Studies have indicated that pictures in test items can impact item-solving performance, information processing (e.g., time on task) and metacognition as well as test-taking affect and motivation. The present review aims to better organize the existing and somewhat scattered research on multimedia effects in testing and problem solving while…

This study investigates how factors such as student achievement goals for a course, language skills, outside work commitments, and test anxiety are related to performance on multiple-choice exams and nonexam assignments. The study also explores whether these factors explain the time taken to complete exams and whether exam completion speed is…

Students often feel time pressure when taking tests, and students with disabilities are sometimes given extended time testing accommodations, but little research has been done on the factors that affect students' test-taking speed. In the present study, 253 students at two colleges completed measures of processing speed, reading fluency, and…

The effect of planning on second language (L2) learners' oral performance is a hotly debated topic in the field of second language acquisition. However, studies on the effect of different amounts of planning time have been quite limited, especially in a testing context. The present study investigated the effects of different lengths of…

The amount of notes and textbook use were related to candidates' previously measured abilities in the area, to their scores on the examination; and to their responses to a questionnaire. Results indicated that those who devoted more examination time to using notes and texts obtained less good scores and had obtained low scores on previous…

Test-taking skills not only should but can be taught. Discussed are four strategies of test wiseness which research has shown to be of value: (1) physical, emotional, and intellectual preparation; (2) time-use strategies; (3) error-avoidance strategies; and (4) guessing strategies. (RM)

This booklet is designed for elementary and middle school teachers to use in teaching students how to improve their test-taking skills. The authors draw the analogy between an athlete preparing for the big race and a young student getting ready for an important test. The central character is an underdeveloped test-taking tiger who, after going…

Four mathematics test-item types that may perform differently when calculators are used were assessed using data from 160 high school students attending a summer enrichment program. The effects of testing with and without calculators on testing time, test reliability, item difficulty, and item discrimination were also assessed. (TJH)

A description is presented of an improvement program that focused upon a small, flexible, open primary school. The school had been targeted for improvement because of rather low test scores. Improvement efforts focused on findings from four basic strands of school research: (1) structured learning environment; (2) academic feedback; (3) high…

A turnaround school in Mission, Texas proves poverty and underachievement are not synonymous. The 1998 passing rate on state assessments was 90.7 percent, compared to 41.2 percent in 1993. Factors include committed faculty, a strong principal, extended reading practice and instructional time, incentives and recognition, and pre-assessment…

After adjusting for different background characteristics of students, effects on test scores were related to the length and type of test coaching programs offered. The data suggest that the test item types in the Graduate Record Examination General Test appear to show little susceptibility to formal coaching experiences. (Author/DWH)

Reviews aspects of our cultural environment that have changed over the past half century and that may significantly affect children's intellectual development. Positive influences include increased student and parental education attainment, decreased family size, increased family resources, and shifts in parenting style. One negative factor is…