Element of Chance and Comparative Reliability of Matching Tests and Multiple-Choice Tests

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Abstract
Simple formulas for the reliability of matching tests and multiple-choice tests, based on the assumption that chance success by guessing is the only source of error variation, are derived. The reliabilities of the two types of tests are compared, and an explicit formula relating their reliability coefficients when relevant test parameters remain fixed is presented. It is found that, in the majority of cases which are likely in practice, matching tests are considerably less fallible than multiple-choice tests.