Using Test-Taking Strategies to Maximize Multiple-Choice Test Scores

Abstract

The study was designed to answer two questions: (1) Can cognitive strategies to increase testwiseness be taught? (2) Can the testwiseness strategies be generalized by students so they can improve their scores on examinations other than those measuring testwiseness? Fifty-four undergraduate education students served as subjects. The treatment consisted of a one-hour lecture/discussion presentation covering four cognitive strategies identified as comprising testwiseness. This was followed by a 48 item instrument developed to measure testwiseness on typical classroom examinations. The results demonstrate that it is possible to teach four cognitive strategies which are part of testwiseness. On all measures of testwiseness, the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group.

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