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Topic ClosedMultiple choice vs essay...

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Poll Question: Choose. Or leave. Or read. Or laugh. Whatever. Read OP at least
Poll Choice Votes Poll Statistics
4 [33.33%]
5 [41.67%]
1 [8.33%]
2 [16.67%]
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Lark the Starless View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 24 2011 at 10:33
Essay, for an understanding of the topic at hand.

I prefer multiple choice myself...but I do believe essays are the best way to find out whether one knows what they're talking about.
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Padraic View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 24 2011 at 10:39
I can't recall actually sitting down for a "test" and having to handwrite a long essay when I was an undergrad (but I do remember doing this a bit in high school).  Of course, I didn't take many history, english, etc. courses, but the ones I did take had no exams, just papers.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 24 2011 at 11:21
I thinks the answers should be phrased in the form of a question. Tongue

But seriously multiple choice are more amenable to just guessing.  Essays do force you to think and write something.  Being a lazy person, I prefer multiple choice.


Edited by Slartibartfast - February 24 2011 at 11:23
Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 24 2011 at 12:27
Originally posted by Epignosis Epignosis wrote:

As a teacher, I never once gave a multiple choice test unless the state required it.  Every single assessment I gave was open-ended.  It was time consuming for me to grade, but as an English teacher, open-ended assessments enabled me to gauge students' overall comprehension of not just the material, but syntax, grammar, clarity, etc.

I should add that all of my tests were open-book as well.


We live in a complex world and most professional fields have so much data associated with them it is impossible to just memorize it. The truly successful know where there sources of reference are. Looking up an answer for multiple choice tests is cheating; looking them up for essay tests is research. One can easily discern understanding versus regurgitation. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 24 2011 at 15:52
If I was a teacher, it would be exams for the tests that matter, but multiple choice for tiny quizzes at the end of each week. I find multiple choice are better as learning tools than they ever could be for actual examination of someone's abilities.
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The Pessimist View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 24 2011 at 16:08
I'd rather take a multiple choice question because it involves less writing however as far as fairness goes, I'd go with essays. The fault you highlighted is an issue, but these days (in England at least) no tutor will mark you on your opinion. I've given some pretty contraversial opinions in exams before and I feel like I've had fair marks for every one.
"Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value."

Arnold Schoenberg
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