Using multiple-choice questions,short questions and exercises to assess student performance

Multiple-choice questions, short questions and exercises were used to assess the performance of students in environmental and water sciences at the University of the Western Cape (Bellville, South Africa). The objectives were to evaluate and compare these three assessment methods, and to indicate which were particularly appropriate for the various modules and academic years. Altogether 136 test and examination papers were marked. Students generally performed better in multiple-choice questions compared to short questions, while their performance on short exercises was the poorest. No significant difference in performance was found between the academic years. Multiple-choice questions are suitable for large classes, but short questions and exercises are recommended as they facilitate the assessment of conceptual knowledge and practical problem-solving skills.