Implications of Changing Answers on Objective Test Items.

Over the past fifty years a number of researchers have studied the implications of answer changing on objective test items. The primary concern has been whether, in administering achievement tests, students should be advised to "go with their first impression," or to change answers after deliberation if they feel their initial response is incorrect. In other words, when students change answers do they, on the average, gain more or lose more points? These studies have also surveyed student opinion regarding the value of answer changing, tabulated the incidence of answer changing, and looked at the relationships of level of achievement, sex, number of answers changed, and various items characteristics to net gain or loss resulting from changing answers. This paper is a review and synthesis of the findings from these studies.