Does rapid guessing prevent the detection of the effect of a time limit in testing?

Rapid guessing is a test taking strategy recommended for increasing the probability of achieving a high score if a time limit prevents an examinee from responding to all items of a scale. The strategy requires responding quickly and without cognitively processing item details. Although there may be no omitted responses after participants' rapid guessing, an open question remains: do the data show unidimensionality, as is expected for data collected by a scale, or bi-dimensionality characterizing data collected with a time limit in testing, speeded data. To answer this question, we simulated speeded and rapid guessing data and performed confirmatory factor analysis using one-factor and two-factor models. The results revealed that speededness was detectable despite the presence of rapid guessing. However, detection may depend on the number of response options for a given set of items.

Strategies in dealing with the Reading Section of ‘TOEFL Prediction’: a case of Aceh EFL Learners

ABSTRACTHighlighting the TOEFL prediction test, this study attempted to explore EFL learners’ strategies in dealing with the reading comprehension section of the TOEFL prediction test, both in reading the texts and tackling the questions. This study employed a qualitative research design as its approach and a semi-structured interview as the instrument to gain the data. Six participants were purposively selected from the English Language Education Department of UIN Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh. They were interviewed concerning their reading strategies in dealing with the questions in the TOEFL Prediction test. The findings revealed five strategies used by the participants in contending with the TOEFL reading section, classified into reading strategy and test-taking strategy. The reading strategies consist of skimming and scanning the passages, using context to understand the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary, and utilizing background knowledge. Meanwhile, reviewing the questions and prioritizing easier questions are included in the test-taking strategy. This study proposes further research to investigate the effectiveness of particular strategies in improving EFL students’ performance in facing the reading section.ABSTRAKMengangkat topik tes TOEFL Prediksi, penelitian ini mencoba menyelidiki strategi yang dilakukan oleh mahasiswa-mahasiswi Bahasa Inggris dalam menghadapi bagian Reading Comprehension di tes TOEFL, baik strategi ketika membaca teks maupun ketika menjawab soal-soal yang tersedia. Studi ini menggunakan pendekatan qualitatif dan menggunakan wawancara semi-terstruktur sebagai instrument untuk menghasilkan data. Teknik purposive sampling digunakan dalam memilih enam partisipan untuk studi ini yang keenamnya berasal dari Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris UIN Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa ada lima strategi yang digunakan oleh partisipan dalam menyelesaikan TOEFL Reading Section. Kelima strategi tersebut dapat diklasifikasikan kepada reading strategy (strategi membaca) dan test-taking strategy (strategi dalam menghadapi tes). Reading strategies terdiri dari membaca teks dengan menggunakan teknik skimming and scanning, menggunakan konteks untuk dapat memahami makna dari kata-kata yang sukar, dan menggunakan background knowledge (pengetahuan sebelumnya) ketika membaca teks. Sementara mereview pertanyaan dan mengutamakan menjawab pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang lebih mudah termasuk dalam test-taking strategy yang dilakukan oleh partisipan ketika menghadapi tes. Studi ini mendukung penelitian lebih dalam kedepannya terkait keefektifan dari strategi-strategi ini dalam meningkatkan performa mahasiswa-mahasiswi Bahasa Inggris dalam menyelesaikan bagian reading comprehension.

TEST TAKING STRATEGY ON STUDENTS’ READING TEST

Understanding the meaning of any passage is the aim of reading comprehension. This is one of objectives in Reading 2 class English Department at STKIP PGRI Jombang. To achieve a good score on this subject, students must take a test, they have the answers right in performing reading comprehension test, students could make use of test taking strategy. The research describe what test taking strategy used by students of STKIP PGRI Jombang in performing reading comprehension test are. This study was with Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and descriptive. This research consisted of 95 correspondent of the third-semester students of English Department STKIP PGRI Jombang. It uses questionnaire and test as its instrument. The research found there were 7 factors from 28 strategy items accounted for 69.1% cumulative of the variance. They are Option-Selecting Strategies, Question-Rereading Strategies, Option Comprehension Strategies, Answer-Checking Strategies, Option Consideration Strategies, Cognitive Strategies and Clues-Finding Strategies.

Test-taking strategies and Iranian EFL learners’ vocabulary and structure test performance

Test-taking strategies are conscious processes that respondents employ to enhance their performance on language tests. This article reports a study on test-taking strategies utilized by low and high proficiency female EFL respondents in completing multiple-choice vocabulary and structure tests. The study seeks to explore how test-taking strategies vary according to the participants’ proficiency level. Data were collected from 60 Persian EFL learners at a reputable institute on completing vocabulary and structure test items. The data were collected, categorized, and analyzed based on an adapted version of strategy questionnaire developed by Phakiti (2006). The results indicated that low-proficiency participants utilized mnemonic strategies more frequently than high-proficiency participants in completing both tests. In completing structure tests, high-proficiency participants employed mnemonic strategies more than cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies. In completing vocabulary test items, however, they drew almost equally on all three strategy types. The results also indicated that the low-proficiency participants did better in completing vocabulary test than high-proficiency participants did. Further, high proficiency participants performed better in structure tests than low proficiency participants did. The findings seem to indicate that foreign language learners rely more on mnemonic strategies than cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies due to their deficient competency in L2 knowledge. The results have implications for foreign language teachers and learners. Key words: Test-taking strategy, cognitive and meta-cognitive strategy, mnemonic strategy, Iranian EFL learners.

Factors Affecting Exam Completion Speed, Exam Performance, and Nonexam Performance

This study investigates how factors such as student achievement goals for a course, language skills, outside work commitments, and test anxiety are related to performance on multiple-choice exams and nonexam assignments. The study also explores whether these factors explain the time taken to complete exams and whether exam completion speed is related to exam performance. We find that exam performance is negatively related to test anxiety and avoidance goals and positively related to study effort, performance approach goals, and English language skills. Performance on nonexam assignments is positively related to performance approach goals and a review-oriented test-taking strategy and related in an inverted U-shaped relationship to outside employment. Overall, the results suggest that students who are motivated to get good grades do the best—not those most engaged in the course or those interested in mastering the subject. Students who take longer to complete multiple-choice exams tend to be those who have weaker language skills, those with more test anxiety and those who utilize a review-oriented test-taking strategy. However, exam-taking speed is best viewed as a symptom of these factors; it is not related to exam performance when controlling for those factors.

THE CORRELATION BETWEEN COGNITIVE TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES AND ACHIEVEMENT IN TOEFL READING COMPREHENSION OF THE STUDENTS OF ENGLISH DEPARTMENT AT STATE UNIVERSITY OF MAKASSAR

This study investigated the correlation between cognitive test-taking strategies and achievement in TOEFL reading comprehension. It was conducted to find out: (1) the most dominant cognitive test-taking strategy applied by the students of English Department at the State University of Makassar, (2) the TOEFL reading achievement of the students of English Department at the State University of Makassar, (3) the correlation between students’ cognitive test-taking strategies and their achievement in TOEFL reading comprehension. The research applied correlation research design. This research was conducted to the fourth-semester students in three fields of study at English Department of the State University of Makassar. There were 20 students were from English Education, 12 students from English Literature and 15 students from Business English. The data were collected through documentation of TOEFL reading comprehension score and questionnaire. The research result showed that (1) comprehending strategy was the most dominant cognitive test-taking strategy applied by the students of English Department at the State University of Makassar, (2) the TOEFL reading achievement was achieved into the fair category. It was proven by mean score 42.51 range from 21-30 score. (3) There was a correlation between cognitive test-taking strategies and TOEFL reading achievement with r = .822 classified as a high category in which score interval was higher than 66. Therefore, cognitive test-taking strategies have a role toward TOEFL reading achievement.Keywords: Cognitive Test-Taking Strategies, TOEFL Reading Comprehension, Correlating Strategies, and Achievement.

Test-Taking strategies and Iranian EFL Learners’ vocabulary and structure test performance

Test-taking strategies are conscious processes that respondents employ to enhance their performance on language tests. This article reports a study on test-taking strategies utilized by low and high proficiency female EFL respondents in completing multiple-choice vocabulary and structure tests. The study seeks to explore how test-taking strategies vary according to the participants’ proficiency level. Data were collected from 60 Persian EFL learners at a reputable institute on completing vocabulary and structure test items. The data were collected, categorized, and analyzed based on an adapted version of strategy questionnaire developed by Phakiti (2006). The results indicated that low-proficiency participants utilized mnemonic strategies more frequently than high-proficiency participants in completing both tests. In completing structure tests, high-proficiency participants employed mnemonic strategies more than cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies. In completing vocabulary test items, however, they drew almost equally on all three strategy types. The results also indicated that the low-proficiency participants did better in completing vocabulary test than high-proficiency participants did. Further, high proficiency participants performed better in structure tests than low proficiency participants did. The findings seem to indicate that foreign language learners rely more on mnemonic strategies than cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies due to their deficient competency in L2 knowledge. The results have implications for foreign language teachers and learners. Keywords: test-taking strategy, cognitive and meta-cognitive strategy, mnemonic strategy, Iranian EFL learners