Quality assessment of multiple-choice questions

Objective: To assess the Multiple-choice Questions (single best option) of Community Medicine for common flaws. Methodology: This retrospective descriptive study was conducted from 26th May 2023 to 30th Dec 2023, at the research facilitation center of Rahim Hospital, Rawalpindi. MCQs were collected from various faculty members through email/WhatsApp. Multiple-choice Questions (MCQs) were assessed for flaws and errors as per the checklist. Data were analyzed on an MS Excel sheet. Results: The flaws/error-free MCQs were 68%; out of the remaining 32%, 72% had a single flaw and 28% had more than one flaw. There was also an unequal distribution of correct options; option C was the frequent choice (32%) of examiners, and option A the least preferred choice (7%). Out of the frequently noted flaws, unrelated stem & and option were frequent, whereas all or none of the above errors found to be least frequent. Conclusion: Good, effective MCQs provide useful feedback to both teachers and students. The overall quality of MCQs was good, as 68% of the MCQs good quality and flaw-free.