Speeded tests set time limits so that few examinees can reach all items, and power tests allow most test-takers sufficient time to attempt all items. Educational achievement tests are sometimes described as "timed power tests" because the amount of time provided is intended to allow nearly all students to complete the test, yet this…

The purpose of this study was to empirically examine the grade distributions of proctored and unproctored exams in an online learning environment. The authors statistically compared exam scores and time to complete exams for proctored and unproctored exams in two online courses. Student data were collected from an online section of introductory…

To slow the spread of COVID-19, many universities have had to move to online teaching, which entails changing exams from in-person to online. Online exams can facilitate cheating when there is no direct proctoring. To provide some form of control in unproctored exams, Cluskey et al. (2011) suggested having substantial time pressure; yet there are…

Time control plays a critical role within the online mastery learning (OML) approach. This paper examines the two commonly implemented mastery learning strategies--personalised system of instructions and learning for mastery (LFM)--by focusing on what occurs when there is an instructional time constraint. Using a large data set from a postgraduate…

In preparation for online administration of the ACT® test, ACT conducted studies to examine the comparability of scores between online and paper administrations, including a timing study in fall 2013, a mode comparability study in spring 2014, and a second mode comparability study in spring 2015. This report presents major findings from these…

In an effort to better understand the impact of timing limits, the authors compare the learning outcomes of students who completed timed quizzes with students who took untimed quizzes in economics principles courses. Students were assigned two online quizzes--one timed and one untimed--and re-tested on the material the following class day. Our…

No significant body of research examines writing achievement and the specific skills and knowledge in the writing domain for postsecondary (college) students in the U.S., even though many at-risk students lack the prerequisite writing skills required to persist in their education. This paper addresses this gap through a novel…

When power tests include a time limit, it is important to assess the possibility of speededness for examinees. Past research on differential speededness has examined gender and ethnic subgroups in the United States on paper and pencil tests. When considering the needs of a global audience, research regarding different native language speakers is…

Data from 181 college students were used to assess whether math reasoning item response times in computerized testing can provide valid and reliable measures of a speed dimension. The alternate forms reliability of the speed dimension was .85. A two-dimensional structural equation model suggests that the speed dimension is related to the accuracy…

College students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often request and receive extended time to complete high-stakes exams and classroom tests. This study examined the performances and behaviors of college students on computerized simulations of high-stakes exams. Thirty-five college students with ADHD were compared to 185 typical…

When power tests include a time limit, it is important to assess the possibility of "speededness" for examinees. Research on differential speededness in the past has included looking at gender and ethnic subgroups in the United States on paper and pencil tests. The needs of a global audience necessitated, and the availability of computer…

The current study used three data sources to estimate time requirements for different item types on the now current SAT Reasoning Test™. First, we estimated times from a computer-adaptive version of the SAT® (SAT CAT) that automatically recorded item times. Second, we observed students as they answered SAT questions under strict time limits and…

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if a single math-based chronometric task could accurately discriminate between college students with and without a diagnosed math disorder. Analyzing data from 31 students (6 in the case group, 25 in the clinical comparison group), it was found that the single chronometric task could accurately…

This study investigated the effect of several different modes of test administration on scores and completion times. In Experiment 1, paper-based assessment was compared to computer-based assessment. Undergraduates completed the computer-based assessment faster than the paper-based assessment, with no difference in scores. Experiment 2 assessed…

Time limits on some computer-adaptive tests (CATs) are such that many examinees have difficulty finishing, and some examinees may be administered tests with more time-consuming items than others. Results from over 100,000 examinees suggested that about half of the examinees must guess on the final six questions of the analytical section of the…