Background: Multiple true-false tests (MTF), a component of our assessment system, have consistently generated low scores and many failures. This was attributed to the negative marking scheme. However, no study was conducted to explore the issue further. Item analysis revealed that students omitted false options more frequently and answered them wrongly more frequently than true options. The aim of this study was to determine the performance discrepancy between true and false options of MTF tests and the reasons for such discrepancy and the poor performance of MTF in general.Methods: The student performance of past 7 years of year-3 medicine end-of-posting examinations was analysed. The item analysis reports of 23 MTF tests were used to determine the significance of the differences in omission rates, correct-answer rates and the discrimination index of true and false options.Results: There were statistically significant differences in the omission rates, correct-answer rates and discrimination index values of true and false options. This study revealed that the false options consistently let down student performance. Although negative marking could be partly blamed for the situation, no justification could be found for the use of false options to test knowledge.Conclusions: Some publications endorse MTF, but many highlight its drawbacks. The use of false options in MTF was seen as an inherent defect in this instrument. As viable alternatives like VSAQ and Constructed Response Tests are in the horizon, we conclude that MTF ought to be discarded as an assessment instrument.
Item analysis of individual multiple choice questions have been widely used for several decades. But formulae for analysis of manuallymarked assessments are lacking. Evaluation and comparison of such assessments used in medical schools remain a guess work. In this study we have introduced new formulae aligned with item analysis formulae, which can be used to analyse all assessment methods. While the existing formulae use a binary (pass/fail) criterion, the new formulae have used actual scores. While the existing formulae use the scores of a single assessment to rank the candidates to determine the high and low scorers for calculating the discrimination index (DISi), the new formula used the grand total scores of the entire examination for it. It is claimed that the new formulae, utilizing actual scores, would make the indexes more realistic. Eight examinations, each comprising nine assessments, were used to validate this claim. The DISi and Difficulty Index (DIFi) were calculated using the binary formulae and the new formulae. Comparisons were made using parametric and non-parametric tests. The ensued positive correlation of indexes indicated that the new formulae are feasible, realistic and easy to apply. More replicates are required to prove their validity and reliability.
Previous studies showed that Artocarpus species are rich in phenolic compounds, including flavonoids, stilbenoids and arylbenzofurons. Furthermore, compounds from Artocarpus species exhibited diverse biological activities including antibacterial, antitubercular, antiviral, antifungal, antiplatelet, antiarthritic, tyrosinase inhibitory and cytotoxicity. However, there is no phytochemical investigation on the Artocarpus odoratissimus from Sarawak. Thus, it would be interesting to develop a chemical profile of such Sarawakian species. Various chromatographic methods, such as liquid vacuum chromatography, radial chromatography and column chromatograpy were employed to isolate the chemical constituents from the different parts, namely root, bark and leaves of Artocarpus odoratissimus. The isolation and purification using different solvents system ratio of hexane and ethyl acetate (10:0, 8:2, 6:4, 4:6, 2:8, 0:10) and ethyl acetate and methanol (8:2) have led to two flavonoids; pinocembrin (1) and pinostrobin (2), and six triterpenoids; α-amyrin acetate (3), ß-amyrin acetate (4), traxateryl acetate (5), hexyl dodecanoate (6), ß-sitosterol (7) and stigmasterol (8). The structures (1) -(8) were elucidated using various spectroscopic analysis, which included the Mass Spectroscopy (MS), Infrared (IR) spectroscopy, Ultra-violet (UV) spectroscopy and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, as well as by comparison with the reported data. Although the occurrence of compounds 1 and 2 were widely distributed in many of the plant species, but it was uncommon to the Artocarpus species which could be of chemotaxonomic significance to the genus Artocarpus.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.