Multiple Choice or Essay?

[Zephyr]

Ah yes... the infamous multiple choice versus essay test question...

Which do you prefer, and why?

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I'll be the first weird one to say I LOVE essay tests.
When I have a blended test,
I have to count on the essay portion to keep my score up,
Because I always manage to botch up multiple choice.

With essay tests, you can bullshit your way into a good score,
Where as with multiple choice the answer is set in stone.

Needless to say I'm bad with details but good with the abstract ideas :whoops:

[The Batman]

I love multiple choices, because I like to try and figure out each possible answer before I choose the right one.

[theOperaGhost]

I hate essay, because I can't write and make up stuff worth shit. Hell, making good posts on VT is hard enough...lol :P

I like multiple choice because you can go through all the possible answers, eliminating the ones you know are wrong until you find the correct one.

[Avalikia]

It really depends if I know the material or not. I always do very well on the essay questions if I study, but I'm not very good at faking it when I don't. I'm very good at faking it with multiple choice tests, but I inevitably miss a few no matter how well I know the material. So, since I'm lazy, I chose mulitple choice.

[AutumnDae]

Well depends on how well I know the subject.

If I don't really know it, then multiple choice, that way I have somewhat of a guide.

If I sort of know it, or know it, essay all the way. I have a good way of "shoveling crap" as my social studies teacher used to say, and make it into a good answer. I use what I know, and make up what I don't. I make it sound like I know what I'm talking about, and usually I can get full credit on my essays.

[Aηdy]

Well in a mutli-choice test I got an A*. Essay test I got a B. Sums it up really :)

[ShatteredWings]

mutiple choise


i can plug in answers, prosses of elimnation

on essay questions i usually only get partial credit

[BlackenedSilver]

Yea multiple choice.. they are always easier.

[Mzor203]

I LOVE multiple choice because I instantly go, "That's the answer". If I've ever seen the answer before, it'll pop back into my mind when I see it.

[Insanity is relative]

Essays! Whenever I get a multiple choice paper I constantly go through odd situations in which the other answer could be right. Essays let you explore so much more (and you can always write something). Then again, when you have multiple choice questions there is at least a chance of being right whatever you put - but thats pretty dull.

Also, if you are failing a multiple choice question it's even more depressing to know that the answer is staring you in the face.

Set in stone answers can be pretty dull but, that being said, I quite like maths tests. :D

[Brazdar]

Essays are better for me when I understand what I have to write about, I always screw it at multiple choice, even when I learn, the possibility for me to pass a multiple choice test is to copy, because at multiple choice you usually have to learn phrases by heart and I hate that, to remember things I have to understand them, so that I could rewrite what I've learned with my own words.

[Reality]

Essays, by a narrow shot. lol.

As good as multi-choice tests are, I just prefer writing my mind out for some reason.

[CookieMonster]

I prefer multiple choice because I can pick the right answer though process of elimination.

Essays are fun, but I have a hard time getting my thoughts into words.

[INFERNO]

For me it depends on how well I know the subject. If I know it very well, then either one. If I'm so-so, then multiple choice. If I'm hopeless, then multiple choice.

[Sage]

I prefer essays, they allow me to justify my opinion. I hate how many times on multiple choice, the question is simply too subjective to decide on the 'best' answer.

[Camazotz]

I prefer essays, they allow me to justify my opinion. I hate how many times on multiple choice, the question is simply too subjective to decide on the 'best' answer.

Exactly my thoughts. For an essay, all I must do is form an opinion and elaborate why I believe my opinion. For a multiple-choice question there is only one "correct" answer, which can sometimes be misleading or confusing.

However, I prefer to take a multiple-choice test because the questions go by quicker and can usually be answered with ease.

[Antares]

M.C. FTW!!!
Why?
Because they are straight to the point and leave no room for personal opinion. It is all fact :D

[derkderpderp]

personally i prefer essays, because i can write what i think, and not have some pre-ordained answers that i have to choose from! lol

i love expressing myself and my opinions, and in my little world, that means everything.

[INFERNO]

I prefer essays, they allow me to justify my opinion. I hate how many times on multiple choice, the question is simply too subjective to decide on the 'best' answer.

I agree, the m.c. questions I really hate are when they say to choose the best answer and several or possibly all choices technically are correct but one is meant to be "more correct" or "more wrong". Although, with an essay, if you don't know the answer, you can write whatever but if you screw it up, you lose far more marks than simply 1 m.c. question.

[Oblivion]

Multiple choice is way too easy, and if I don't know it I have terrible luck :P
And like Inferno said, I hate it when it says "Choose the best answer"
Once when I was in third grade it asked
"Which of these words can be separated into two words?
A) Butterfly
B) Some other bad answer
C) Thinking
D) Some other bad answer"
To prove a point (yes, I proved points in third grade) I chose C, though I knew they wanted A.
Thin-King
Butter-Fly
Both can be separated into two words, and thin-king even makes more sense as a phrase than butter-fly.

And I love to write. So essay tests are for me.

[Death]

I orefer multiple choice. not that I'm bat at essays or anything, it's just you don't have to think as openly (since you are given options) in multiple choice so I find it easier.

[Patchy]

I love multiple choice questions, there easy and also its easier to revise for multiple choice :)

[OnlyByTheNight.]

Multiple choice ftw!
I hate, hate, HATE having to write essays..

[millymollymandy]

multiple choice as they are normally easier

[Renegade.]

Multiple choice. Not only are they easier to answer, they're always easier to guess the answer at random without it appearing to obvious that you did not study whatsoever. If you have a test with all essay questions and don't study, you're very much less likely to at least get a passing grade than if the test were multiple choice. ;)

[The Joker]

Multiple choice. I love writing essays, but they are easier.

If I figure out the answer, but nothing on there is anywhere near it, and say for example there are three choices, I still have 33.3% of getting it right, even if I guess. For an essay you have to know, for sure, or else you can't even write anything.

Also, if you have an answer, and it's close with an option but isn't exactly the same, you get the chance to find out why you were off by re-calculating.