Effects of allowing examinees to select questions on a test of divergent thinking

Under some circumstances, allowing examinees to choose which test items to respond to may increase test validity. In this study, we explored how choic e, that is, allowing examinees to assign themselves to test questions, affe cted examinee performance and test characteristics for a measure of the abi lity to generate hypotheses about a given situation. Four forms of this exp erimental test were randomly spiraled within a large sample of students tak ing the computer-based Graduate Record Examinations General Test, with 2 of the forms allowing examinee choice. Results suggested that items were in f act differentially attractive to examinees, indicating that in some form ch oice was operating. Furthermore, performance was significantly higher when a given item was chosen than when it was required. There was some indicatio n that internal consistency was improved by allowing examinee choice. Final ly, the difficulties in designing definitive studies of the effects of exam inee choice are discussed.