Multiple-choice testing can improve the retention of non-tested related information

Multiple-choice testing can improve the retention of nontested related information Jeri L. Little (jerilittle@ucla.edu) Department of Psychology, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563 Los Angeles, CA 90024 USA Elizabeth Ligon Bjork (elbjork@psych.ucla.edu) Department of Psychology, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563 Los Angeles, CA 90024 USA Abstract Perhaps the increased difficulty of answering a recall question correctly (versus a similar MC question) accounts for this difference; that is, retrieval, but not necessarily the recognition and selection of a correct answer, modifies memory (e.g., Bjork, 1975; McDaniel & Masson, 1985). We argue, however, that answering an MC question need not be just a matter of recognizing the correct alternative. In a well-constructed MC test, the test-taker likely recognizes most or all of the alternatives from previous study, but must decide whether or not that alternative is an appropriate answer to the question at hand (Sax & Collet, 1968; Whitten & Leonard, 1980). Often processes of discrimination and memory search are utilized as one thinks not only of which alternative is correct and why, but also of which alternatives are incorrect and why. Certain MC tests could, therefore, invoke a type of processing comparable to that invoked by recall tests (Whitten & Leonard, 1980). Taking an initial test leads to improved performance on later tests for those previously tested questions. Whether prior testing improves one’s ability to answer related questions, however, is less clear, with some results showing impairment for related information, an effect called retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF; e.g., Anderson, Bjork, & Bjork, 1994). Two experiments investigated the use of initial multiple-choice tests on the retention of previously studied prose passages, specifically on the retention of related, but initially nontested information. In both experiments, an incorrect alternative on the initial test served as the correct answer to a related question on the final test. Results demonstrated that the retention of related information can, indeed, be facilitated by initial multiple-choice tests (Experiment 1) and that this benefit is dependant upon using competitive incorrect alternatives (Experiment 2). We discuss how and why our results differ from previous work (e.g., RIF) and address possible educational applications. Keywords: memory; testing effects; prose passages; RIF Related Information Introduction Testing is ubiquitous in education. In most cases, teachers use tests to assess how much a student has learned. Similarly, when students self-test (e.g., with flashcards or practice tests), they typically do so in order to assess their current mastery of the to-be-learned materials. Testing, however, can have other benefits that extend beyond evaluation because retrieval modifies memory so as to improve future recall (see Bjork, 1975). Multiple-Choice Tests in Educational Contexts Nowhere is the implementation of testing more widespread than in educational contexts, and in such contexts, the use of multiple-choice (MC) tests is very popular. Some concerns exist regarding their use, however. One concern is that MC tests might provide less opportunity for learning than do cued-recall (e.g., short answer) or free-recall (e.g., essay) tests. Indeed, some studies have shown that although initial MC, cued-recall, and free-recall tests all lead to better retention of the tested information, as compared to nontested information, retention of tested information is better after cued-recall or free-recall tests (e.g., Gay, 1980; Kang, McDermott, & Roediger, 2007; McDaniel, Anderson, Morrisette, & Derbish, 2007). Although previous testing is clearly beneficial for retention of identical information, it is less clear whether testing might also benefit the retention of related, but initially nontested information. For example, if one reads a chapter about several U.S. presidents and then answers questions about some of those presidents, will information about the other presidents be strengthened as well? This issue seems particularly germane to the educational context where instructors would rarely ask the same questions on both a quiz and a later exam. In addition, instructors often give practice tests to students, with the intention of providing them with an idea of what the later exam will be like, while not providing them with the actual questions. On the basis of previous research examining the effects of initial testing on the later recall of related information, one might expect the retention of such information to be impaired. To illustrate, using a retrieval-practice paradigm, Anderson, Bjork, and Bjork (1994) found that—after an initial study phase—testing or giving retrieval practice to some items from a given category improved their later recall, but impaired the recall of other items in that category that were not themselves tested, as compared to the recall of items from another category, none of which were tested—a phenomenon now known as retrieval-induced forgetting. Thus, it seems possible that by giving initial tests or practice