The Impact of The Multiple-Choice and the Short-Answer Format on Students' Performance: Three Government Senior High Schools in Addis Ababa in Focus
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Date
1995-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
In this study, an attempt was made to look into the impact of the multiple-<:hoice
and the short answer fonnals on students' perfonnances.
The study population comprised three senior secondaIy schools (Abyot Kirs,
Ayer Tenna, and Higher Four) in Addis Ababa One hundred and twenty Grade Eleven
students (65 male and 55 female) enrolled during the 1994/95 academic year
participated in the study. The students were divided according to achievement levels
(hi~ average, and low) based on their first semester English results. In addition, nine
Grade Eleven English teachers were sampled for the study.
The instruments employed were two tests on the same content in three parts each
(comprehension, vocabulary, and structure) , and two questionnaires comprising three
parts each (bio-data, attitudes, classroom practices).
The results were computed on the basis of a two-way analysis of
variance(A"J'OV A), correlated samples of two-tailed t-test (t-dependent for repeated
measures), the Pearson product moment correlation, r, and percentages. The level of
significance was set at 0.05.
The results of the computation exhibited that there was statistically significant
difference between the students' perfonnances in the two tests. The students invariably
scored higher on the multiple~hoice test than on the short-answer test
Regarding the attitude description questionnaires, there was no significant
difference between the stude~ attitudes towards the two fonnalS, whereas the teachers
had favourable attitudes towards the short-answer format.
Inconsistencies were seen in the students' and teachers' responses to the items
dealing with the frequency of empJoying the multiple-choice and the short-answer
formats.
Based on the results of the findings, conclusions were drawn and
recommendations made.
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Senior High Schools