OSCE

MCQ writing workshop

Dr Rania Bagabir Dr Hani Almoallim

Objectives

After completing the workshop, participants will be able to:

 Recognize and avoid common flaws in MCQ writing

 Construct MCQs for higher cognitive skills

 Be motivated to continue and master the concept

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Outlines

 New curriculum

 How to achieve our goals ?

 How to construct an MCQ?

 Have your check list ready

 What are the common flaws in MCQ writing?

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start0 High school Pre-clinical Clinical Post-graduateConsultant 10

20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

New curriculum - aim ⁴

start0 High school Pre-clinical Clinical Post-graduateConsultant 10

20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

100 Old curriculum

New curriculum

Tutor-centred (TC) Student-centred (SC)

Cognitive skills

+

Clinical reasoning TC Threshold

SC Threshold

How to achieve UQU med current goal?

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Objectives Teaching and

learning Assessment

Assessment for learning --- Formative test

Assessment of learning --- Summative test Assessment as learning --- TBL, CBL and LP Assessment is a powerful tool

However!!!

How to write or construct an MCQ?

How to construct an MCQ? 6

Recall facts (C1) Understand (C2)

Problem solving (C3)

Item testing level Fair, appropriate and promote learning

Currently, C1:C2

10 : 90

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Pre-writing Writing Post-writing

•Content and concept (Blue print)

•Think – brainstorm

•Time: after giving the lecture is the best time

•Select the format – SBA i.e type A

•Stem

•Lead in

•Options:

• Keyed response (correct answer)

• Distractors

•Revise the MCQ after some time

•Peer review

How to construct an MCQ?

Lead in:

•Specific

•Complete sentence

•Avoid: frequency, absolute and negative terms

Stem:

•Realistic clinical scenario

•Common or life-threating

•Relevant or necessary information

•Clear and concise

•No abbreviation

•Provide normal values

•Grammar: simple tense

•COVER UP TEST

How to construct an MCQ? ⁸

Writing

•Select the format – SBA i.e type A

•Stem

•Lead in

•Options:

• Keyed response (correct answer)

• Distractors

Stem:

•Realistic clinical scenario

•Common or life-threating

•Relevant or necessary information

•Clear and concise

•No abbreviation

•Provide normal values

•Grammar: simple tense

•COVER UP TEST

How to construct an MCQ? ⁹

Writing

•Select the format – SBA i.e type A

•Stem

•Lead in

•Options:

• Keyed response (correct answer)

• Distractors

Options:

•Alphabetical order

•Grammar and length

•Distractors should be:

• Homogenous or plausible, significantly different but not out of the context

• Common student errors

• Avoid logical clues

• Avoid repeated stem

• Negative distractors

• Avoid “all the above” and

“non of the above”

Have your check list ready

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MCQ writing

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and bank need team work

We are busy, but we need to remember that assessment is a powerful tool for the

success of a prolonged learning Therefore, we need to

start now

What are the common flaws in MCQ writing?

 Failed cover up test

 C1 i.e. recall -- clinical reasoning and cognitive skills

 Relevant (medical student)

 Negative, absolute and frequency terms

 Long stem and/or long distractors

 Not following the format of type A

 Distractors are easily excluded

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