Interviews were conducted with 104 students in masters' level classes to determine their reasons for changing test answers. Subjects previously had been instructed in answer-changing strategies. Most changes were for thought out reasons; few were because of clerical errors. Reconsideration of test items is probably underestimated in…

Magnetic resonance imaging was used to demonstrate that larger brain size (corrected for body size) was associated with higher intelligence quotient (IQ) for 40 right-handed college students grouped by high and average IQ and sex. Results suggest the relevance of brain size to intelligence test performance. (SLD)

The Study Habits Inventory examined strengths and weaknesses in secondary education majors' notetaking, studying, and test-taking skills and found students were well-prepared to teach important studying and testing skills. Research indicates that prospective teachers' academic skills may positively affect their achievement in academic settings.…

Describes the difficulties caused by educators holding to a view of teaching that assumes that there is one "pedagogically correct" way of running a classroom. Provides three examples of harmful pedagogical correctness ("untracked" classes, cooperative learning, and testing and test-wiseness). Argues that such dogmatic views of…

The frequency of multiple testing on the Proficiency Examination Program (PEP) multiple-choice tests, the characteristics of examinees who retest, and the effects of retesting on test scores were examined. Tests in the PEP program cover a broad range of academic disciplines and generally include material covered in one or two semesters of an…

Examined are the effects of test-taking training given to Hispanic students on the reliability and predictive validity of a mathematics predictor test. The sample consisted of 535 entering Hispanic college students. Of these, 241 completed most of their education in the United States and had prior familiarity with multiple-choice tests, while 294…

Test wiseness programs and computer assisted study skills instruction (CASSI) were found to be valuable resources for college reading and study skills instructors and students at St. Cloud State University (Minnesota). Two booklets on test wiseness cues were reorganized and used as computer programs to allow the information to be presented outside…

Student handouts which are written "tongue-in-cheek" tell the student to do exactly the opposite of what should be done to improve study skills. Reasons given for using a paradoxical teaching approach are to create an element of surprise, to increase attention, to encourage identification with what is being taught, to increase awareness…

The objectives for this study were to: (1) develop a valid, reliable measure of test-wiseness with equivalent forms for use with students in the health sciences; and (2) determine the level of test-wiseness of entering medical students. The test-wiseness areas included in this study were: similar options, umbrella term, item give-away, convergence…

Whether or not a short-term intervention program could improve performance on standardized figural analogy and surface development tests was studied through training 10 students from an introductory psychology class with relatively low scores on the figural analogies subtest of the Cognitive Abilities Test. An additional 10 students served as…

The relative contributions of test anxiety and exam-taking skills to information-processing deficits were investigated in a dual-task paradigm comparing high and low test-anxious students with either good or poor exam-taking skills. Sixty-four undergraduate students (21 males, 43 females) were selected based upon pre-test scores on the Test…

Materials to help disadvantaged students at Bowie State College gain learning and study skills are presented. Guidelines, questionnaires and self-assessment forms, and learning activities on the following subjects are provided: time management, study methods, note-taking and test-taking strategies, and decision-making. Included is the Effective…

Effects of test-taking instruction for University of North Carolina medical students who failed end-of-year examinations were studied. The exam is compensatory and includes a number of subtests, including National Board (NB) Part I standardized subtests in pathology, pharmacology, and physiology. Students who had to repeat NB Part I subtests were…

A seminar was offered to improve the understanding of tests as they are used in academic and employment decisions, and to assist participants in improving their scores on standardized tests through increased understanding of test-taking strategies. The long- and short-range implications of training students in the techniques of test-taking are…

Black undergraduate students (N=262) randomly assigned to three groups read premarked reading materials having both correct and extraneous markings. Results indicated that markings significantly affected reading comprehension. Recommendations for educators concerning correct and extraneous markings are made. (Author)