Welcome to the testmaster site for
Student Assessment Research

and discussion

Control of the Test Situation

The use of computer delivered MCQ test items allows the potential for very considerable control over the delivery of the materials.

These factors could include control over:

• the start / end times
• the test duration
• an allocation of 'question reading time' before response becomes possible
• the response time allowed for each question
• the candidates ability to look ahead / back at questions
• the ability to review, but not change responses
• the candidates ability to change answers/ number of changes allowed with/without penalty
• the use of forced answer until correct
• the use of forced answer to continue
• the ability to reject spurious response ( in the case of user keyboard input )
• the use of 'relaxation' intervals between banks of questions
• the use of 'pre-test' activities to focus candidate on specific subject areas

Other elements could include:

•  the provision of 'hints' that do/do not incur penalty
• a different set of questions for each candidate
• a different sequence of questions for each candidate
• questions selected by gender
• instant feedback for each question
• rephrase question option - with /without penalty
• skip question with / without penalty
• the use of candidate's 'confidence in correct response' weighting for each question

Although there has been research carried out into the effectiveness of many of these factors, the research focused upon the use of paper based versions. The use of computer delivery for MCQ materials holds such a dynamic influence that I suspect that much of this previous work may now be of diminished, or little relevance.