The relationship between changing answers and performance on multiple-choice nursing examinations

The purpose of this study was to investigate answer changing among undergraduate nursing students on multiple choice examinations. The sample included 284 students enrolled in the upper division of a baccalaureate nursing program. Answer sheets were examined for erasures to determine the number and direction of changes made. The results of the study indicated that most students changed at least one answer. Analysis of the data indicated that there was a significant difference between changing from wrong to right versus changing from right to wrong. About 55.3% gained points as a result of changing answers while only 18.3% lost points.