This article presents the features, and a brief comparison, of some of the most well-known high-stakes exams. They are classified in the following fashion: tests that only include multiple-choice questions, tests that include writing and multiple-choice questions, and tests that include speaking questions. The tests reviewed are: BULATS, IELTS,…

The present study revisited the issue of simultaneous attention to form and meaning from a methodological perspective that addressed several potential methodological issues of previous research in this strand of inquiry. Seventy-two second-semester-level participants were randomly assigned to one of five experimental groups, including a control,…

Students in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields are confronted with multiple external representations (MERs) in their learning materials. The ability to learn from and communicate with these MERs requires not only that students comprehend each representation individually but also that students recognize how the…

Little is known about how best to teach mathematics to students with learning disabilities. This study explored the performance and self-reported calculator use of 13 sixth-grade and 15 seventh-grade students with learning disabilities educated in either standards-based or traditional mathematics curricula on multiple-choice and open-ended…

This study investigated the convergent and discriminant validity of the high-stakes Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in both reading and writing at grade levels 4, 8, and 10. The data from the 2006 FCAT administration were analyzed via traditional multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) analysis to identify the factor structure and structural…

The test, written for secondary school science students, consists of two parts. Part One contains 34 multiple-choice questions aimed at determining the students understanding of science processes. Part Two presents a problem which requires students (1) to plot data on a graph, (2) observe the data and offer a possible explanation for what is…

A student achievement test concerning the "Wonderful You" ITV series for the second grade is presented. Explicit directions are given. The test consists of 25 multiple-choice and yes-no questions. (For related documents, see TM 002 621-633, 635.) (KM)

A student achievement test for the "Patterns" ITV series for the sixth grade on mathematics is presented. The test consists of 18 multiple-choice items. (For related documents, see TM 002 621-634.) (KM)

Eighteen studies of the effects of changing initial answers to objective test items are reviewed. While students throughout the total test score range tended to gain more points than they lost, higher scoring students gain more than did lower scoring students. Suggestions for further research are made. (Author/JKS)

Presents 20 multiple-choice and true-or-false questions that can be used to test for basic knowledge of BIOSIS Previews, a large online life sciences database. (MES)

The author discusses writing items for a multiple-choice test. Topics include (1) formatting, (2) central theme development, (3) stem revision, (4) distractors, and (5) test validity and reliability. (CH)

In this study, three structural characteristics--stem format, inclusive versus specific distracters, and stem orientation--were selected for experimental manipulation, while the number of alternatives, the number of correct answers, and the order of items were experimentally controlled. (Author)