In US-based postsecondary education, first-year students commonly have their compositional ability consequentially assessed on the basis of standardized tests. As a result, students who score above certain thresholds on ACT, SAT, or AP exams often are placed into honors or remedial courses; receive credit remissions; and/or test out of general…

Aside from simulating test taking, most test preparation courses stress the importance of following directions, working rapidly, thinking clearly, and learning other elements of test-wiseness. (Author/IRT)

Suggests that students can improve their memory of Scholastic Aptitude Test vocabulary words by associating the words with corresponding pictures taken from magazines. Finds that long-term recall of words associated with pictures was higher than recall of words not associated with pictures. (RS)

Describes software packages used to help prepare for the Scholastic Aptitude Test, considering features that the packages have in common as well as unique features that each package has. Also lists and ranks the products and their features in a chart (indicating system requirements and current cost). (JN)

Identifies general and specific skills for taking tests. Contends that students who use effective general test-taking skills improve their performance on standardized tests. (JDH)

Describes study to determine effect on Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores of coaching with a microcomputer software program, Computer SAT. Results indicate mathematics scores are improved by computer coaching with no difference between effectiveness of individual or small group computer use, and verbal scores are improved by small group use.…

Describes a game that was developed in lieu of the traditional end of the chapter review used to assess student knowledge of a subject. (ZWH)

Data collected by the Federal Trade Commission from the Educational Testing Service (1975 to 1977) and two commercial coaching schools in the New York metropolitan area are used in an observational study to test the hypothesis that commercial coaching can improve performance on the Scholastic Aptitude Test. (Author/PN)

A poem reviewing the plot of "Macbeth" is a sample of what teachers and students can create as a review exercise before examinations. (RL)

The term "coaching" applies to a variety of types of test preparation programs which vary in length, instructional method, and content. Most research on the effectiveness of coaching has examined the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), a measure of academic abilities used to predict college performance. This ERIC Digest reviews studies of…

This study investigated the effects of two practice reading methods (an ACT [American College Test]-prep program) on the performance of 11th grade students (N=43) on an ACT science portion mockup sub-test. A pre-test, treatment, post-test with control group design was used in the study. The treatments included that students read the ACT science…

Offers suggestions for ways to motivate reluctant readers, assign reading autobiographies, and prepare students for the SAT. (AEA)

The literature on the use of hypnosis in an educational setting is briefly reviewed, and a hypnotic approach involving the use of the clenched fist as a conditioned trigger to improve examination performance is described. A study of 60 high school students indicates that the approach can improve test outcomes. (TJH)

Includes two activities: (1) a skit to review variations of the trigonometric functions, and (2) a geometry problem about maximizing costs that exposes students to a variety of different solution strategies and makes the material more meaningful. (MKR)

Describes the methods by which one teacher prepared eighth-grade language arts students for the Florida Writing Assessment exam. Considers the pros and cons of such activities. Advocates activities in which students are asked to evaluate each other's writing. (HB)