Aim: To compare the frequency of misconceptions amongst dental students resulting from assessments in different subject areas using different types of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). We wanted to know whether misconceptions, or strongly held incorrect beliefs, differed by subject area or question type.
Methods: A total of 104 students completed two assessments that included 20 MCQs on endodontics and 20 MCQs on dental implants. On each examination, 10 questions were scenario-type questions requiring interpretation or analysis and 10 questions were factual-based, knowledge questions. Incorrect responses and confidence levels by student and subject were recorded for a comparison of average misconceptions by question type and for correlations between scenario and knowledge question types for misconceptions on both assessments.
Results: Students were overly confident on their incorrect responses and misconceptions for both assessments. On the endodontic examination, students held a statistically significant higher number of mean misconceptions on scenario questions than for knowledge questions, but the difference was not statistically significant for the dental implant examination. There was a moderately weak relationship between scenario and knowledge questions for misconceptions on the endodontic (r=.31) and dental implant (r=.20) assessments, suggesting students who have misconceptions on knowledge questions are somewhat more likely to have misconceptions on scenario questions.
Conclusion: Students had a consistent rate of overconfidence (75%) in their incorrect responses regardless of question type or dental subject. Questions that prompted a higher per cent of incorrect responses were more likely to detect misconceptions, as students were highly confident in their mistakes, for both assessments.
Keywords: confidence; dental education; misconceptions; multiple-choice questions.
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.