Short Answer Testing
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Introduction
Short-answer tests have become rarer due to multiple choice testing, though still have value in regards to reliability. In fact, some argue that MCQs do a poor job at assessing clinical reasoning and other cognitive aspects of health care (van der Vleuten and Newble, 1995).
SA questions can be used in large amounts to sample widely. They also do not suffer from the cueing that MCQs do. However, they are not ideal for complex learning objectives.
Key features asessment, used for certification exams in Canada and elsewhere, seek to identify the critical knowledge required for a given topic (Page, Bordage, and Allen, 1995).
Modified essay questions are used increasingly in certfication exams. These begin with a small amount of patient data, followed by a question. Further information is provided, and subsequent questions are then applied.
It is important to use subsequent questions that do not provide answers to the former questions, and each question should ideally stand alone to a sufficient extent.
MEQs can be very helpful in formative settings, where students take the test and then mark their own answers, based on model answers. This process can be facilitated by a tutorial where confusion can be addressed (Newble and Cannon, 2001).
Writing Short Answer Questions
Questions should be precise.
Marking Short-Answer Questions
Ir is very important that people marking short-answer questions are given a well-developed marking key. This is especially important when there are more than one potential right answer.
Be prepared to include other 'eight answers' you may not have considered.
It is important to ensure the tests are marked anonymously to reduce bias.
One page of exam should be marked at a time, preferably with one examiner for each page.
Resources and References
Newble D, Cannon R. 2001. Assessing the Students. A handbook for medical teachers. 4th Ed. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers, p 125-63.
Page G, Bordage G, Allen T. 1995. Developing key-feature problems and examinations to assess clinical decision-making skills. Acad Med. 70:194-201.
van der Vleuten CPM, Newble DI. 1995. How can we test clinical reasoning? Lancet. 345:1032-4.
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