Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
cover the options / “cover-the-options” rule
English answer:
hide the possible answers by covering them with anything so you can\'t read them
Added to glossary by
Julia Kotova
Feb 5, 2017 07:21
7 yrs ago
English term
Native in: Russian 
, Belarusian
Works in: French to Russian, French to Belarusian, German to Russian, and 5 more.
cover the options / “cover-the-options” rule
English
Social Sciences
Education / Pedagogy
Examination questions
...guideline for writing good one-best-answer items—the “cover-the-options” rule.
If a lead-in is properly focused, a test-taker should be able to read the stem and lead-in, cover the options, and guess what the right answer is without seeing the option set.
For example, in this next item, after reading the lead-in, the test-taker should be able to answer the question without seeing the options.
When writing items, covering the options and attempting to answer the item is a good way to check whether this rule has been followed.
What means "cover the options" in this context? How to put it in other words? Why is it put against "seeing the option set"? What is the difference?
Many thanks in advance.
If a lead-in is properly focused, a test-taker should be able to read the stem and lead-in, cover the options, and guess what the right answer is without seeing the option set.
For example, in this next item, after reading the lead-in, the test-taker should be able to answer the question without seeing the options.
When writing items, covering the options and attempting to answer the item is a good way to check whether this rule has been followed.
What means "cover the options" in this context? How to put it in other words? Why is it put against "seeing the option set"? What is the difference?
Many thanks in advance.
Responses
| 4 +1 | place an object over the possible answers so you can't read them |
philgoddard
|
| 3 | закрывать (прикрывать) варианты ответов |
FreEditor
|
References
| explanation |
writeaway
|
Responses
+1
10 hrs
philgoddard
United States
United States
Native in English
&
English
United States
Six languages into flawless English
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 4 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
16
Selected
place an object over the possible answers so you can't read them
The text says that it should be possible for the test taker to arrive at the correct answer without seeing the list of options.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you! Many thanks to all participants!"
20 mins
закрывать (прикрывать) варианты ответов
И, соответственно, "правило закрывания (прикрывания) вариантов ответов".
Note from asker:
| Спасибо! Ответ на русском тоже вполне подходит!:) |
Reference comments
1 hr
Reference:
explanation
Quick Guide:
Writing Learning Objectives and Exam Questions
A final check to see if your question is good is to cover all of the answers and be sure that you can still answer the question ("cover-the-options" rule).
http://www2.med.wayne.edu/elab/guides/exam_writing/
Writing One-Best-Answer Items
Constructing the Stem
The vast majority of questions should be written with a clinical vignette. The stem should begin with the presenting problem
of a patient, followed by the history (including duration of signs and symptoms), physical findings, results of diagnostic studies, initial treatment, subsequent findings, etc. Vignettes may include only a subset of this information, but the information should be provided in this specified order. The stem should consist of a single, clearly formulated problem.
The lead-in of the stem must pose a clear question so that the examinee can pose an answer without looking at the options.
Satisfying the “cover-the-options”rule is an essential component of a good question.
Good stem: This stem provides sufficient information and can be answered without referring to the options.
http://www.nbme.org/PDF/ItemWriting_2003/2003IWGwhole.pdf
Writing Learning Objectives and Exam Questions
A final check to see if your question is good is to cover all of the answers and be sure that you can still answer the question ("cover-the-options" rule).
http://www2.med.wayne.edu/elab/guides/exam_writing/
Writing One-Best-Answer Items
Constructing the Stem
The vast majority of questions should be written with a clinical vignette. The stem should begin with the presenting problem
of a patient, followed by the history (including duration of signs and symptoms), physical findings, results of diagnostic studies, initial treatment, subsequent findings, etc. Vignettes may include only a subset of this information, but the information should be provided in this specified order. The stem should consist of a single, clearly formulated problem.
The lead-in of the stem must pose a clear question so that the examinee can pose an answer without looking at the options.
Satisfying the “cover-the-options”rule is an essential component of a good question.
Good stem: This stem provides sufficient information and can be answered without referring to the options.
http://www.nbme.org/PDF/ItemWriting_2003/2003IWGwhole.pdf
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