Medical students’ assessment preferences at King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia

Figures & data

Table 1 Distribution of medical students in relation to gender and years of enrollment, College of Medicine, King Faisal University

Years of enrollment	Total population (no.)		Respondents (N = 238)
	Males	Females	Males no. (%)	Females no. (%)	Age (years) mean ± SD
Preclinical	132	109	87 (65.9)	61 (56.0)
Third year	71	57	43 (60.6)	30 (52.6)	20.65 ± 0.54
Fourth year	61	52	44 (72.1)	31 (59.6)	21.52 ± 0.70
Clinical	111	–	90 (81.1)	–
Fifth year	56	–	48 (85.7)	–	22.24 ± 0.49
Sixth year	55	–	42 (76.4)	–	22.72 ± 1.12
Total	243	109	177 (72.8)	61 (56.0)	21.88 ± 0.71

Table 2 Preferred methods of assessment for medical course achievement as stated by medical students in relation to stage of study

Methods	Total (N = 238)		Scoresa and stage of medical education						P valueb
	Median	Rank	Preclinical (N = 148)			Clinical (N = 90)
			Mean ± SD	Median	Rank	Mean ± SD	Median	Rank
Oral tests
• Individual oral tests, without supporting material (notes/books)	2.8	6	2.89 ± 1.40	2.7	7	3.23 ± 1.13	3.0	5	0.063
• Individual oral tests: questions are given half an hour prior to the test and answers can be prepared without supporting materials	2.3	11	2.28 ± 1.34	2.1	11	3.12 ± 1.20	2.8	7	0.001
• Individual oral tests: questions are given half an hour prior to the test and answers can be prepared with supporting materials	2.2	12	2.13 ± 1.31	2.0	12	2.85 ± 1.37	2.5	9	0.007
• Oral tests: in the form of a group discussion where the instructor observes and assesses the contribution of each of the participants	3.0	8	2.86 ± 1.87	2.7	8	3.38 ± 1.20	3.1	1	0.029
Written tests
• Written tests without supporting materials	2.5	5	3.66 ± 1.12	3.2	2	2.81 ± 1.03	2.7	11	0.001
• Written tests with supporting materials	2.7	7	2.91 ± 1.04	2.7	6	3.31 ± 1.10	3.0	2	0.008
• Written tests with time limits and without supporting materials	3.3	1	2.78 ± 1.33	2.5	9	2.91 ± 1.23	2.6	8	0.542
• Written tests, without a time limit and without supporting material	3.0	2	3.67 ± 1.02	3.4	1	3.25 ± 1.31	3.1	4	0.009
• Take-home assignments/exams	2.8	9	3.14 ± 1.51	3.0	5	2.76 ± 1.23	2.4	12	0.054
Alternative tests
• Papers/projects	3.0	3	3.47 ± 1.57	3.2	3	3.15 ± 1.44	3.0	6	0.171
• Portfolio (your collected work, finished and in progress)	3.0	4	3.17 ± 1.43	3.0	4	3.28 ± 1.52	2.8	3	0.674
• Computerized tests	2.2	10	2.78 ± 1.23	2.4	10	2.81 ± 1.21	2.5	10	0.874

Notes:

a Score out of five;

b Mann–Whitney test.

Abbreviation: SD, standard deviation.

Table 3 Preferred questions formats in written exams as stated by medical students in relation to years of enrollment (N = 238)

Year of enrollment	Total no.	Questions format
		MCQs no. (%)	Essays no. (%)	MCQs and essays no. (%)
Pre-clinical	148	93 (62.8)	9 (6.1)	46 (31.1)
Third	73	41 (56.2)	4 (5.4)	28 (38.4)
Fourth	75	52 (69.3)	5 (6.7)	18 (24.0)
Clinical	90	60 (66.7)	14 (15.6)	16 (17.7)
Fifth	48	31 (64.6)	10 (20.8)	7 (14.6)
Sixth	42	29 (69.0)	4 (9.5)	9 (21.5)
Total	238	153 (64.3)	23 (9.7)	62 (26.0)

Abbreviation: MCQs, multiple choice questions.

Table 4 Preferred domains of assessment using evaluations methods for medical courses as stated by medical students in relation to their stage of education

Domains	Total scores (N = 238)			Scores and stage				P valuea
	Mean ± SD	Median	Rank	Preclinical (N = 148)		Clinical (N = 90)
				Mean ± SD	Rank	Mean ± SD	Rank
Remember (recall)	3.21 ± 1.66			3.26 ± 1.48		3.17 ± 1.71		0.716
– Knowledge questions related to the reading of assignments	3.47 ± 1.68	3.2	1	3.73 ± 1.24	1	3.16 ± 1.81	3	0.008
– Questions making an appeal to the reproduction of facts	2.94 ± 1.63	2.7	7	2.81 ± 1.71	5	3.02 ± 1.61	8	0.011
Understand (exemplifying, comparing and inferring)	2.89 ± 1.41			2.78 ± 1.26		2.93 ± 1.47		0.404
– Comprehension questions related to the material taught by the instructor	3.38 ± 1.47	3.1	2	3.51 ± 1.24	2	3.12 ± 1.59	5	0.039
– Questions that require the drawing of conclusions	2.96 ± 1.46	2.6	5	2.66 ± 1.37	8	3.15 ± 1.54	4	0.018
– Questions that require the providing of examples	2.95 ± 1.41	2.7	6	2.81 ± 1.20	6	3.11 ± 1.55	6	0.098
– Questions that require comparing different concepts/ideas	2.27 ± 1.31	2.0	15	2.18 ± 1.22	13	2.35 ± 1.18	14	0.301
Apply (implementing), problem solving	2.98 ± 1.38			2.90 ± 1.40		2.92 ± 1.30		0.911
– Questions that require problem solving	2.81 ± 1.43	2.5	10	2.64 ± 1.51	9	2.88 ± 1.33	13	0.219
– Questions requiring the application of material learnt during the course to new situations	3.12 ± 1.33	2.8	4	3.13 ± 1.28	3	2.98 ± 1.25	9	0.417
Analyze (organizing), evaluate (critiquing, checking), create (generate)	2.74 ± 1.41			2.51 ± 1.37		2.94 ± 1.35		0.029
– Questions that require a personal explanation or opinion	2.68 ± 1.41	2.5	11	2.29 ± 1.43	14	3.08 ± 1.31	7	0.009
– Questions that require critical thinking	2.86 ± 1.43	2.7	8	2.38 ± 1.23	11	3.32 ± 1.21	2	0.002
– Questions that require analysis and interpretation	2.49 ± 1.29	2.2	13	2.17 ± 1.21	15	2.70 ± 1.39	12	0.021
– Questions that require an overall view of the relationships between all topics learnt	2.65 ± 1.31	2.5	12	2.31 ± 1.21	12	2.96 ± 1.38	10	0.007
– Questions that require creativity and imagination	2.85 ± 1.47	2.5	9	2.67 ± 1.33	7	2.89 ± 1.48	11	0.327
– Questions that require scientific investigation	3.22 ± 1.51	3.0	3	3.08 ± 1.52	4	3.35 ± 1.36	1	0.186
– Questions in which you are asked to evaluate others’ solutions or opinions	2.42 ± 1.51	2.1	14	2.61 ± 1.56	10	2.26 ± 1.41	15	0.093

Note:

a Mann–Whitney test.

Abbreviation: SD, Standard deviation

Table 5 Stated reasons for MCQs preference among medical students in relation to stage of education, King Faisal University

Stated reasonsb	Total (N = 214) no. (%)	Stage		P valuea
		Preclinical (N = 134) no. (%)	Clinical (N = 80) no. (%)
a. In the MCQ exam at least there is a chance of getting the correct answer	159 (74.3)	99 (73.9)	60 (75.0)	0.984
b. MCQ have the question and answers, thus, keywords can stimulate my memory rather than trying to recall it all yourself in case of an essay	151 (70.6)	114 (85.1)	37 (46.3)	0.001
c. It is not so stressful; it is over and done quickly	101 (47.2)	71 (53.0)	30 (37.5)	0.039
d. I have a 25% chance of getting it right	80 (37.4)	62 (46.3)	18 (22.5)	0.008
e. It is just a matter of learning facts, definitions and figures and no real analysis or critique is required, which I find tedious	38 (17.8)	37 (27.6)	11 (13.8)	0.029
f. I dislike structuring and writing essays and would prefer to have the answer to a question in front of me somewhere	166 (77.6)	108 (80.6)	57 (71.2)	0.159
g. A MCQ exam tends to examine too briefly a topic	92 (43.0)	71 (53.0)	21 (26.3)	0.002
h. In my opinion a MCQ is effective in assessing students’ academic abilities in the related subject area	64 (29.9)	49 (36.6)	15 (18.8)	0.009
i. Mechanically memorizing facts, and guessing where they may match a question	121 (56.5)	81 (60.4)	40 (50.0)	0.177
j. The essay does not judge knowledge as it is more about how well you can write	155 (72.4)	114 (85.1)	41 (51.3)	0.001
k. MCQ shows my true knowledge as it examines how well I know the course	112 (52.3)	71 (53.0)	37 (46.3)	0.416
l. The lecturers and tutors outlined exactly what is to be read in order to successfully pass the examination	51 (23.8)	29 (21.6)	22 (27.5)	0.419
m. In the MCQs exam, because choices are given you could judge what was right/wrong, whereas in the essay you may have been on the totally wrong track	113 (52.8)	86 (64.1)	27 (33.8)	0.001
n. The MCQs exam takes less time to prepare for and involves a lot less thought and effort	100 (46.7)	63 (47.0)	37 (46.3)	0.973
o. I have a problem in writing and expressing my ideas in an essay	81 (37.9)	53 (39.6)	28 (35.0)	0.604

Note:

a Z test for proportions;

b Each respondent may have given more than one stated reason.

Abbreviation: MCQ, multiple choice question.

Table 6 Stated reasons for preference of essay questions by the medical students included at King Faisal University (N = 85)

Stated reasonsa	Number	Percent
a. The MCQ exam is just a test of how well you are able to pick out an answer “most” correct, dictated to you by someone else. It is neither intellectually stimulating nor challenging	56	56.7
b. The essay encourages wider reading and critical thinking	52	61.2
c. The MCQ is restrictive, enforcing certain interpretations onto students	67	78.8
d. Essays give you time to really think critically and effectively about the course	71	83.5
e. Searching, reading and using other resource materials further one’s knowledge and understanding of the course rather than trying to memorize in order to “circle” the right answer	67	78.8
f. Writing an essay is far more enjoyable and rewarding if I understand the topic	54	63.5

Note:

a Each respondent may have given more than one stated reason.

Abbreviation: MCQs, multiple choice questions.