Test-Taking Strategies of High and Low Mathematics Achievers

Abstract

The authors explored test-preparation and test-taking strategies that high school students used in algebra tests. From a pool of high school students (N = 156), 61 students participated in interviews, and of those interviewed, 26 represented those who were high achieving as well as highly interested in mathematics (n = 15) vs. those who were low achieving and showed a low level of interest in mathematics (n = 11). The authors performed category elicitation by using the interview protocols of 56 participants in 3 areas: testpreparation strategy, test-preparation awareness, and test-taking strategy. Elicited constructs included cognitive as well as emotional and motivational strategies and concerns. Whereas some strategies and awareness were common in high and low achievers in mathematics, some strategies varied between the 2 groups. The authors discussed the need for strategy instructions for enhancing high school students' study and test-taking strategies and for addressing their motivational concerns.

The successful test taker: exploring test-taking behavior profiles through cluster analysis

“…Test anxiety and test motivation have also been found to be related to general test-taking strategies, including risk-taking (see, e.g., Dodeen et al 2014;Hong et al 2006;Peng et al 2014). The use of effective test-taking strategies has been shown to be positively related to level of motivation, while test anxiety has been shown to affect the use of test-taking strategies negatively (Dodeen et al 2014;Peng et al 2014).…”

“…Test anxiety and test motivation have also been found to be related to general test-taking strategies, including risk-taking (see, e.g., Dodeen et al 2014;Hong et al 2006;Peng et al 2014). The use of effective test-taking strategies has been shown to be positively related to In sum, earlier research has found that test-taking behavior in terms of risk-taking and ability to manage emotional and motivational factors are important when taking a test, especially in a high-stakes test situation.…”

“…However, a recent study conducted in a high-stakes test situation showed that high and low achievers differ in reported motivation, with low achievers reporting significantly lower levels of motivation than high achievers (Stenlund et al 2017). Further, studies have shown that there seems to be gender differences in both reported test anxiety and motivation, where females tend to report higher levels of test anxiety (Stenlund et al 2017;Cassady and Johnson 2002;Naylor 1997;Zeidner 1998), and males tend to report lower levels of motivation (DeMars et al 2013).Test anxiety and test motivation have also been found to be related to general test-taking strategies, including risk-taking (see, e.g., Dodeen et al 2014;Hong et al 2006;Peng et al 2014). The use of effective test-taking strategies has been shown to be positively related to In sum, earlier research has found that test-taking behavior in terms of risk-taking and ability to manage emotional and motivational factors are important when taking a test, especially in a high-stakes test situation.…”

“…Eur J Psychol Educ (2018) shown that for a test taker to be successful when taking a test, it is important to be able to reduce anxiety and sustain motivation (Dodeen et al 2014;Naylor 1997;Sternberg 1998), as well as using effective test-taking strategies, such as willingness to take risks (Bicak 2013;Bond and Harman 1994;Dodeen 2008). Studies in this area often compare groups of test takers and have for example found that high achievers tend to report using more effective testtaking strategies when compared to low achievers (Stenlund et al 2017;Ellis and Ryan 2003;Hong et al 2006;Kim and Goetz 1993), that males are more prone to taking risks when answering test items (see, e.g., Baldiga 2014), and that females and low achievers seem to experience higher levels of test anxiety than males and high achievers (Stenlund et al 2017;Cassady and Johnson 2002;Naylor 1997). Findings like these can help understand and to some extent possibly explain performance differences that are often observed between manifest groups in achievement tests.…”

Designing for learner engagement with computer-based testing

“…Like the students in Hong, Sas, and Sas' (2006) investigation of the test-taking strategies of high school students in a paperbased mathematics examination and Walker, Topping, and Rodrigues' (2008) investigation of first-and second-year university students' expectations and perceptions of a computer-based science examination, the students in our study attempted to deploy a range of organisational (e.g. time management and sequencing) and cognitive (e.g.…”