Single best answers (single choice, SC) are the classical tools used in medical examinations on all levels of education. In contrast, very short answer (VSA) probably requires sound prior knowledge and deeper learning than SC, and VSA should make cueing and guessing impossible. Hence, in a basic pharmacology course, we wanted to compare the SC and VSA formats directly at the end of the course and one year later. Medical students (n = 211) were given a formative online test. Two groups were randomly formed (A and B). Participants in group A were first given fifteen single choices (one out of five) pharmacology questions and thereafter fifteen very short answer questions (open question which were to be answered online and semiautomatically assessed). Very similar questions with regard to learning objectives but in opposite order were given to group B. After one year, about half of students from group A were again given the very same questions (AA) or the opposite questions (AB). Likewise, group B was again tested with the opposite questions (BA) or the same (BB). The SC questions in groups A, AA, AB, B, BA, and BB were in sum easier to answer than the corresponding VSA questions. Repeating the test after one year with the same students increased retention of right answers by about 1.5 points. In summary, direct comparison questions in the VSA format are more difficult for our students to answer than questions in the SC format, conceivably because cueing and guessing are eliminated. Knowledge retention is present by repeating the very same examination format online. Retention of knowledge is higher when starting with VSA (group B) both for a subsequent SC format or a VSA format. These data would argue for more use of the VSA format at least in pharmacology examinations.

中文翻译：

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一年期药理课程的医学生非常简短答案和单个最佳答案在线测试的比较

最佳答案（单项选择，SC）是在所有教育水平的医学检查中使用的经典工具。相反，非常短的答案（VSA）可能需要比SC更好的先验知识和更深入的学习，并且VSA应该使提示和猜测变得不可能。因此，在基本的药理学课程中，我们希望在课程结束时和一年后直接比较SC和VSA格式。医学生（n = 211）进行了在线形成性测试。随机分为两组（A和B）。A组参与者首先要接受15个单项选择（五分之一）的药理问题，然后选择15个非常简短的回答问题（开放式问题，可以在线和半自动评估答案）。关于学习目标的问题非常相似，但对B组的问题却是相反的。一年后，来自A组的大约一半学生再次遇到了相同的问题（AA）或相反的问题（AB）。同样，对B组再次使用相反的问题（BA）或相同的问题（BB）进行测试。总之，与相应的VSA问题相比，A，AA，AB，B，BA和BB组中的SC问题更容易回答。一年后与同一名学生重复测试，可以使正确答案的保留率提高约1.5分。总之，与SC形式的问题相比，VSA形式的直接比较问题比SC形式的问题更难让我们的学生回答，这很可能是因为消除了提示和猜测。通过在线重复非常相同的考试形式可以保留知识。对于后续的SC格式或VSA格式，从VSA（组B）开始时，知识保留度更高。这些数据证明至少在药理学检查中应更多使用VSA格式。通过在线重复非常相同的考试形式可以保留知识。对于后续的SC格式或VSA格式，从VSA（组B）开始时，知识保留度更高。这些数据证明至少在药理学检查中应更多使用VSA格式。通过在线重复非常相同的考试形式可以保留知识。对于后续的SC格式或VSA格式，从VSA（组B）开始时，知识保留度更高。这些数据证明至少在药理学检查中应更多使用VSA格式。