Written exams

This chapter covers multiple choice questions (MCQs), extended matching questions (EMQs), short answer questions (SAQs), essays, situational judgement test (SJT exam), and the prescribing skills assessment (PSA exam). It focuses on the importance of exam technique with useful tips for the start, during, and after the exam. The chapter provides examples of different types of questions, and how to best prepare and answer them. More recent additions to the curriculum, such as the SJT and PSA, are explained in detail. The SJT is an essential requirement in the final year of clinical schools nationwide, and the score is considered in ranking Foundation Year applications. The PSA tests a final-year medical student’s ability to prescribe. The examination is online and involves MCQs and some SAQs. This chapter includes important links with further updated information, and is written for both those looking to apply for medicine, and those in medical school.

This chapter prepares you for the leap between preparing for exams at secondary school and preparing for exams at medical school. The differences in preparation have been broken down into various methods. At university, written exams consist of multiple choice questions, extended matching questions, short answer questions, essays, and others. There will also be the introduction of practical exams in the form of OSCEs, oral presentations, and poster presentations. Top tips and useful resources for preparing as well as examples of written questions have been provided too. There is also advice on dealing with poor results and what those exam results will be used for towards your final qualification.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-49
Author(s):  
Dipak Kumer Paul Chowdhury ◽  
Debashish Saha ◽  
Md Ahsan Habib

Written examination is an important method for juddering the learning of medical students. Short Answer Questions (SAQ) and multiple choice questions (MCQ) are introduced in MBBS curriculum to assess student cognitive domain. This cross sectional descriptive study was conducted to get the teachers’ opinion about Pharmacology professional written short answer question papers of different Universities of Bangladesh. For this purpose, opinion of total 56 purposively selected teachers of the Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics of 20 Medical Colleges were collected through self-administered semi-structured questionnaire.  Most of the teachers (66% & 61%) were in favour of existing distribution of different types of question in curriculum (recall-60%, understanding -30% and problem based-10%) for short answer question paper (SAQ). Majority of the teachers (66% & 54%) were satisfied with the present coverage of recall and understanding type questions respectively but only 41% teachers were satisfied with the coverage of problem based type questions. Seventy-seven percent teachers were satisfied with content coverage in SAQ papers. Eighty-seven percent teachers were satisfied with present marking scheme on SAQ paper. Findings of this study may be used to redefine the distribution of different types question in SAQ papers and to improve the quality of question papers by ensuring their coverage. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Education Vol.12(1) 2021: 40-49


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roha Mariam Kaipa

PurposeMultiple-choice questions (MCQs) and essays and short answer questions are the most common assessment protocols instructors use in their classrooms. However, the reliability and validity of these assessment protocols are controversial. The current study employed a survey research design using Qualtrics to determine the faculty and student perspective on using MCQs and essay and short answer questions in their courses as well as their rationale for the preference.Design/methodology/approachEighty-five students and 67 faculty within the social sciences discipline participated in the study.Findings65% of the students strongly preferred MCQs over essays and short answer questions. However, faculty did not show a strong preference for one or the other form of assessment (52.30% selected essays and short answer questions, and 47.69% preferred MCQs) in their courses. The study also explores why the students and faculty prefer one form of assessment over the other.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this study helped to understand the current assessment practices in a classroom from a faculty and student perspective.Originality/valueThis is one of few studies that evaluated the faculty as well as student perspective on the use of MCQs and essays and short answer questions in the curriculum across the social science discipline.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
THOMAS PUTHIAPARAMPIL ◽  
Md Mizanur Rahman

Abstract Background Multiple choice questions, used in medical school assessments for decades, have many drawbacks, such as: hard to construct, allow guessing, encourage test-wiseness, promote rote learning, provide no opportunity for examinees to express ideas, and do not provide information about strengths and weakness of candidates. Directly asked and answered questions like Very Short Answer Questions (VSAQ) is considered a better alternative with several advantages. Objectives This study aims to substantiate the superiority of VSAQ by actual tests and obtaining feedback from the stakeholders. Methods Conduct multiple true-false, one best answer and VSAQ tests in two batches of medical students, compare their scores and psychometric indexes of the tests and seek opinions from students and academics regarding these assessment methods. Results Multiple true-false and best answer test scores showed skewed results and low psychometric performance compared to better psychometrics and more balanced student performance in VSAQ tests. The stakeholders’ opinions were significantly in favour of VSAQ. Conclusion and recommendation This study concludes that VSAQ is a viable alternative to multiple choice question tests, and it is widely accepted by medical students and academics in the medical faculty.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-33
Author(s):  
Anjana Karmacharya ◽  
Dashrath Kafle ◽  
Ram Bhakta Adhikari ◽  
Nirjalla Malla

Introduction: Retainers are used after all orthodontic treatment, to prevent or minimize relapse and recurrence. Among various retainers used, Hawley retainer and ‘invisible’ retainers are the most common. Most of the orthodontists favored permanent retention. It is obvious that the retention procedures are variable and depended largely on personal preferences, and there does not seem to be any consistent pattern in the application of retention methodologies. The  purpose of this study was to survey the retention protocols among orthodontists in Nepal. Materials and Method: The complete lists of the names and addresses of orthodontists in Nepal was obtained from the ODOAN. The questionnaire was sent to them which consisted of multiple-choice questions and short answer, related to background information of the individual orthodontist, retention use in general, the frequency of different types of bonded or removable retainers that are used, the retention protocol, the type of retainer used in specific situation. All statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 12.0.1 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, Illinois, USA) Result: The survey questionnaires were completed by 90.42% of the 94 orthodontists of Nepal, 58.8% males and 41.2% females with a mean age of 36.7 years. Most of the orthodontists used a clear (vacuum) retainer (80%) in the maxilla and fixed bonded retainer in the mandible. Most of them prefer the use of retainer for a continuous 24 hours except during eating and brushing for 6 months to 1 year (56.5%) and if possible, for 1 to 2 years (28.2%). Conclusion: Majority of Nepalese orthodontists provide vacuum formed retainer on maxillary arch and bonded retainer in mandibular arch. There is no specific consensus on other type of retainers, duration of wear and follow up visits which is affected by various other factors.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zainal Abidin

National Examination and Cambridge Checkpoint are the instrument for evaluating the standard competence ofstudent which organized in Secondary Level. National Examination’s questions based on the National Curriculum ofIndonesia but Cambridge Checkpoint’s questions taken based on Cambridge Curriculum. The aims of this researchis analyzing the type of each question and distribution of each strands in the National Mathematics Examination 2015and Mathematics of Cambridge Checkpoint for Secondary Level 2015. This type of research is a descriptive studywith a qualitative approach. National Mathematics Examination 2015 has one paper only but Mathematics ofCambridge Checkpoint for Secondary Level 2015 has 2 papers for the test. It can be concluded that all question’stype of the National Mathematics Examination for Secondary Level 2015 are multiple choice questions. OnMathematics of Cambridge Checkpoint for Secondary Level 2015, there are various types of questions which consistof 11,43% short-answer question; 68,57% analysis question; 8,57% completing question; and 11,43% match questionfor paper 1, but 22,22% short-answer question; 58,33% analysis question; 11,11% completing question; 2,78% matchquestion; 2,78% multiple choice question; and 2,78% yes/no question for paper 2. Based on strands analyzing result,It can be determined that National Mathematics Examination for Secondary Level 2015 contain of 22,25% number;27,5 algebra; 40% geometry and measurement; 10% statistic and probability. On Mathematics of CambridgeCheckpoint for Secondary Level 2015, It can be explained that 45,72% number; 20% algebra; 17,14% geometry andmeasurement; and 17,14% statistic and probability for paper 1, and 33,33% number; 19,45% algebra; 25% geometryand measurement; and 22,22% statistic and probability for paper 2.


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