N. Sanjay Rebello

 ABSTRACT

We studied the effect of the multiple-choice format of the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) by comparing students' performance on four FCI questions in the open-ended format with their performance of regular (multiple-choice) FCI questions. FCI questions addressing the most number of misconceptions were chosen for this study, and were presented in two questionnaires each containing two open-ended and two multiple-choice questions. A pilot study was first performed on students in a second semester calculus-based introductory physics course, and the main study was later performed on students in an introductory physical science course.

Our results indicate that there is no significant difference in student performance in the two formats. Students' responses in the open-ended format can be categorized into the same choices that appear on the multiple-choice questions. In spite of the absence of distracters on the open-ended questions, most students gave the same incorrect responses that they did on the multiple-choice questions.

• Paper (in preparation).
• Talk (to be presented at the Summer 1997 AAPT Meeting).