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

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