Assessment of the Relation between Students\' Gender and Their Scores on Selecting Confidence Choices in Confidence-Based Exams

Introduction: There are various ways such as confidence-based exams to eliminate lucky guesses on a multiple choice question test. In this study the relation between students’ gender and their score on selecting confidence choices in confidence based exams was assessed. Methods: This was a descriptive retrospective study. It was done on all of the medical students taking Biochemistry course during 2007-2010 in Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences. Data was extracted from files of end-semester confidence based course exams. Finally, the data were analyzed using SPSS and the specified software for confidence-based exam analysis. Results: Mean of the students' confidence level was higher in female students than male ones. Comparisons of confidence level mean in both genders were different and this difference was significant (p=0.047). Conclusion: Results of this study showed that female students answer to confidence based questions with higher confidence than male ones, and this can be because of the different psychological characteristics of the genders

Reasons for Faculty members’ Lack of Interest in Doing Research in the Field of Education from Their Own Perspective in Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: Evaluation of research barriers in any scientific field is of great significance and can reveal the field’s deficiencies and weaknesses. The aim of this study was to assess the reasons for faculty members’ lack of interest in doing research in the field of education from their own perspective in Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on all faculty members of Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences in 2012. The participants were selected through the census method(165). Data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire through which faculty members declared their opinions about educational research problems based on a four-point Likert scale from completely disagree to completely agree (1 to 4). The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistical tests, and Chi-square test. Results: Out of 165 distributed questionnaires, 137 were completed (83% response rate). The most frequent problem declared by faculty members was the tendency to do research in their own fields. Associate professors complained more than assistant professors and instructors about being busy and having no time for educational research (p=0.017). Also Clinical faculty members complained more than non-clinical faculty members about being busy and having no time for educational research (p=0.009). Conclusion: Results showed a necessity in Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences to make arrangements for planning and running workshops of research in education, and to consider special benefits for faculty members in order to carry out research in the field of education