Irwin W G, Bamber J H
Med Educ. 1982 Nov;16(6):326-31. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2923.1982.tb00945.x.
This paper analyses and discusses the extent to which the modified essay question (MEQ) in the Final MB Part II examination of the Queen's University, Belfast, assesses the three levels of cognitive ability described by Buckwalter et al. (1981). The 1978 and 1980 Final MB MEQs are analysed and compared question by question using Bloom's taxonomy and Buckwalter's cognitive levels. Scores obtained for each question were factor analysed to determine any underlying relationships between the questions. The findings (Table 1) indicate an uneven distribution of cognitive questions (Buckwalter's Levels I, II and III) in each MEQ and between the 1978 and 1980 MEQ papers. This reflects partly variation in the type of problems presented, and partly problems posed by having to mark large numbers of paper by hand against an objective marking schedule. The statistical analysis in Table 2 shows a consistent and strong correlation between scores in the MEQ Final MB papers and the Final Clinical examination. The factorial analysis shows that comprehension and evaluation questions do not, as perhaps expected, dominate the loading of any factor. The 1980 MEQ paper emerges as a testing of 'knowledge' paper compared with the 1978 paper, which tests much more analysis, synthesis and evaluation of knowledge. The appropriate balance between cognitive levels to be tested must be determined beforehand. The study shows however the potential of the MEQ to measure the entire span of Bloom and Buckwalter's levels.
本文分析并讨论了贝尔法斯特女王大学医学学士第二部分期末考试中的改良论述题（MEQ）在多大程度上考查了巴克沃尔特等人（1981年）所描述的三个认知能力水平。运用布鲁姆分类法和巴克沃尔特认知水平，逐题分析并比较了1978年和1980年的医学学士期末考试MEQ。对每个问题的得分进行因子分析，以确定问题之间的潜在关系。研究结果（表1）表明，每个MEQ以及1978年和1980年的MEQ试卷中，认知问题（巴克沃尔特的一级、二级和三级水平）分布不均。这部分反映了所呈现问题类型的差异，部分反映了按照客观评分标准手工批改大量试卷所带来的问题。表2中的统计分析表明，医学学士期末考试MEQ试卷得分与期末临床考试得分之间存在一致且强烈的相关性。因子分析表明，理解和评估问题并未如预期那样在任何因子的载荷中占主导地位。与1978年的试卷相比，1980年的MEQ试卷更像是一份对“知识”的测试卷，而1978年的试卷更多地考查了对知识的分析、综合和评估。必须事先确定要考查的认知水平之间的适当平衡。然而，该研究表明了MEQ在测量布鲁姆和巴克沃尔特水平的整个范围内的潜力。
