Publications [#52414] of Elizabeth Marsh

Journal Articles

1. Marsh, E. J., Roediger, H. L., III, Bjork, R. A., & Bjork, E. L (2007). Memorial consequences of multiple-choice testing. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 14, 194-199.
   (last updated on 2007/08/27)

   Abstract:
   The present review addresses whether multiple-choice tests may change knowledge even as they attempt to measure it. Overall, taking a multiple-choice test boosts performance on later tests, as compared to non-tested control conditions (the testing effect). This benefit is not limited to simple definitional questions, but holds for SAT II questions and for items designed to tap concepts at a higher level in Bloom’s (1956) taxonomy of educational objectives. Students, however, can also learn false facts from multiple-choice tests; testing leads to persistence of some multiple-choice lures on later general knowledge tests. Such persistence appears due to faulty reasoning rather than an increase in the familiarity of lures. Even though students may learn false facts from multiple-choice tests, the positive effects of testing outweigh this cost.