Students' Challenge in Answer-changing on Multiple-choice Exams; Doubting the Answer or Not? A Systematic Review

Background It is generally believed that changing the answer in multiple choice exams is not recommended as it usually changes the correct answer. The aim of this study was to evaluate answer-changing among students on multiple choice examinations and to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of these changes.Materials and Methods: This systematic review was conducted through a systematic search of electronic resources in English, including Medline (via PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE with no time limit from inception up to February ۲۰۱۹, using the following keywords on their own or in combination: "MCQ", "Multiple choice questions", "Students", "Answer-Changing", "Changing", and "Benefits", "Advantages", "Disadvantages", and "Challenges".Results: Eleven studies (n = ۲۹.۴۵۰) satisfied the required conditions to be included in the present research. It was found that changes in the answers were mostly from incorrect to correct. The results demonstrated that in ۷۲% of cases, the students who changed their answers in an MCQ test had their scores increased and in ۲۸% of the cases, the test scores decreased. A qualitative study showed that in general, students prefer not to change the answers and also they do not find it useful. The results of another study showed that ۵۱% of students believed that revising their answers would improve their test scores (P <۰.۰۰۱). Another study found that, once students changed their answers, the MCQ test scores increased in the High Stakes test. Further changes in the answers did not increase the test scores.Conclusion Doubting once in each option and changing the answer in MCQ tests is useful and rewarding for students.

کلیدواژه ها:

Answer-changing Multiple-choice questions ، MCQ ، Students