We compared two formats for optional study sessions offered to students in a research methods course. Study sessions alternated between a game format (e.g., Behavioral Jeopardy) and a student-directed question and answer format, presented in counterbalanced order across different sections of the same course. The results of the alternating…

"Naturalization Test Redesign Project: Civics Item Selection Analysis" provides an overview of the development of content items for the U.S. history and government (civics) portion of the redesigned naturalization test. This document also reviews the process used to gather and analyze data from multiple studies to determine which civics…

Investigates the effect of test familiarization, practice, and coaching upon the test performance of 10- to 11-year-old British school children. Explains there were two conditions: (1) children had three hours of coaching before test taking; and (2) children received coaching after taking three tests. Includes references. (CMK)

This study of the 1982-83 Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores of Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD) seniors indicated an increase in scores over the previous year. The FWISD seniors (n=3,659) scored substantially lower than the national and Texas seniors. However, Fort Worth students took fewer traditional academic subjects.…

Analyses of the results of 23 reports on coaching for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) indicated that, on the average, coaching can help increase SAT scores. The considerable variability in the results of 48 studies reflected the many factors influencing coaching effectiveness and the wide variety of study designs. (SLD)

Whether preparation classes for the American College Testing (ACT) assessment actually raise student scores was studied with middle-class, private-school high school juniors and seniors of various ethnic backgrounds. The 1990-1991 test results for 30 students who had taken an ACT coaching course were compared with those of 30 students who had not.…

The effectiveness of a commercial preparation class in New York City for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) was studied. A group of the regular clientele of the school (55 eleventh graders) was compared with a group of low-income minority students given scholarships to the course (33 Black or Hispanic eleventh graders). The effects of the coaching…

The goal of this study was to understand the role that external testing plays in elementary schools. Focus was on uncovering teachers' beliefs about testing and preparing students to take tests, how these beliefs and values are organized, and what implications they might have on practice. To accomplish this, the day-to-day life in classrooms and…