement behaviours and their possible relation with academic achievement in a Climatology course at the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, Portugal, in the Fall 2018/19. A structured online questionnaire titled “Observable and Unobservable Student Involvement Behaviours (OUSIB)” featuring a zero-centred 5-point Likert scale was used to collect the data. The OUSIB questionnaire comprised 20 multiple-choice questions, which were divided into two subscales: (1) Observable Involvement Behaviours; (2) Unobservable Involvement Behaviours; it was validated using Cronbach coefficient alpha. The collected data show that unobservable involvement behaviours are more frequent than the observable ones. This may reflect the difficulties that most students face in understanding the course contents, which likely triggers their introspective (unobservable) in detriment of their observable involvement behaviour. We notice that most of the Climatology syllabus consists of new subjects for which students generally have no prior knowledge or experience. It may constitute a great challenge for students being able to provide regular observable feedback during an entire problem-solving class. Moreover, there is a common tendency for high-grade students to prepare the classes in advance and involve less both observably and unobservably in classroom activities. We found no significant correlation between students’ final grades and their replies to the OUSIB questionnaire, which precludes any possible relationship between students’ academic achievement and their involvement behaviours in problem-solving classes.

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