Assessing Learning Outcomes: A Comparison of Multiple-Choice and Short-Answer Questions in a Marketing Context

Abstract

This study carefully examines two widely used methods for assessing marketing learning outcomes: multiple-choice tests and short-answer tests. Student scores on multiple-choice and short-answer portions of a midterm exam in consumer behavior were compared in terms of time to completion, reliability, and validity. The multiple-choice format was found to yield equivalent reliability and validity in a shorter amount of test-taking time. In contrast to some earlier studies, no gender effect was found: neither format differentially benefited men or women.