Extended matching items
Extended matching items/questions are a written examination format similar to multiple choice questions but with one key difference, that they test knowledge in a far more applied, in-depth, sense.
It is often used in medical education and other healthcare subject areas to test diagnostic reasoning.
Structure
[Image:EMQ example page 1.JPG|500px|left|EMQ example][Image:EMQ example page 2.JPG|500px|right|EMQ example]
The structure has three key elements:
;Answer option list
;Lead in question
;Two or more scenarios or vignettes
Research evidence
[Image:Frequency correct answers EMQ vs MCQ.JPG|thumb|300px|Case and Swanson 1989]Students sitting this test item format have a greater chance of answering incorrectly if they cannot synthesise and apply their knowledge as shown through the work of Susan Case and David Swanson.
Evidence suggests that this format works best when there is a single best answer to each successive scenario or vignette.
Other variants
There are some instances where EMIs do not follow the evidence based format. These other uses of the term have been criticised as they do not apply the key principles of the EMQ as stated above. E.g. a question where two lists are offered, one of terms and one of descriptions is often referred to as an EMI.Example of an EMI variant
- This organelle stores the genetic information of a eukaryotic cell.
- This organelle synthesises polypeptides using information provided by mRNA.
- This organelle, found in plants, contains chlorophyll.
- Chloroplast
- Mitochondrion
- Lysosome
- Nucleus
- Endoplasmic reticulum
- Peroxisome
- Golgi apparatus
- Ribosome
- 4
- 8
- 1