What is a major disadvantage of "True or False" questions?

One significant disadvantage of "True or False" questions is the high likelihood that students might guess the correct answer purely by chance. Since there are only two possible answers, students have a 50% chance of guessing correctly when they are uncertain. This can lead to an inflated sense of understanding or knowledge about the content, as students may receive credit for answers they did not genuinely know. This guessing factor diminishes the reliability of these questions as an accurate assessment tool, particularly in evaluating a student's comprehension and mastery of the material.

In contrast, engaging students meaningfully, connecting questions to real-life scenarios, or covering a broad range of content could address some of the criticisms of traditional assessments, but these aspects do not inherently mitigate the issue of chance with binary questions. The design of assessment plays a crucial role in the reflection of a student's true abilities and understanding, making the propensity for random guessing a key downside in the use of "True or False" formats.