Using Yes–No Recognition Tests to Assess Student Memory for Course Content

Abstract

We report 3 experiments using yes–no recognition tests of student memory for course content. Each test consisted of items encountered in the course and an equal number of foils. Experiment 1 involved an initial test of the methodology and addressed test reliability. Experiments 2 and 3 examined performance before and after completion of courses in introductory psychology, the psychology of learning, and the human odyssey. We found strong relations between posttest performance and other measures of academic performance, including essay and multiple-choice tests and final grades. Yes–no tests are fast and reliable tests of memory for course content, and our results demonstrate their potential usefulness for classroom assessment.