An analysis of response changes on objective test questions

Abstract

Response changes of two classes of 30 dental hygiene students each were tabulated on multiple-choice questions on quizzes, midterms, and final examinations. Response changes were classified as wrong to right, right to wrong, or wrong to wrong. Despite educational myths that changing answers is harmful, significantly more responses were changed from wrong to right than from right to wrong. There were more answers changed for test items of low and moderate difficulty than high difficulty. Students ranked in the top third of the class made the fewest number of response changes. A comparison of actual and revised grades showed that the response changes significantly improved grades. Faculty should encourage students to examine their own pattern of response changes and use this information to their advantage when taking objective tests.