Effective learning through multiple choice questions against short essay type of assessment in medical physiology students of Lahore

ABSTRACT

The present study was carried out to evaluate the advantages of Multiple Choice Questions [MCQ] against short Essay type [SEQ]. longitudinal study. This study was conducted Rashid Latif Medical College, Lahore from December 2011 to March 2013. A total of 200 second year students were involved in the study and their scores in SEQ and MCQ papers were analyzed. Out of them 100 students were girls and 100 were boys. The students were informed that they are going to be accessed via three SEQ examinations and three MCQ examinations and then a survey and viva was conducted. Gender differences in performances were also studied. The result of this study shows that those students who were kept on MCQ type of assessment emerges to be weak students at the end of the session as compared to others who were assessed by SEQs. The SEQ type of assessment was established as a better method of assessment to strengthen student's learning process and helped students to exert and retain more knowledge