Understanding test-taking strategies (TTSs) and the variables that influence TTSs is crucial to understanding what reading comprehension tests measure. We examined how passage and student characteristics were associated with TTSs and their impact on response accuracy. Third (n = 78), fifth (n = 86), and eighth (n = 86) graders read and answered…

Reading comprehension tests involve not only reading passages and answering questions but also making choices such as the test-taking strategy to use, whether to search passages for answers, and where to begin searching. We examined the associations between student characteristics, passage type, test-taking strategies, and students' time searching…

Since No Child Left Behind was enacted, school districts have felt forced to focus on testing. Almost every curriculum decision is based on raising test scores. Under pressure to raise test scores, teachers are encouraged to implement strategies in their classrooms to prepare their students for the PSSA. No Child Left Behind has left school…