Note on new scoring method for multiple choice questions on high school graduation exam

According to the high school graduation exam plan from 2025 announced by the Ministry of Education and Training, the format of the exam subjects will not change. Literature will be organized in the form of an essay, other subjects, including compulsory mathematics and 2 optional subjects (among the remaining subjects studied in grade 12 including: foreign languages, history, physics, chemistry, biology, geography, economic and legal education, information technology, technology) will be tested in the form of objective multiple choice tests.

ADD NEW FORMULATION OF MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

However, according to the exam format from 2025, multiple choice questions, the format that has been applied for many years, will only be used in foreign language exams. The remaining multiple choice subjects have a maximum of 3 question formats used according to the competency assessment orientation, while improving the ability to classify candidates.

This year's 12th graders are the first generation of the 2018 General Education program to take the high school graduation exam according to the new exam structure.

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

Removing the equal score for answers also creates self-respect for students. If you know something, say you know it, show it through your answers and vice versa, instead of taking risks and creating falsehoods.

Master TRAN VAN TOAN

(former Head of Math Group at Marie Curie High School, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City)

Specifically, in addition to multiple choice questions, there are two new formats: true/false and short answer questions.

In the true/false question format, each question has 4 ideas, the candidate must answer true/false for each idea of ​​the question. This format requires the candidate to have comprehensive capacity, knowledge and skills to achieve the maximum score. The probability of randomly scoring the maximum score is 1/16, 4 times smaller than the current multiple choice test format.

Short answer multiple choice questions are similar to essay questions and are evaluated through the final results that the candidate must fill in on the answer sheet.

Both of these formats require candidates to have solid knowledge and skills, and to limit the use of "tricks" to choose answers from confusing options like in multiple choice tests.

ASSESSING STUDENT ABILITIES MORE ACCURATELY

Master Tran Van Toan, former Head of the Math Group at Marie Curie High School (District 3, Ho Chi Minh City), commented that the 3 types of multiple-choice questions clearly demonstrate the innovative spirit of the 2018 General Education Program, which is to assess students' abilities according to each level of thinking. In which, the familiar 4-choice multiple-choice test format and the innovative true/false format include 4 questions, each with 4 ideas and requiring candidates to answer those ideas true or false. This format requires candidates to answer 16 ideas and demonstrate a thorough understanding of the knowledge learned in the program. The short-answer format is a question that applies general knowledge to solve and is given in essay form, but candidates only need to state the final result in each question.

Students worried about new grading system

After the Ministry of Education and Training announced the reference questions for the high school graduation exam from 2025, many students expressed confusion and concern about the new scoring method in the true/false multiple choice part 2 that will be applied starting next year's exam.

Le Nguyen Truc Vy, a 12th grade student at Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High School (District 3, Ho Chi Minh City), said she felt pressured and stressed when doing the true/false multiple choice test. Although she was careful and confident with the first 3 choices, Vy still had to "rack her brain" to choose the 4th option, the most difficult part of the question.

"If I get just one wrong answer, I will only get 0.5 points for the whole question even though the previous 3 answers are correct. So, 3 correct answers are only equal to 1 wrong answer. This part has 4 questions, if I get 1 wrong answer for each question, I will lose 2 points, which is very regrettable," Vy confided.

Nguyen Le Dan Anh, a 12th grader at Le Quy Don High School (District 3), also felt worried about this part. "Getting only 0.5 points even though I got 3/4 of the answers right made me discouraged because I spent a lot of time thinking and answering. For the last questions, most of my friends and I randomly circled because these were difficult questions. I was even more confused when the element of luck decided 0.5 points," the female student shared.

Uyen Phuong Le

Master Tran Van Toan said that the combination of 3 multiple choice question formats assesses students' abilities much more accurately than before. Thereby, the ability to classify students is also better, especially when using the results in admission to top universities.

According to Master Pham Le Thanh, Nguyen Hien High School (District 11, Ho Chi Minh City), with the addition of a new format, candidates must apply comprehensive knowledge and professional skills to be able to choose the right/wrong answer for each idea of ​​the question. From there, it is possible to classify the thinking and ability of many different groups of students, standardize and measure the actual ability of each specific student, and limit the use of "tricks" or "guessing" to choose the answer from noisy options like in multiple choice tests.

The exam also incorporates short answer multiple choice questions, requiring candidates to have high capacity, knowledge and skills to be able to write accurate answers, limiting the situation of "failing" multiple choice questions as before.

According to Master Pham Le Thanh, in general, the combination of many standardized question formats in the exam will help the process of testing and assessing students' abilities more accurately, correctly classifying each student's abilities.

SCORING IS NO LONGER SCRATCHED BY QUESTIONS

For high school graduation exams from 2024 and earlier, multiple-choice exams only have one type of question and depending on the number of questions in each exam, the score will be divided equally. Whether the question is easy or difficult, low or high comprehension or application, all have the same score.

But starting from 2025, except for the foreign language subject, which will only use multiple-choice test format for all 40 questions with a score of 0.25 points/question, the questions of other multiple-choice test subjects will be divided into 3 parts.

Part 1 includes multiple choice questions, with 4 options to choose 1 correct answer. For each correct answer, the candidate gets 0.25 points.

Part 2 consists of multiple choice questions in true/false format, so the score is no longer divided equally. Each question has 4 answers, for each answer the candidate chooses true or false. If the candidate chooses 1 answer correctly in a question, he/she will get 0.1 point; if 2 answers correctly in a question, he/she will get 0.25 points; if 3 answers correctly in a question, he/she will get 0.5 points; if all 4 answers correctly in a question, he/she will get 1 point.

Part 3 consists of multiple choice questions with short answers. Candidates fill in the boxes corresponding to their answers. For math, in part 3, each correct answer is worth 0.5 points. For other subjects, in this part, each correct answer is worth 0.25 points.

With this change, Master Tran Van Toan said that the scoring method in part 2 is good and reasonable, creating fairness. Here, it will evaluate the candidate who guessed wrongly and the candidate who learned and understood. For example, with math, in part 2, answering right/wrong, just choosing one wrong answer will make the whole question wrong.

Master Tran Van Toan emphasized: "Eliminating the leveling of scores for answers also creates self-respect for students. If you know something, say you know it, show it through your answers and vice versa, instead of taking risks and creating lies."

Grade 12 students are guided to review high school graduation exam questions according to the new exam format.

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

NO MORE TEACHING BY GUESSING QUESTIONS, "CHICKEN" QUESTIONS

Master Pham Le Thanh said that multiple choice questions in the true/false format have been applied by advanced countries for many years, bringing many values ​​in measuring and evaluating learners' abilities at each level of education. This format accurately and comprehensively assesses abilities by requiring students to have a firm grasp and deep understanding of basic knowledge to be able to solve questions. There is no longer a situation where students focus on solving exercises and solving problems but neglect the basic theoretical knowledge of the subject because in reality the content of the exam is very broad.

Master Pham Le Thanh added: "Teachers no longer teach by guessing questions or "guessing" questions, but must closely follow the requirements of the program to teach. Developing the program and building questions also take into account the requirements of the program to test students. There are no longer unrealistic problems and exercises that do not measure students' abilities like before."

A teacher at Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted (HCMC) affirmed that the change and adjustment of the scoring method in the form of graduation questions according to the new program has a positive impact because it requires students to study and understand the lessons more thoroughly, avoiding rote learning in the subjects they choose. From there, it ensures a solid grasp of basic knowledge to easily absorb knowledge at higher levels, helping to differentiate the level of students. At the same time, for each subject, teachers have also built and compiled questions in the tests according to the structure, format and scoring method mentioned above so that students can gradually get used to it.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/luu-y-ve-cach-tinh-diem-moi-cau-hoi-trac-nghiem-thi-tot-nghiep-thpt-185241124193347889.htm