A Comparison of Multiple-Choice and Open-Ended Assessments

This study examines the question if test results from multiple-choice formatted math tests give an inflated representation of a student''s knowledge. Specifically, it compares the test scores of a standardized multiple-choice formatted math test to the scores posted from the same math test but with the answer choices removed. The study involves 120 fifth grade students from three elementary schools from one Central Texas school district. It is a quantitative study utilizing both convenient and cluster sampling. The methodology used in this study is one of comparing the sample fifth grade students'' math scores on a multiple-choice formatted test to their scores on an alternative assessment. Results from the study indicate that in every instance of comparing the scores by gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status and math objective the mean scores posted from the multiple- choice formatted test were higher than those posted by the open-ended assessment.