Evaluating the Quality of Multiple-Choice Test Questions in the Postlicensure Environment

Area of Science:

• Educational Measurement
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• Multiple-choice tests are common in postlicensure education.
• Current test construction often lacks quality evaluation guidelines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide educators with methods for postadministration item analysis.
• To guide the iterative improvement of examination quality.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing postadministration test data for item analysis.
• Applying statistical concepts like item difficulty and discrimination.
• Performing distractor analysis and assessing reliability.

Main Results:

• Identification of test flaws and areas for improvement.
• Demonstration of how item analysis informs better test construction.
• Insights into the difficulty and discrimination of test items.

Conclusions:

• Three tiered strategies for item analysis are presented: learning management systems, open-source software, and minimal standards.
• These strategies empower educators to evaluate and enhance test quality.
• Iterative improvement of multiple-choice examinations is achievable.