SYSTEMIC MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

IN CHEMISTRY

*Ameen F. M. Fahmy, **J. J. Lagowski

* Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry and Science Education Center, Ain shams University,
Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt
E-mail: fahmy@online.com.eg
** Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry the University of Texas at Austin, TX 78712
E-mail: jjl@mail.cm.utexas.edu

19th ICCE, Seoul, Aug. 12-17 (2006)

In the last nine years, we have designed, implement, and evaluated the systemic
approach to teaching and learning chemistry (SATLC)[1-4]. In continuing this work,
we have designed a new kind of objective test based on systemics, which is presented
here.
The questions in objective tests require a very short answer. The questions are
related to facts (thus, objective) which have unequivocal answers. Objective questions
can be multiple choice, true/false, and fill in the blank. The scoring procedure for an
objective test is completely specified enabling agreement among different scorers.
Traditional objective tests are usually good instruments examining the recall of
information and the application of terms, but they cannot assess learning beyond
comprehension. However, systemic objective tests can challenge students and
potentially can test higher learning levels (e.g., analysis, synthesis, and evaluation in
Bloom’s taxonomy [5,6]).
We illustrate here examples of systemic multiple choice questions that can form
the basis of conventional objective tests and which require a choice from a list of
possible systemic-related answers. Each systemic choice represents three to five
physical, or chemical relations, between concepts, atoms, or molecules.
Various types of systemic multiple choice questions from the fields of general,
organic, heterocyclic, and physical, chemistry are presented here.

1
Type (I): Choices from among triangular systemics:
General Description:
Which of the following systemic diagrams represents the correct relations
between (AC)? Indicate the correct systemic diagram by a (
):
(A, B, C) are concepts, atoms, or compounds.
(X, Y, Z) are physical or chemical relations.

a) A b) A
X Y
Z Z

C B C B
Y X
(……) (……)

c) d)
A A
Z X
Y Y

C B C B
X Z
(……) (……)

Correct answer (
) is (a)

Specific Examples:
Q1. Which systemic diagram represents the correct chemical relations between
iron and its compounds?

a) Fe b) Fe

dil H2SO4 Zn Cl2/

H2SO4/ O2 heat/ air
Fe2(SO4)3 FeSO4 FeCl2 FeCl3
(……) (……)

c) Fe d) Fe
CO/
700°C O2/  O2/

CO dil./H2SO4
FeO 400-700°C Fe3O4 FeSO4 FeO
(……) (……)

Correct answer (
) is (c)

2
Q2. Which systemic diagram represents the correct chemical relations between
sodium and its compounds?

a) Na b) Na
electrolysis
O2/ burn CO2 O2/ burn

HCl H2O
NaCl Na2O NaOH Na2O
(……) (……)

c) Na d) Na

H2O Mg H2O

CO2 HCl
Na2CO NaOH NaCl NaOH
(……) (……)

Correct answer is (
) (a)

Q3. Which systemic diagram represents the correct chemical relations between
ethylene, ethanol, ethyl bromide?
CH2 = CH2 CH2 = CH2
a) b)
aq. KOH, alco. KOH,
dil/H2SO4  dil/H2SO4

PBr3 PBr3
CH3CH
CH - CH2OH
CH3 -CH
CH CH2OH
Br CH3CH2OH 3 2 - Br CH3 - CH2OH
3 2

(……..…) (…………)

c) CH2 = CH2 d) CH2 = CH2

alco. KOH, HBr

 Conc./H2SO4 Conc./H2SO4

PBr3 PBr3
CH3 -CH
CH CH2OH
3 2Br CH3CH2OH CH3CH
CH 3
- CH2OH
2 - Br CH3 - CH2OH

(…….…) (….……)

Correct answer (
) is (b)

3
Q4. Which systemic diagram represents the correct chemical relations between
benzene/ chlorobenzene, and phenol?

Correct answer is (
) (c)

Q5. Which systemic diagram represents the correct chemical relations between
pyrrole and its related compounds?

Correct answer (
) is (a)

4
Type (II): Choices from among quadrilateral systemics:

Q1. Which systemic diagram represents the correct relations between (AD)
Indicate the correct systemic diagram by a (
):
(A, B, C,D) are concepts, atoms, or compounds.
(X, Y, Z,E) are relations.

Correct answer (
) is (a)

Specific Examples:

Q1. Which systemic diagram represents the correct chemical relations between
iron and its compounds?

Correct answer (
) is (b)

5
Q2. Which systemic diagram represents the correct sequence of physical
properties?

Correct answer (
) is (c)

6
Q3. Which systemic diagram represents the correct chemical relations between
sodium and its compounds?

Correct answer (
) is (d)

Q4. Which systemic diagram represents the correct chemical relations between
calcium and its compounds?

Correct answer (
) is (a)

7
Q5. Which systemic diagram represents the reaction sequence Substitution –
Substitution – Elimination – Addition?

Correct answer (
) is (a)

Q7. Which Systemic diagram represents the chemical relations between oxirane,
aziridine, ethanolamine, and ethylene?

Correct answer (
) is (b)

Type (III): Choices from among pentagonal systemics:

8
Which systemic diagram represents the correct relations between (AE)?
Indicate the correct systemic diagram by a (
):
(AE) are concepts, atoms or compounds.
(X, Y, Z,M,F) are physical or chemical relations.
X X
a A B b A B
Y Y

M C Z C

Z M
E D E D
F F
(…...) (……)

c X d Y
A B A B
Y X

F C M C

Z Z
E D E D
M F
(……) (……)

Correct answer (
) is (a)

Specific Examples:
Q1. Which systemic diagram represents the correct chemical relations between
calcium and its compounds?

a O2
Ca CaO
H2O

electrolysis
Ca(OH)2

HCl CO2
CaCl2 CaCO3

(………………..…)

9
 HCl
b) Ca(OH)2 CaCl2
electrolysis


Ca

H2SO4 CO2

CaSO4 CaCO3

(………..…)

c) 
CaCO3 CaO
HCl

CaCl2
H2O

electrolysis
O2
CaO Ca
(………..…)

HCl
d CaO CaCl2
electrolysis

Ca


H2SO4 CO2
CaCO3 Ca(OH)2

(………..…)

Correct answer (
) is (a)

10
Q2. Which systemic diagram represents the correct chemical relations between
ethylene, ethane, acetaldehyde, ethylbromide, and ethanol?
a) Br2/ hv

CH3-CH3 CH3CH2Br
aq. KOH

H2/Ni
CH3CH2OH

KMnO4/
HgSO4/ Conc.H2SO4

CH2=CH2 dil H2SO4

CH3CHO

(………………..…)

b
HBr
CH2=CH2 CH3CH2Br
aq. KOH

H2/Ni
CH3CH2OH

KMnO4/
Zn/ Conc. HCl/
Conc.H2SO4

CH3-CH3 CH3CHO

(………………..…)

c)

alco. KOH


CH3CH2Br CH2=CH2
dil/H2SO4

Br2/ hv

CH3CH2OH

KMnO4/
Zn/ Conc. Conc.H2SO4
HCl/
CH3-CHO
CH3-CH3

(………………..…)

11
d)
aq. KOH
CH3CH2Br CH3-CH2OH
dil/H2SO4

HBr
CH3CHO

Zn/ Conc. HCl/

H2/Ni
CH2=CH2 CH3-CH3

(………………....…)

Correct answer (
) is (c)

CONCLUSIONS
We have shown how the ubiquitous multiple choice format for questions can
be adapted to evaluate student learning using the systemic method of teaching. These
kinds of questions probe the student’s ability to make maximum connections between
classical concepts, elements, compounds, and their reactions. Additionally, students’
recognition of patterns of connection instead of the individual convictions is an
important outcome of teaching and learning. Using systemic methods are important
outcomes of that process and the evaluation technique described here probes that
characteristic.
Keywords:
Systemics, objective tests, evaluation

References:
1- Fahmy, A. F. M., Lagowski, J. J., J. Pure and Appl. 1998, [15th ICCE, Cairo,
August 1998].
2- Fahmy, A. F. M., Hamza, M. A., Medien, H. A. A., Hanna, W. G., Abdel-Sabour,
M. : and Lagowski, J.J., Chinese J.Chem. Edu. 2002, 23(12),12 [17th ICCE,
Beijing, August 2002].
3- Fahmy, A. F. M., Lagowski, J. J; J. Chem. Edu. 2003, 80 (9), 1078.
4- Fahmy, A.F. M., Lagowski, J. J., “Using SATL Techniques to Assess Student
Achievement,” [18th ICCE, Istanbul Turkey, 3-8, August 2004).

12
5- Bloom, B.; Englehart, M.; Furst, E.; Hill, W. and Krathwohl, D. (1956) Taxonomy
of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I:
Cognitive domain. New York, Toronto: Longmans, Green.
6- Anderson, L. W. and Drathwohl (Eds.). (2001). A taxonomy for Learning,
Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational
Objectives. New York: Longman.

13