Chapter 9 - Instructional Media: Chalkboards to Video - CGISS

Table 1 -- Comparison of Limited-Choice and Open-Ended Tests
Issue Limited Choice Open-Ended
Level of learning objective (rule of thumb)
Recall,
comprehension
Problem solving,
synthesizing
Content coverage Wider sample Greater depth
Practice and reward of writing and reading
skills
Reward of creativity and divergent
thinking
No
No
Yes
Yes
Feedback to instructor and student Limited but fast Thorough but slow
Length of exam (time to complete) Short Long
Size of class Larger Smaller
Reliability in grading Very reliable Requires work to
become reliable
Exam construction and grading time Long/short Short/long
Test reusability High Low
Prevention of cheating Low High
Level of Learning Objective
In principle, both limited-choice and open-ended items can be used
to test a wide range of learning objectives. In practice, most people
find it easier to construct limited-choice items to test recall and
comprehension, while open-ended items are used to test higherlevel
learning objectives, but other possibilities exist. Limitedchoice
items that require students to classify statements as fact or
opinion go beyond rote learning, and focused essay questions can
easily stay at the recall level.
Related Chapter -- For discussions of the different levels of
learning outcomes, see Chapter 2 -- Determining Learning
Objectives.
Content Coverage
Since more limited-choice than open-ended items can be used in
exams of the same length, it is possible to sample more broadly
over a body of subject matter with limited-choice items.
Scoring and Grading
Limited-choice exams allow faster and more consistent scoring
than open-ended exams. Open-ended exams require individual
Section: Student Assessment 157 Chapter 12: Testing Issues