Construct Equivalence of Multiple‐Choice and Constructed‐Response Items: A Random Effects Synthesis of Correlations

Abstract

A thorough search of the literature was conducted to locate empirical studies investigating the trait or construct equivalence of multiple-choice (MC) and constructed-response (CR) items. O f the 67 studies identified, 29 studies included 56 correlations between item in both f o m t s . These 56 correlations were corrected for attenuation and synthesized to establish evidence for a common estimate of correlation (true-score correlations). The 56 disattenuated correlations were highly heterogeneous. A search for moderators to explain this variation uncovered the role of the design characteristics of test items used in the studies. When items are constructed in both formats using the same stem (stem equivalent), the mean corretation between the two formats approaches unity and is signijkantly higher than when using non-stem-equivalent items (particularly when using essay-type items). Construct equivalence, in part, appears to be a function of the item design method or the item writer's intent.

Complement or Contamination: A Study of the Validity of Multiple-Choice Items when Assessing Reasoning Skills in Physics

“…Taken together, the results provide indications of MC and CR items not being easily exchangeable. Again, these findings corroborate previous research (Miller, 1998;Rodriguez, 2003).…”

“…Kuechler and Simkin (2004), as well as Bible et al (2007), found only moderate relationships between MC and CR items. In a metaanalysis by Rodriguez (2003) covering 67 studies, no obvious connection could be found between different item formats. On the contrary, there was great heterogeneity in the material.…”

Blog Consumption and International Relations

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“…In large-scale assessments, a selected response format in the form of multiple-choice (MC) items is usually favoured over constructed-response (CR) items (Rodriguez, 2003).…”