Investigated were the effects of two levels of penalty for incorrect responses on two dependent variables (a measure of risk-taking or confidence, based on nonsense items, and the number of response-attempts to legitimate items) for three treatment groups in a 2x3, multi-response repeated measures, multivariate ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) design.…

An attempt is made to explore the use of subjective probabilities in the analysis of item data, especially criterion-referenced item data. Two assumptions are implicit: (1) one wants to obtain a maximum amount of information with respect to an item using a minimum number of subjects; and (2) once the item is validated, it may well be administered…

Binary, probability, and ordinal scoring procedures for multiple-choice items were examined. In two situations, it was found that both the probability and ordinal scoring systems were more reliable than the binary scoring method. (Author/CTM)

A potentially valuable measure of overconfidence on probabilistic multiple-choice tests was evaluated. The measure of overconfidence was based on probabilistic responses to nonsense items embedded in a vocabulary test. The test was administered under both confidence response and conventional choice response directions to 208 undergraduate…

The effects of incentive conditions on the results of a confidence test were investigated. Two hundred thirty high school subjects were administered a very difficult confidence scored test under two conditions: 1) that the test would count heavily on their grades (incentive condition) and 2) that the test was for research purposes and would not be…

An examinee is required to express his confidence in the correctness of each choice of a multiple-choice item in a probabilistic test. For the responses to be valid indicators the confidence expressed in each choice should be determined by an examinees' knowledge. This study assessed the relationship of the certainty of examinees' responses to…

Describes a computer-based method of confidence-testing, available in batch processing and interactive form, which improves a student's ability to assess probabilities during clinical diagnosis. The methods and results of three experiments are presented. (EAO)

Multiple-choice testing (MCT) has several advantages which are becoming more relevant in the current financial climate. In particular, they can be machine marked. As an objective testing method it is particularly relevant to engineering and other factual courses, but MCTs are not widely used in engineering because students can benefit from…

Probabilistic testing involves having the examinee assign probabilities to each of the options of a multiple-choice item. These probabilities reflect the student's perception of the correctness of each option. What is presented in the paper is a rationale for probability testing, the current theoretical and empirical findings, and some suggested…

One formulation of confidence scoring requires the examinee to indicate as a number his personal probability of the correctness of each alternative in a multiple-choice test. For this formulation, a linear transformation of the logarithm of the correct response is maximized if the examinee reports accurately his personal probability. To equate…

A specially designed answer format was used for three tests in a college level agriculture class of 19 students to record responses to three things about each item: (1) the student's choice of the best answer; (2) the degree of certainty with which the answer was chosen; and (3) all the answer choices which the student was certain were incorrect.…

This handbook presents instructions for implementing a confidence testing program in technical training situations, identification of possible areas of application, techniques for evaluating confidence information, advantages and disadvantages of confidence testing, time considerations, and problem areas. Complete instructions for "Pick-One" and…

This paper examines confidence testing, and reasons for using confidence tests. Different scoring systems are studied in order to clarify the meaning of significance of the weights which subjects assign to confidence scored tests. (DLG)

A comparison of reliability and validity was made for three testing procedures: 1) responding conventionally to Verbal Ability and Mathematical Reasoning tests; 2) using a confidence weighting response procedure with the same tests; and 3) using the elimination response method. The experimental testing procedures were not psychometrically superior…