title: Comparison between three option, four option and five option multiple choice question tests for quality parameters: A randomized study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most of the academic teachers use four or five options per item of multiple choice question (MCQ) test as formative and summative assessment. Optimal number of options in MCQ item is a matter of considerable debate among academic teachers of various educational fields. There is a scarcity of the published literature regarding the optimum number of option in each item of MCQ in the field of medical education.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare three options, four options, and five options MCQs test for the quality parameters - reliability, validity, item analysis, distracter analysis, and time analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 3rdsemester M.B.B.S. students. Students were divided randomly into three groups. Each group was given one set of MCQ test out of three options, four options, and five option randomly. Following the marking of the multiple choice tests, the participants' option selections were analyzed and comparisons were conducted of the mean marks, mean time, validity, reliability and facility value, discrimination index, point biserial value, distracter analysis of three different option formats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students score more (P= 0.000) and took less time (P= 0.009) for the completion of three options as compared to four options and five options groups. Facility value was more (P= 0.004) in three options group as compared to four and five options groups. There was no significant difference between three groups for the validity, reliability, and item discrimination. Nonfunctioning distracters were more in the four and five options group as compared to three option group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Assessment based on three option MCQs is can be preferred over four option and five option MCQs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, GMERS Medical College, Patan, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Bhavisha
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vegada
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, GMERS Medical College, Patan, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Apexa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shukla
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, GMERS Medical College, Patan, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Ajeetkumar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khilnani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Science, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Jaykaran
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Charan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, B J Medical College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Chetna
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Desai
mesh_terms: D004501:Education, Medical; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011897:Random Allocation; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Distracter analysis; item analysis; multiple choice questions; number of options per item