Multiple Choice or Essay?

[JasonM]

What do you prefer, multiple choice tests or essay-style tests?

It's not that I'm bad at essay tests, but I prefer multiple choice, since it makes studying for me easier - I don't have to memorize. Writing the tests is also easier - I only have to recognize, not fully recall. Plus, multiple choice tests often involve making fine distinctions, and I'm not bad at that. The problem is that I don't think multiple choice tests involve as deep a level of learning as essay-style tests, but that's just my opinion.

[rwyatt365]

I prefer essay questions. It gives me the opportunity to argue my POV. And if the instructor disagrees, then I have grounds for argument. With multiple choice questions you're right, or you're wrong - no if's and's or but's.

[thaddeus6th]

Multiple choice, for a variety of reasons.

Firstly, my right wrist is a bit weird (not sure how to describe it) and as a result it aches after only a few minutes writing.

Secondly, multiple choice relies only upon recognition not recall, so it's easier.

Thirdly, sometimes you get them from a set list. I did for a biopsych exam, where I memorised between one and two hundred questions.

Fourthly, my memory works better on bullet points and lists, for overarching themes I can remember the main subject but I forget the details needed to flesh out an essay.

[Zilal]

Essay... expressing myself in writing is a strong suit, I like to take advantage of it.

[Jakalwarrior]

Mutiple choice. I could be drunk and slaughter a multiple choice test on stuff ive never heard of. Just taking them is fun for me!

[Pinkie]

I really just like showing off what I know, so I'm happy with either. If it's something I don't know about, I'll take the essay. It's easier to get marks there because you can shift to something that you do know about and link it to the original subject more easily than you can with multiple choice.

[Mittens]

I would like essays if I could get the prompt ahead of time. My ideas are better if I have more than 10 minutes to think them up.
I think I might like multiple choice better still, though, because of the recognition vs. recall thing and also because a lot of times when I'm reading multiple choice questions and answers, I can tell how I'm meant to answer. On standardized tests and whatnot especially.

[Fuchikoma]

I would pick essay if i wasnt traumatized about it... lol my teacher was a monster. so i choose multiple answers basically for the lower difficulty.

[Bri]

I've always liked the essays more. Writing is a strong suit for me, so it comes natural.

[Aronnax]

I prefer essay, you're graded on overall understanding of the subject. Show up and know what you're writing about and you'll do well. With multiple choice you can make a silly mistake (like bubbling 1 space to the right or missing a line) and wreck yourself.

[sriv]

I suck at writing. I prefer multiple choice as I am good at intuitively crossing off possibilities and giving educated guesses when I do not know the answer for sure. Essays are graded based on the personal preference of the grader. That really wrecks me because I hate sucking up.

[niffer]

Multiple choice, simply because I'm lazy. I don't want to have to stretch my brain while under pressure to get good grades.

[MrEPenguin]

I'd say that essays are probably much better for learning... at least in higher education.

[BlackHawk]

I prefer essay questions. It gives me the opportunity to argue my POV. And if the instructor disagrees, then I have grounds for argument. With multiple choice questions you're right, or you're wrong - no if's and's or but's.

That's exactly it for me, too. If I can explain my stance, I am almost never wrong.

[KarmicKaos]

I really just like showing off what I know, so I'm happy with either. If it's something I don't know about, I'll take the essay. It's easier to get marks there because you can shift to something that you do know about and link it to the original subject more easily than you can with multiple choice.

Exactly why I love essays. It's calling BS-ing though, ;)

[hauteur]

Exactly why I love essays. It's calling BS-ing though, ;)

Yes, yes, yes. One class that jumps immediately to mind is Psychology. I was quite a bit younger and didn't study very much at all. The essay questions on the tests always pulled my test score back up to an "A." I would think about the question for five minutes and then totally pull something out of my butt.

[Motor Jax]

i would say essay, but i have a bad habit of rambling while i write and i get wayyyy off topic

[Reanne]

I enjoy essays. i like elaborating facts as well as spicing it up a bit.

[the human iPod]

If it's a class I don't give a damn about, then Multiple Choice. It's much easier to skim by that way. But if it's a class that I actually am knowledgeable / care about, then I like Essays because it allows me to display my thoughts on the subject.

[Uytuun]

Essay, no doubt about it.

[Erika Redmark]

I hate writing timed essays…I don't enjoy writing essays by hand at all, since it's harder to rearrange stuff than on a computer. I do pretty well on them, though. But putting an essay on the SAT was pretty dumb, since (everyone says) they grade you solely on length. I didn't budget my time well enough when I took it and stopped mid-sentence during the conclusion, but I'd filled up nearly all the space, and I ended up getting full marks. :laugh:

[True Rune]

Multiple choice, quicker.

[HackerX]

Multi choice. I've knocked over quite a few hour long multi choice exams in the 10 minute perusal given at the start.

Couldn't give a shit about getting my point of view across, or even if I agree with the answer. Tests are about fulfulling the testers expectations, not about being correct or proving how knowledgeble you are.

[ShaiGar]

Multiple Choice, with the option to argue your point in under 200 words for each answer.

[Tazma]

Multiplie choice.
Since I hate trying to guess what the examniners want under tight time constraints. Plus I tend to ramble on and on during essays.

[Edeag]

I usually prefer multiple choice. When I know the topic, I can quickly go through the questions, and the sheer numbers will make up for any parts I don't know as well. An essay may ask me something totally unexpected, and I'll spend a good chunk of time planning my BS, and I won't be able to make up the points anywhere else.

[Lilo]

I find multiple-choice exams to be easier.

[Sarah]

Multiple choice. I hate writing essays with a passion.

[EsoteriEccentri]

Multiple Choice tends to be easier, but I'd probably opt for essay ^^

[Fej]

Multiple choice FTW





Fej added to this post, 0 minutes and 58 seconds later...

This should have been a poll

[Vardigon]

Multiple choice is easier, but I still favor writing essays. Why? I'm getting used to expressing myself in a wider array of communication. Multiple choice is just A, B, C, D, and doesn't take into account the character of your argument, ideas, and doesn't add your personality into it. With papers, essays, you get a more holistic view of the topic, and it's more integrated. Multiple choice tests can be taken and forgotten sooner than an essay can, because with writing, you synthesize.

[leo]

obviously, multiple choice

~ll be opting for essay writing only if i know the topic like the back of my hand

[Monte314]

Essay tests allow the instructor to make a more complete assessment of your mastery of the material, since they provide the student some flexibility in choosing the direction and content of their discourse, examples, modes of expression, etc.

Further, multiple choice tests give the instructor no means to grant partial credit: it's "all or none"!

[AntimonyLegault]

I voted essay. I love writing those things, mainly because I get to tell them the answers as opposed to choosing one of theirs.

[enWTFp]

What do you prefer, multiple choice tests or essay-style tests?

It's not that I'm bad at essay tests, but I prefer multiple choice, since it makes studying for me easier - I don't have to memorize. Writing the tests is also easier - I only have to recognize, not fully recall. Plus, multiple choice tests often involve making fine distinctions, and I'm not bad at that. The problem is that I don't think multiple choice tests involve as deep a level of learning as essay-style tests, but that's just my opinion.
I voted for essay.

To me essay does not mean it is centered around memory. If it is, then better not use it. To me essay allows 1) more realistic creativity 2) depth 3) revealing the levels of understanding.

Luckily, for the most of my education I've been part of systems that use appropriate scoring methods. In theory, the scoring should not matter to a person, but more or less it forces people to adapt accordingly, and affects their learning.

The multiple-choice test is an element of an educational system that deals with the students as pieces of meat going through a factory. It gets shiny products whose contents are chemical fakes.

[dragonsscout]

Multiple choice for me. I don't enjoy writing essays under a time limit and they allow for vague questions which have to be answered in a specific manner. Some essay tests sometimes require a lot of BSing and I can't BS. Otherwise I find myself having to guess what exactly the grader wants and/or am not able to go into the depth that I want. Given a multiple choice test or a take-home essay/research paper, I'd prefer the essay/paper. Then I can expand and go into the depth that I want, with only word count or page count limiting me.

[Kathryn]

I prefer multiple choice and knowing there is one right answer. Period. My challenge is to read the question very carefully, as I tend to skim. Essay questions are okay if I can type and edit the response easily -- which doesn't happen often. The subjectivity associated with grading essay questions has always bothered me...

[zibber]

Multiple choice is nice if I want to quickly be done with something, but as an actual test it stinks. The chance that someone lucks out on a m/c test is huge compared to an essay test (which would be 0.zilch), and (grammatical) ambiguity in the wording of the options can confuse even the most prepared student. In other words: if I want to be sure I score high and others don't, essay :laugh:

[rewhu]

I didn't vote, couldn't chose. I like both forms depending on my level of enthusiasm for the test and my level of confidence about which I'm being tested. If I'm very confident then I prefer essay formats because it gives me an opportunity to pontificate!

[le Duc]

I have always strongly preferred taking multiple-choice exams: I find them capable of being deciphered and passed with less actual preparation.

That being said, the industry in which I work relies solely on multiple-choice exams for granted enhanced licensing and access, and I find this somewhat problematic. There was one lady in our firm earlier this year who does essentially what I do, but in a different department. I imagine myself to be smarter, but we're both fully competent and knowledgeable to do our jobs. However, she's not a good test-taker, and we both had to take the same exam: I got 87% and she got 55%—a failing score, and she eventually left to work in a different role.

Should the ability to guess the right answer under pressure 70% of the time really be given that much weight? I wonder.

[Mozzes]

Multiple choice exams test retention of facts but rarely understanding. I'll take essay or short answer every time.

[rewhu]

I'd say that if the test is well prepared and the answers are not blatantly obvious then multiple choice can be fun if you enjoy deciphering word problems. The questions can be like little riddles sometimes, which I find entertaining.

[searcheagle]

Essay tests allow the instructor to make a more complete assessment of your mastery of the material, since they provide the student some flexibility in choosing the direction and content of their discourse, examples, modes of expression, etc.

Further, multiple choice tests give the instructor no means to grant partial credit: it's "all or none"!

In general, I like the multiple choice because it is generally easier because it's easier and I hate writing.

For me it really depends on the professor. If the professor writes gotcha questions, a multiple choice test can be murder because even a letter or word can change the entire meaning of the question, especially when the question involves all or nothing. If you miss the catch, you miss the question.

I found an example of this question type of question here: To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

What is the tallest mountain in the world?

From the base to the summit,the volcano Mauna Kea in Hawaii is tallest. Most of it just happens to be below water. Mt. McKinley in Alaska is tallest on land: Mt. Everest is the highest but not the tallest because it starts on the high Tibetan Plateau.


Essay questions are not free from this either. Since they are more subjective, the professor have a lot of room to grade the exams. One of my professors was looking for specific words in her multiple choice questions, which made her essay exams difficult. In general however, if you a little bit familiar with the topic in the question, you can write about that and pick up at least part credit.

[Deliberator]

Multiple choice kills me, especially if they are poorly written! Sometimes they're fine based on how they're written and the kind of subject but I've had some terrible grade-dropping experiences and would take an essay any day because then at least I know how to study for it.

Essays involve being able to understand the concepts and articulate them, which is something I'm good at.


Besides, seems like everyone I've heard says multiple choice are best because they're easy, you don't have to study as much, and because you still have a chance even if you don't understand any of it. Doesn't seem like a great way to test comprehension of the material now does it?

[INTJane]

Essay. I think they're often easier.

[Nikita]

It's not that I'm bad at essay tests, but I prefer multiple choice, since it makes studying for me easier - I don't have to memorize.

It's the opposite for me. I have to memorize for multiple choice, but don't have to study at all for A+ essays. I love essays, even as school papers. In AP English we were supposed to read The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy and write an analytical essay on it; to this day I've never read the book. I found a paragraph about "the heath" and wrote about its significance as a microcosm. I got an A.

[Allie]

Essays for me.

[Snowdragon]

Always multiple choice.

[Synamon]

I wanted to chose both, but I went with essay. Baffle them with bullshit.

[rflki3]

multiple choice...
It's hard for me to start an essay, but once I start writing I can go on and on. Until I start rambling. Multiple Choice is much easier.

[Beckatron]

Essays. I prefer analysing things over picking right or wrong answers.

[Ace1337]

Multiple choice is easier for intuitives.

[Seraph]

I prefer writing essays to multiple choice tests. Essays provide an opportunity for analysis and critical thinking, while multiple choice tests simply want an answer chosen from the ones provided. They can become quite difficult and frustrating if the test-taker is interpreting the questions in a different manner than the creator of the test.

[tp6626]

Multiple choices are easier, but I don't agree with them. I'm not keen with how exams are run at all actually. There are some really dumb people that can pass them by learning by rote and regurgitating specific knowledge without really understanding the subject at all.

I prefer essays, and coursework as opposed to exams, any day. Gives me more freedom to express answers as I understand them. And coursework encourages much more well thought out answers to be proposed, as there is less pressure.

I always did better at coursework, and came to reject the examination process. Towards my final two years of uni, I think I subconsciously refused to revise. It had an impact too, 80% plus averages in coursework, 50-60% averages in exams! I was happy though, I don't care for qualifications, I care for knowledge and understanding!!!

[Aesthesis]

Essay. They're usually easier to express what I actually know, but if it's on something I know little about, or just didn't study for, then multiple choice all the way.

[dragonsscout]

Having just taken a load of midterms, I would like to add that, though I voted for multiple choice, short answer is definitely my favorite. It's short, but you can say what you want to, and aren't penalized as much for not going into 'enough detail' or not answering the question the way the grader wanted for you to, but failed to specify. Basically, I find them straightforward, but flexible - the best of both worlds.

[Amaterasu]

Multiple choice. I find it hard to articulate myself to a level that anyone who isn't me can understand... says she with the degree in English Literature...