Answering Multiple-Choice Questions in Which Examinees Doubt What the True Answer Is among Different Options

Fernando Sánchez Lasheras (), José Curbelo, Jaime Baladrón Romero, Alberto García Guerrero, Carmen Peñalver San Cristóbal, Tomás Villacampa and Paula Jiménez Fonseca
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Fernando Sánchez Lasheras: Faculty of Sciences, University of Oviedo, 33007 Oviedo, Spain
José Curbelo: Faculty of Medicine, University Francisco de Vitoria, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain
Jaime Baladrón Romero: Cursos Intensivos MIR Asturias, c/Quintana, 11A, 1, 33009 Oviedo, Spain
Alberto García Guerrero: Cursos Intensivos MIR Asturias, c/Quintana, 11A, 1, 33009 Oviedo, Spain
Carmen Peñalver San Cristóbal: Cursos Intensivos MIR Asturias, c/Quintana, 11A, 1, 33009 Oviedo, Spain
Tomás Villacampa: Clínica Oftalmológica Villacampa, c/La Cámara, 15, 33401 Avilés, Spain
Paula Jiménez Fonseca: Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Avenida Roma, 33011 Oviedo, Spain

Mathematics, 2022, vol. 10, issue 23, 1-22

Abstract: This research explores the results that an examinee would obtain if taking a multiple-choice questions test in which they have doubts as to what the true answer is among different options. This problem is analyzed by making use of combinatorics and analytical and sampling methodologies. The Spanish exam through which doctors become medical specialists has been employed as an example. Although it is difficult to imagine that there are candidates who respond randomly to all the questions of such an exam, it is common that they may doubt over what the correct answer is in some questions. The exam consists of a total of 210 multiple-choice questions with 4 answer options. The cut-off mark is calculated as one-third of the average of the 10 best marks in the exam. According to the results obtained, it is possible to affirm that in the case of doubting over two or three of the four possible answers in certain group questions, answering all of them will in most cases lead to obtaining a positive result. Moreover, in the case of doubting between two answer options in all the questions of the MIR test, it would be possible to exceed the cut-off mark.

Keywords: decision making; multiple-choice test; combinatorics; simulation; education; test performance; random answer; entrance examination (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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