The Use of Multiple-choice Questions as an Assessment Tool in First-year University Physics Modules

Abstract

The effectiveness of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) as an assessment tool has been a subject of interest in educational research. This study investigates the effectiveness of MCQs at the item level, focusing on aspects such as the difficulty index, discrimination index, distractor effectiveness, and overall reliability of the MCQ assessment. The research questions aim to provide insights into the performance and quality of MCQ items used in first-year modules over two years. Findings indicate that although the assessments are, on average, acceptably difficult, certain questions are too difficult. This difficulty is due to inappropriately designed MCQs, which is evidenced by the low overall reliability of the assessments. There is a statistically significant strong positive correlation between conformity to MCQ design guidelines and average assessment scores. The findings encourage ongoing discourse on the use of MCQs as an assessment tool to inform educators and policymakers about the strengths and weaknesses of MCQ design.