Coefficient alpha is appropriate to use with all of the following test formats EXCEPT
A) multiple-choice.
B) true-false.
C) short-answer for which partial credit is awarded.
D) essay exam with no partial credit awarded.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Coefficient alpha measures the internal consistency of a test, which means it is appropriate to use with test formats that have some degree of homogeneity in the item content and response format. Multiple-choice and true-false questions usually meet this criterion because they are typically designed to assess knowledge of specific content areas or concepts. Short-answer questions with partial credit also have a degree of homogeneity because they focus on specific aspects of the content. However, essay exams with no partial credit awarded may have a wider range of content and response formats, making it difficult to assess internal consistency using coefficient alpha.

Coefficient Alpha Is Appropriate to Use with All of the Following