Personality and preference for evaluation methods: A study among business administration students

• Published in: Studies in educational evaluation 2013-06, Vol.39 (2), p.103-115
• Main Authors: Lakhal, Sawsen, Sévigny, Serge, Frenette, Éric
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Business major; Business schools; Business students; Evaluation methods; Five factor model; Gender; Personality; Preference; Preferences; Student evaluation; Testing
• ISSN: 0191-491X; 1879-2529
• DOI: 10.1016/j.stueduc.2013.02.002

► Improving students’ persistence in higher education. ► Studying factors related to preference for evaluation methods (PEM). ► Gender, business major and personality are related to PEM. ► Potential impacts of the results on academic success in business schools. The goal of this study is to verify whether preference for evaluation methods can be predicted by personality as defined by the Big Five model, when controlling for gender and business major. A sample of 108 students enrolled in two compulsory undergraduate business courses completed an online questionnaire. Analysis of multiple linear hierarchical regressions indicate that gender, business major and personality account for 7–16% of the variance in preference for case studies, group work, oral exams, written exams, multiple choice tests, and practical work. These findings are discussed with regard to the relationship between personality factors predicting preference for evaluation methods and potential impacts on student evaluation and academic success in business schools.