School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
School of Medicine, Dundee University, Dundee, Scotland, UK.
BMC Med Educ. 2023 Apr 5;23(1):212. doi: 10.1186/s12909-023-04206-3.
Studies that have investigated the effect options' number in MCQ tests used in the assessments of senior medical students are scarce. This study aims to compare exam psychometrics between three- and five-option MCQ tests in final-year assessments.
A cluster randomized study was applied. Participants were classified into three groups, according to their academic levels. Students in each of those levels were randomized into either the three- or five-option test groups.
Mean time to finish the five-option test was 45 min, versus 32 min for the three-option group. Cronbach's alpha was 0.89 for the three-option group, versus 0.81 for the five-options, p-value = 0.19. The mean difficulty index for the three-option group was 0.75, compared to 0.73 for the five-option group, p-value = 0.57. The mean discriminating index was 0.53 for the three-option group, and 0.45 for the five-options, p-value = 0.07. The frequency of non-functioning distractors was higher in the five-option test, 111 (56%), versus 39 (39%) in the three-options, with p-value < 0.01.
This study has shown that three-option MCQs are comparable to five-option MCQs, in terms of exam psychometrics. Three-option MCQs are superior to five-option tests regarding distractors' effectiveness and saving administrative time.
在评估高年级医学生的多项选择题（MCQ）测试中，研究选项数量的研究较少。本研究旨在比较终年级评估中三选项和五选项 MCQ 测试的考试心理计量学。
应用了一项聚类随机研究。参与者根据其学术水平分为三组。每组中的学生被随机分配到三选项或五选项测试组。
完成五选项测试的平均时间为 45 分钟，而三选项组为 32 分钟。三选项组的克朗巴赫α系数为 0.89，五选项组为 0.81，p 值=0.19。三选项组的平均难度指数为 0.75，五选项组为 0.73，p 值=0.57。三选项组的平均区分指数为 0.53，五选项组为 0.45，p 值=0.07。五选项测试中的无效干扰项频率较高，为 111 个（56%），而三选项组为 39 个（39%），p 值<0.01。
本研究表明，在考试心理计量学方面，三选项 MCQ 与五选项 MCQ 相当。三选项 MCQ 在干扰项的有效性和节省行政时间方面优于五选项测试。
