“Error Checking-and-Correcting” Exam Questions Developed for Powder X-ray Diffraction Program: Assessing Critical Thinking and Real-World Application Competence

Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) is one of the most powerful and frequently used methods for phase and structural studies. However, the traditional type of explanation-calculation exam questions developed for the PXRD program is incapable of fully assessing the students’ spectrum of cognitive competence. Here, a new set of “error checking-and-correcting” exam questions was developed for the program. The exam questions aid teachers in assessing the true level of students’ understanding and grasp of basic knowledge and important concepts/theory of PXRD, as well as critical thinking ability to solve real-world problems. The similar philosophy can be used to pedagogically improve the teaching and learning of other characterization methods.