In the game Dichotomy, the player reviews individual items and places them in one of two mutually exclusive or contradictory categories. A common example of this game uses the two categories True and False.
The Purpose of this game is to improve or test understanding of key:
Concepts
Principles
Facts
Processes
Procedures
other information types.
The mental processing required to match items to dichotomous categories helps the learner to:
Move information from short-term memory to long-term memory
Deepen understanding of how the information they are learning
Apply what they learn to their own jobs
Instructional Value
Dichotomy is useful for realizing the following learning
objectives:
Learning Objectives
Example Question
Increase information retention by recalling and
organizing factual information.
Q - The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires the
rotation of audit partners on the audit
engagement team. A - True or False
Deepen conceptual understanding by
emphasizing critical features.
Q - For each of the following, indicate
whether they are more like an Open Question
or Closed Question.
- Tell me about your vision.
- Do you want to be profitable?
- Who is the decision-maker here?
- What is your decision-making process?
- Do you want to meet Wednesday or
Thursday? A - Open Question or Closed Question
Increase retention of procedures or practices
by highlighting elements of a step or
component.
Q – Rate the following practice according to
OSHA guidelines: Removal of guardrails, mid-
rails, and toe-boards during operation. A - Acceptable or Unacceptable
Choose a Game
To see an example of an Dichotomy game, choose a game below.
Overview
Increase information retention by recalling and 
