Development of a multiple-choice MATLAB theory and syntax exam

Examinations in programming courses that require students to write code to solve a problem are an excellent method for testing how well a student has mastered language syntax, programming theory, and problem solving technique. However, if a student struggles with problem solving, it is often difficult for students to demonstrate any understanding of syntax or theory. To address this situation, faculty for a freshman engineering MATLAB-focused introductory programming course at a private southeastern STEM+Business-only university have been giving exams that are a combination of practical programming problems and multiple-choice questions. This research is focused on performing an item analysis of the questions appearing on those exams with the immediate goal being a multiple-choice exam with both topic coverage and documentation of it´s ability to properly discriminate knowledge.