Journal of Research in Medical Education & Ethics
Year : 2015, Volume : 5, Issue : 3
First page : ( 199) Last page : ( 207)
Print ISSN : 2231-671X. Online ISSN : 2231-6728.
Article DOI : 10.5958/2231-6728.2015.00041.4

Constructed Response Format Questions for Student Assessment in the Undergraduate Anatomy Curriculum in India: A Critical Analysis

Shankar Nachiket*

Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy, St. John's Medical College, Sarjapur Road, Bangalore-560034, Karnataka, India

*Email id: nachiket76@gmail.com

Online published on 10 December, 2015.

Abstract

Written assessments in the form of constructed response formats (CRF) have widespread use in medical undergraduate assessments in India. The use of CRF in the present system has many threats to validity. Construct under-representation (CU) problems include non-adherence to the blueprint while setting of question papers and assessment of only the lowest levels in the cognitive domain. Construct irrelevant variability (CIV) issues include the use of ambiguous language while framing questions, high inter-rater variability due to the absence of model answers or scoring rubrics and the recency effect. Other factors such as time constraints, financial issues and cognitive biases also contribute to CIV. The criterion for passing has been arbitrarily set at 50% without any justifiable evidence. Construct under-representation problems can be remedied by training question paper setters to use blueprints and monitoring whether these are being adhered to. This will also address the current tendency to assess only recall. Pre-validation by a group of anatomy and medical education experts will ensure that the questions are framed using appropriate language. Model answers will reduce inter-rater variability. Other methods that could reduce cognitive biases include shuffling the order of answer papers when scoring and correcting each answer across all the students. Validated methods of criterion referencing could also be used to set acceptable passing scores. These changes could initially be implemented at the departmental level in formative assessments. To remedy other factors contributing to CIV, such as financial and time constraints would involve major organisational changes, which may be difficult to implement.

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Keywords

Written assessments, Constructed response formats, Undergraduate medical education, Validity, India.

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