Factors Determining Time Allocation of a MCQ Examination

Factors Determining Time Allocation of a Multiple-Choice Question Examination: The Students' Perspective

The MCQ is one of the objective assessment methods. It is proper to evaluate the cognitive domain of learners with high objectivity. However, there are no definite criteria for determining the appropriate exam time. The ability to comprehend the meaning of a text, when reading, cannot be directly applied to reading for decision-making or answering questions.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Factors Determining Time Allocation of a Multiple-Choice Question Examination
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Questionaires

Detailed Description

The study was conducted at the Institute of Medicine, Suranaree University of Technology in Thailand. The research participants were second to fifth-year medical students who had taken MCQ tests during their preclinical and clinical years between the academic years 2021-2022. All examinations in this study were computer-based, closed book, single best answer MCQs written in English. The participants were Thai, non-native English speakers A questionnaire was chosen as the data collection method due to the ease of administering it to new fourth-year medical students with minimal disruption to their learning activities. Convenience sampling was used to randomly select second to fifth-year medical students as the students would not be identifiable. An online survey or questionnaire-based study was used to collect information from participants in this study. If the data was unsaturated, triangulation data from a group of interviews would consist of students from different rotations to receive as much information on students' perspectives as possible

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 298

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Thailand
  • Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, 30000
    • Institute of Medicine, Suranaree University of Technology

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The research participants were both preclinical and clinical years of medical students between the academic years 2021-2022. In the preclinical years, the study included three organ systems (hematology, urinary, and gastrointestinal system). Meanwhile, six clinical learning subjects from two major departments, which were Medicine and Surgery, were included. The medical students from another academic year who were re-sitting for the examination in 2021-2022 were included.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Medical students (2nd- 5th years) at Institute of Medicine, Suranaree University of Technology

Exclusion Criteria:

-

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Factors Determining Time Allocation of a Multiple-Choice Question Examination: The Students' Perspective	The authors were interested in exploring the aspects of the medical students' perspective about the factors affecting their discission on MCQs answering	June 2021-SEP 2022

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Equation for Medical Multiple-Choice Question Testing Time Estimation	The authors generated a specific computer program that integrated with the operating system of the examination. Technical specific features included the ability to calculate the speed of students taking MCQ exams with images or videos in the questions or options.	June 2021-SEP 2022

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Suranaree University of Technology
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Chatchai Kreepala, M.D., Institute of Medicine, Suranaree University of Technology

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 1, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): July 1, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 8, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 8, 2024
• First Posted (Estimated): January 18, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): January 18, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 8, 2024
• Last Verified: January 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: medical education; MCQ; medical assessment; testing time estimation
• Other Study ID Numbers: EC-64-102

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: the students' IDs were blind from origianal data

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No