Comparison of Online Tests of Very Short Answer versus Single Best Answers for Medical Students in a Pharmacology Course over One Year

Figure 1

Schematic drawing illustrating the study design. The initial formative online test (OT) contained 30 online questions in the winter semester 2017/2018 (WS 2017/2018) in medical students at the Medical School, Halle-Wittenberg (single choice, SC or very short answer, VSA). Two groups A and B were randomly formed. Group A was online presented with 15 different SCs (labeled SC#1–15) and then subsequently 15 VSAs (labeled VSA#16–30). In group B, pairs in reverse order were formed: first 15 VSAs (labeled then VSA #1–15) and then subsequently 15 SCs (labeled then SC#16–30). In the winter semester 2018/2019 (WS 2018/2019), the same students got the same questions in different combinations as indicated. WE, written obligatory exam.