Exploring Ways that Students Formulate Answers to Exam Questions in an Undergraduate Introductory Nutrition Class
Authors: Fly Alyce D , Kurz Lisa , Thiagarajah Krisha 
Published: November 2023

Introductory nutrition courses provide undergraduate students with an appealing way to study science and offer rich training in analytical thinking, problem solving, and interpreting and evaluating data. Understanding how students formulate answers to multi‐option items on exams, or how they integrate instruction with personal strategies can identify weaknesses in student learning and suggest strategies for focused instruction. A study was conducted to evaluate natural science learning in categories of analytical thinking, problem solving and interpreting and evaluating data and determine test‐taking strategies used by students in an introductory nutrition course. Students volunteers (n=12) completed a 10 item multi‐opt quiz to evaluate learning in the 3 areas with 3 open‐ended items to determine salient methods that students used to find the answers to the questions that had been designed to test the ability to interpret and evaluate data, or solve a problem that required converting measurement units and selecting and applying a mathematical equation. Student written descriptions used to solve the 3 items were tabulated verbatim and reviewed by researchers to determine most frequently reported methods to determine answers. Methods were also evaluated as to whether they resulted in the correct answer. This study was approved by the institutional review board. Mean score on the competency quiz was 7.5/10 with a range of scores from 4–10. One student (8%) did not complete the open‐ended items (response rate 100%, completion rate 92%). For the item that required simple interpretation of a numerical body mass index score; students reported 3 methods: 36% obtained answers by interpreting a chart, 55% reported memorizing the ranges for interpreting body sizes (where 9% were incorrect), 1 (9%) reported memorizing ranges and confirming answer by interpreting the chart. Solutions to an item that required determination of an estimated energy requirement were almost exclusively obtained by solving the equation provided in a chart (91%) where 40% incorrectly solved the equation and selected the wrong answer; only 1 student reported guessing, but did select the correct response. Two methods were used to solve an item about identifying the food group that was most deficient for a subject, given age, gender, activity level, an intake record, and Dietary Guidelines charts for energy needs and food group recommendations based on energy needs: either visual inspection of the intake record alone (82%, where 33% were incorrect) or using all the data and charts provided (18%, all responses were correct). These data show that many students do not make use of available data tables as a method to answer questions specifically designed to test ability to evaluate and interpret data; they use memorization preferentially, and some have difficulty solving simple equations that require knowledge of order of operations and conversions between measurement units. Strategies to strengthen these mathematical abilities, including dimensional analysis, and familiarization with chart reading and data interpretation as a best approaches over memorization are needed to improve student learning.

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Supported by Indiana University