The faculty at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine has developed an explanation of repeated medical student failures on Part I of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) examination. They see the failures as the result of incomplete development of reasoning skills. Author/MLW)

No differences in immediate recognition performance were found for 30 undergraduate students who reorganized notes into an instructor-generated matrix versus subjects who reviewed in their typical manner. Reorganization during review resulted in relatively higher achievement on a free recall test, while unstructured review produced higher…

High test scores may measure general intelligence or test taking "savvy" rather than acquisition of knowledge of a particular subject. Pretests may help instructors differentiate between material students already know and good performance based on flaws in the wording of tests as indicated by pretests administered to college chemistry…

A model which gives maximum likelihood estimates of measurement error within the context of a simplex model for practice effects is presented. The appropriateness of the model is tested for five traits, and error estimates are compared to the classical formula estimates. (Author/JKS)

This study tests the hypothesis that student attributions of the causes of success on their examinations (ability, extra help, and extra effort) depends upon the test type (objective, problems, or essay). Findings supported the hypothesis. (AM)

Finds support for the hypothesis that individuals who prefer a visualization strategy will obtain higher scores on the "Mental Rotation Test" than individuals who prefer an orientation strategy. (RL)

Four samples of university freshmen (N=859) rated the influence of 10 possible factors on exam performance. A subset sample (n=209) assessed 10 factors along 3 of the 4 dimensions identified in the first study. Results indicate that the dimensions of locus, stability, control, and globality constitute major causal attributions. (TJH)

Cites research to support the notion that the time of day in which the SAT is administered has a significant adverse impact on many students taking the test. Suggests that changes in testing procedures (making tests available via computer at any time of the day or year) will serve students. (RS)

Relationships between multiple-choice test answer changing and testwiseness skills, and between these two variables and examination performance were studied with 150 college business students. Answer-changing behavior was related to multiple-choice test performance but not to testwiseness or performance on the nonmultiple choice portion.…

Teacher education candidates who had failed admission tests were coached in test taking and taught relaxation techniques. Three passed a retake immediately and three others within 3 months. Strategies such as affirmations, appeals to different learning modalities, positive anchors, and mental dress rehearsals can help students deal with test…

Studies the effect of knowing the test as one aspect of a test preparation strategy with 57 premedical post-baccalaureate students. Finds that results emphasize the value of first-hand experience with a facsimile of a test and the importance of analyzing the structure and format to improve test performance. (NH)

A study was conducted to determine to what extent college teacher-made multiple-choice tests contain test-wiseness clues that can be used to identify correct answers. A sample of 43 undergraduate teacher-made examinations was obtained from two colleges and three universities. The sample included midterm and final examinations and quizzes. The…

Thirty university students enrolled in an eight-session study skills program. Fifteen subjects were required to teach the contents of each session to a friend, and the remaining 15 subjects constituted an nonteaching control. All subjects reported significantly better study habits following the program. (Author)

This study was designed to determine if non-science majors who have a 1-hour teacher-structured review before each major test score higher than students who review by self-preparation. Four laboratory science classes in a junior college in Mississippi were randomly selected, with two classes assigned as the control group and two classes as the…

The intervention in this study focused upon effective test taking, defined as the capacity to use acquired subject matter knowledge to achieve test scores consistent with an individual's knowledge level. This approach also emphasized self-assessment and self-directed learning. The procedure was employed in efforts to enhance a class of medical…