The impact of question format in principles of economics classes: Evidence from New Zealand

Stephen Hickson

New Zealand Economic Papers, 2010, vol. 44, issue 3, 269-287

Abstract: This study investigates whether question format disadvantages certain types of students. I use assessment data compiled from principles of economics classes at the University of Canterbury from 2002-2008. I combine these with administrative data on student characteristics to create a comprehensive dataset of over 20,000 observations. To control for student ability, I use a battery of measures of student performance in non-economics classes. In the absence of controls for student ability, I find that question format appears to have a significant impact on student performance. These mostly disappear when student ability variables are added. The major exceptions are student characteristics associated with language: I find that non-native English speakers are relatively disadvantaged by constructed response questions even after controlling for student ability.

Keywords: principles of economics assessment; multiple choice; constructed response; free response; essay (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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DOI: 10.1080/00779954.2010.522165

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