Effect of Varying Item Order on Multiple-Choice Test Scores: Importance of Statistical and Cognitive Difficulty

Abstract

Research on the use of multiple-choice tests has presented conflicting evidence about the use of statistical item difficulty as a means of ordering items. An alternate method advocated by many texts is the use of cognitive difficulty. This study examined the effect of using both statistical and cognitive item difficulty in determining item order. Results indicated that those students who received items in an increasing cognitive order, no matter what the order of statistical difficulty, scored higher on hard items. Those students who received the forms with opposing cognitive and statistical difficulty orders scored the highest on medium-level items. The study concludes with a call for more research on the effects of cognitive difficulty and suggests that future studies examine subscores as well as total test results.