Identifying the response process validity of clinical vignette -type multiple choice questions: An eye-tracking study

Francisco Carlos Specian Junior*, Thiago Martins Santos, John Sandars, Eliana Martorano Amaral, Dario Cecilio-Fernandes

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Introduction: Clinical vignette-type multiple choice questions (CV-MCQs) are widely used in assessment and identifying the response process validity (RPV) of questions with low and high integration of knowledge is essential. Answering CV-MCQs of different levels of knowledge application and integration can be understood from a cognitive workload perspective and this can be identified by using eye-tracking. The aim of the pilot study was to identify the cognitive workload and RPV of CV-MCQs of different levels of knowledge application and integration by the use eye-tracking. Methods: Fourteen fourth-year medical students answered a test with 40 CV-MCQs, which were equally divided into low-level and high-level complexity (knowledge application and integration). Cognitive workload was measured using screen-based eye tracking, with the number of fixations and revisitations for each area of interest. Results: We found a higher cognitive workload for high-level complexity (M = 121.74) compared with lower-level complexity questions (M = 51.94) and also for participants who answered questions incorrectly (M = 94.31) compared with correctly (M = 79.36). Conclusion: Eye-tracking has the potential to become a useful and practical approach for helping to identify the RPV of CV-MCQs. This approach can be used for improving the design and development of CV-MCQs, and to provide feedback to inform teaching and learning. Practice points Clinical vignette- type multiple choice questions (CV-MCQs) are widely used in assessment. Identifying the response process validity (RPV) of CV-MCQs with low and high complexity is essential. Low and high complexity CV-MCQs have different cognitive workloads that can be practically identified using eye-tracking. Eye-tracking has the potential for identifying the RPV of CV-MCQs.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)845-851
Number of pages7
JournalMedical Teacher
Volume45
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 25 Feb 2023
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

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