Zeitschrift für Hochschuldidaktik Nr. 1-2/1996
Quality of Teaching in Higher Education
Pages: 66-76, paper in English
Lambert W.T. Schuwirth | C.P.M. van der Leuten (Maastricht, Netherlands)
Quality Control: Assessment and Examinations
Abstract
Reaching for an optimal quality of medical examinations is important. They serve as a predictor for future performance. Predictions should always be based on accurate assessments of the present situation. Therefore a lot of attention must be directed towards the quality of the examinations used. This quality can be expressed as validity (does the examination really test the competence that one wants to measure?) and reliability (is the score a correct representation of the amount of competence of the candidate?). A major error source concerning these parameters lie in inadequate sampling of the items. Too small samples of items lead to inadequate reliabilities and thus to inadequate validities of the examinations used. The most common reason for this is an overconcern with format of the items rather than content due to the belief that some item or examination formats are intrinsically superior to others. Extensive research shows, however, that the content of the item is essential and not the format. Quality control of assessment lies in a careful and scientific scrutiny of the choice of the examination system, the items that will be put into the examinations, the method to set the cut-off score and the regulations concerning the examinations.
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