Correcting grade deflation caused by multiple-choice scoring

Abstract

In a study involving three sections of 181 pre-calculus students at a four-year college, partial credit scoring on multiple-choice questions was examined over an entire semester. Questions were constructed by experienced teachers to pose carefully designed, incorrect alternatives, many of which implicitly suggested varying degrees of partial knowledge or understanding. Computing students' course grades based solely on percentage correct scoring resulted in a course-wide GPA of 1.38. This seemed inconsistent with the fact that students were screened for entry into the course. To avert apparent grade deflation due to such right/wrong scoring, student scores were recomputed based on supplementing percentage correct scores with partial credit. This resulted in a course-wide increase in GPA to 1.92. Using that same letter grade distribution, and curving percentage correct averages to achieve the 1.92 GPA, it was found that 10% of the students were given different grades from those determined by the partial credit scoring. Regarding the efficacy of awarding partial credit points, it was found that partial credit by itself measured achievement of relevant mathematical skills that were missed by percentage correct scoring. Overall, grades determined by partial credit scoring seemed more reflective of both the quantity and quality of student knowledge than grades determined by either traditional percentage correct scoring or any corrective curving.