On the Evaluation of Examination Results by Computer

A Multiple-choice Examination in Physiology

“…The reliability of our particular test bears comparison with that reported for similar tests in medical subjects (Hubbard and Clemans, 1961). In addition, as reported in a second paper (Crow, Diament, and Goldsmith, 1969), the correlations of individual essay‐question marks with each other is not as high as the correlation of individual essay questions with the MCQ. This is perhaps to be expected from the results of Bull (1959) and Cowles and Hubbard (1952).…”

A Method for Keeping Student Records and its Application to the Evaluation of Examinations

“…Since they are devised primarily for administrative purposes, their usefulness for research is unsatisfactory. Our interest in the computer analysis of examination results (Crow er al., 1969b) required that all examination marks were recorded on punched cards. With the marks available in this form, it was but one logical step to write the simple programmes that would enable complete or partial examination results to be chosen, collated, and otherwise organized into appropriate records.…”

“…Furthermore, the ability of individual questions to predict the overall examination result was similar in the two examinations, as illustrated by the QEX (QEX = 0.32, P < 0.001). The QEX is defined as the coefficient of correlation between all pairs of numbers representing: (1) the mark awarded to each student for a particular question, and (2) the mean of all other marks awarded to the same student in the examination (Crow et al , 1969b).…”

“…There is no lack of usable data, since examinations provide marks that are suitable for statistical study, but little has been done to analyse these data to determine the objectivity, validity, reliability, and predictive ability of examinations (Anderson, Lennox, and Low, 1964; Cox, 1967). We have previously described a method of computer analysis of examination results (Crow, Diament, and Goldsmith, 1969b) from data submitted on punched cards. As a development of this technique, we describe a method for keeping comprehensive student records on punched cards and give examples of how they might be used.…”

A Simple Automated Method of Marking Multiple-choice Questionnaires Using a Computer

“…This deck becomes the permanent record (Diament and Goldsmith, 1969). The second part of the output is a detailed printed analysis of the results (Crow, Diament, and Goldsmith, 1969b), together with lists of the ranking of the students. Since the prescored cards are easily damaged, they need be submitted to the computer only once; all further analyses may be performed using the permanent record cards.…”