This study investigated the generality of the negative suggestion effect in objective tests. College students read text passages and took objective tests. Later, they rated statements' validity, including statements from the initial test. Students were more likely to consider objectively false statements true if they had appeared on the earlier…

The susceptibility to faking on the Tennessee Self Concept Scale was examined among college students. Additionally, groups of respondents, instructed to respond in a "random" fashion to pre-determined numbers of items in the TSCS, were subjected to a plausibility analysis of their test response vectors using the Rasch measurement model.…

The effect of test-wise behavior on mental ability and achievement test performance was investigated. When test-wise and test-naive college students were instructed in test-taking skills, both groups demonstrated significant gains in test wiseness. While instruction did not affect test performance, the test-wise subjects performed more…

Two groups of college students participated in test-anxiety reduction programs at a Learning Resource Center. One group (six students) participated in systematic desensitization procedures and the other group (17 students) was exposed to study skills methods of reducing test anxiety. Students in both groups were pretested and posttested with the…

Support claims that the "Defining Issues Test" of cognitive-moral development cannot be faked higher. Finds that instruction about cognitive-moral development affected the scores of the teacher trainees who were tested. (RL)

To examine faking on the Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons Scale (ATDP), undergraduates were asked to respond to ATDP, once honestly and once in a manner reflecting the most positive attitude possible. Fake scores were significantly higher than honest scores, indicating a capacity for "saying the right thing" among students not…

Cites research to support the notion that the time of day in which the SAT is administered has a significant adverse impact on many students taking the test. Suggests that changes in testing procedures (making tests available via computer at any time of the day or year) will serve students. (RS)

Several possible faking predictor scores were related to a continuously measured index of faking based on differences between faked and normal records and also to a dichotomous criterion of faking on the Comrey Personality Scales (CPS). Correlational analysis revealed that a total CPS summary score best indicated fakery. (Author/BJG)

Current coaching practices used in training test wiseness for analogy items on standardized test batteries were investigated in a 3-group design involving about 100 undergraduates in each condition. The largest improvement came in items in the middle range of difficulty, but overall effects of coaching were important. (SLD)

Test-taking skills and methods used to prepare students for taking an examination are independent of knowledge and skills in the content area being tested. Test-taking skills do not give students the correct answers, but do allow the student to concentrate on answering questions without being confused by the mechanics of the test. Students who…

The effectiveness of a strategy for improving performance on multiple choice items for examinees with different levels of test anxiety was assessed. Undergraduate measurement students responded to the Mandler-Sarason Test Anxiety Scale and to an objective test covering course content. Results indicated that, for most examinees, generation of an…

An investigation of self-statements, test anxiety and academic achievement studied 426 college students. Research methodology is defined, demographics and student profiles for both facilitative and debilitative test anxiety are presented, with the resulting findings for each testing component. The student profile for high facilitative test anxiety…

Advantages and disadvantages of no-penalty and penalty marking systems are discussed. Ways in which examiners have attempted to correct for guessing by students are reviewed, along with the use of "don't know" options and confidence-weighting for attempting to assess the degree of certainty that candidates attach to their answers. (Author/LBH)

Discusses college students' general disregard for factual information when writing political science examinations. Concludes that students should be taught to support answers with factual information. Suggests ways to construct examinations which require factual knowledge. (Author/DB)

Ninety-four college males completed a management trainees' selection test that had been developed by criterion-keying. They were instructed once to answer honestly, and once to answer as a highly motivated job applicant would. "Faking" instructions resulted in significantly higher scores. (Author/GDC)