scholarly journals Strategies identification in an experimental reading comprehension task

2010 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 232-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanda Stankovic ◽  
Dejan Lalovic
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Psychological Practice ◽  
Test Taking ◽  
Comprehension Task ◽  
Comprehension Ability ◽  
Test Taking Strategies ◽  
Text Reading ◽  
Final Score ◽  
Ultimate Objective

Standardized reading comprehension tests (RCTs) usually consist of a small number of texts each accompanied by several multiple-choice questions, with texts and questions simultaneously presented. The score the common measure of reading comprehension ability in RCTs is the score. Literature review suggests that strategies subjects employ may influence their performance on RCT, however the score itself provides no information on the specific strategy employed. Knowledge of test-taking strategies could have impact on understanding of the actual purpose and benefits of using RCTs in pedagogical and psychological practice. With the ultimate objective of constructing a first standard RCT in Serbian language, the preliminary step we took was to conduct an experimental reading comprehension task (ERCT) consisting of 27 short texts displayed in succession, each followed by a single multiplechoice question. Using qualitative analysis of subjects? responses in semi-structured postexperimental interview, we identified four overall strategies used on ERCT. Our results show that groups of students who used specific strategies differed significantly from one another in text reading time, with no differences found regarding the question reading and answering time. More importantly, there were no significant between-group differences found in terms of ERCT score. These findings suggest that choice of strategy is a way to optimize the relation between one?s own potential and ERCT task requirements. RCT based on ERCT principles would allow for a flexible choice of strategy which would not influence the final score.

Predicting the Extended Time Use of College Students With Disabilities

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-290
Author(s):  
Laura M. Spenceley ◽  
Whitney L. M. Wood ◽  
Marisa Valentino ◽  
Lawrence J. Lewandowski
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Rating Scales ◽  
Test Accommodations ◽  
Extended Time ◽  
Group Setting ◽  
Test Taking ◽  
Comprehension Task ◽  
College Students With Disabilities

This study investigated the extent to which standardized reading performance, individual perceptions of reading and test taking skills, and test anxiety predict the amount of extended time needed to equalize test access for college students with disabilities. Thirty-seven college students with a specific learning disorder (LD) and/or an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis who received university test accommodations were recruited to participate in this study, along with 37 controls. All participants individually completed standardized reading tests and rating scales, and a timed reading comprehension task in a group setting. Results indicated that participants receiving test accommodations utilized approximately 14% more time than control participants to complete the timed reading task. Regression analyses indicated that the differences in time required to complete the reading comprehension task were related to participants’ reading fluency and decoding, as well as perceptions of the strength of their reading and test taking skills.

scholarly journals Teaching and learning process of test-taking strategies in answering reading comprehension section

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-124
Author(s):  
Elika Aji Zulmaini
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Planning Strategy ◽  
Test Taking ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Monitoring Strategies ◽  
Teaching And Learning Strategies ◽  
Test Taking Strategies

The study was aimed at finding the difficulties faced by test takers in Reading Comprehension section of TOEFL and describing the teaching and learning process of test-taking strategies of Reading Comprehension section of TOEFL. This study used qualitative research design. To collect the data, the researchers used document analysis and observation as the instrument of the study. The subjects of this study were the students or test takers and a teacher or tutor in TOEFL preparation class. The study showed the range of difficulty faced by students or test takers are skill 6 (57.14%), skill 8 (50%), skill 7, 9, 10, and 11 (33.3%), skill 3 (31%), skill 4 and 12 (16.7%), skill 1 (8.3%), and skill 5 (0%). In teaching and learning strategies, the Planning Strategy was applied in skills 1, 3, 9, 6, 7, 4, 5, and 8. Monitoring Strategies was applied in in skills 1, 3, 9, 6, and 4. Comprehending strategy was used in skills 1, 3, 6, 7, 4, 10, and 11. Retrieval Strategy was applied in skills 9, 5, and 8. Socioaffective strategy was applied in skill 9. Test-wiseness strategy was applied in skills 1, 3, and 9. Based on findings, the researchers found that there is still high percentage of difficult skills faced by students or test takers and more than one strategies were applied in almost every skill of the Reading Comprehension Section of TOEFL.

scholarly journals Test-Taking Strategies and Reading Comprehension: A Correlational Investigation

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 155-165
Author(s):  
Fadi Al-Khasawneh
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Placement Test ◽  
Test Taking ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Data Collection Process ◽  
Test Taking Strategies ◽  
Efl Students

There is an increasing interest of studies investigating the correlation between Test-Taking Strategies (TTSs) and reading comprehension achievement among EFL learners. The relationship between the aforementioned variables is still unclear and more studies are needed on this area. The major concern of this study is to examine the correlational relationship between the use of test-taking strategies and reading comprehension. The sample of this study included 64 undergraduate students majoring in English language in King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia. The present research employed three instruments for data collection process; English Language Placement Test was used to distribute students according to their proficiency level, two reading passages taken from TOEFL reading comprehension tests, and a questionnaire adapted from Cohen and Upton (2007) asking about TTSs. The results of the present study illustrated that Saudi EFL students used test-taking strategies at a moderate level. There was no statistically significant correlation between test-taking strategies use and students’ achievement in reading comprehension test. There was also no significant differences between test-taking strategies and students; achievement in reading comprehension attributed to language proficiency level. Some pedagogical implications for EFL teachers were presented and discussed.

scholarly journals Should students change their answers on multiple choice questions?

2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 182-190
Author(s):  
Justin W. Merry ◽  
Mary Kate Elenchin ◽  
Renee N. Surma
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Choice ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Negative Direction ◽  
Incorrect Answer ◽  
Test Taking ◽  
Data Support ◽  
Test Taking Strategies ◽  
Biology Courses ◽  
Student Grades ◽  
The Impact

Multiple choice exams are ubiquitous, but advice on test-taking strategies varies and is not always well informed by research. This study evaluated the question of whether students benefit or are harmed when they change their initial answers on multiple choice questions in the context of physiology and biology courses. Previously marked examinations were reviewed for eraser marks that indicated answer changes, and the impact of these changes on exam grades was tabulated. In addition, faculty and students were surveyed for their opinions about changing answers. A plurality of faculty (36%) reported a belief that answer changes usually harm student grades, whereas a slim majority of students (51%) believed that answer changing helped their scores (χ2 = 60.52, P < 0.0001). Empirically, across two exams, students changed their answer from an incorrect answer to a correct one 2.8 times (SD 2.2) compared with 1.0 time (SD 1.4) changing in the negative direction. Therefore, on average, students benefited ( V =  123.5, P < 0.0001) from answer changing. Furthermore, comparing across two exams in the same course, some students were consistently more likely to change their answers than others (adjusted R2= 0.23, P < 0.0001), but the impact of changing answers on the first exam provided no prediction of how much a student would benefit from answer changing on the second exam (adjusted R2= −0.004, P = 0.42). These data support the argument that students should be advised to review and revise responses to exam questions before submitting them.

Test-Taking Speed: Predictors and Implications

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 351-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin J. Lovett ◽  
Lawrence J. Lewandowski ◽  
Heather E. Potts
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Reading Fluency ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Testing Accommodations ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Task Completion ◽  
Extended Time ◽  
Test Taking ◽  
Comprehension Task ◽  
Self Reports

Students often feel time pressure when taking tests, and students with disabilities are sometimes given extended time testing accommodations, but little research has been done on the factors that affect students’ test-taking speed. In the present study, 253 students at two colleges completed measures of processing speed, reading fluency, and self-reports of their reading and test-taking skills, as well as a standardized paper-and-pencil reading comprehension task. The time taken to complete the reading comprehension task was not significantly related to students’ accuracy on the task, but it was predicted by students’ reading fluency and by their self-reports of problems with timed reading/test-taking. Students’ processing speed did not significantly predict comprehension task completion time or accuracy when reading fluency and self-reports were held constant. We discuss the implications of these and other results for making determinations about extended time testing accommodations, as well as for future research studies.

scholarly journals STUDENTS’ CONSTRAINTS IN READING DESCRIPTIVE TEXT AT MTs USWATUN HASANAH

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 216
Author(s):  
Novia Wulansari ◽  
Sri Supiah Cahyati
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Reading Test ◽  
Standard Score ◽  
Comprehension Ability ◽  
Group A ◽  
Text Reading ◽  
Group B ◽  
Text Reading Comprehension ◽  
Reading Comprehension Ability

The aim of the research was to investigate the constraints and ability in Reading comprehension. This research was qualitative research. The subjects were 20 students of Class VII A of MTs Uswatun Hasanah, and they were divided into two groups based on their score. The students getting score above the standard score were grouped in group A; and those getting score under the standard score were in group B. To gain the data, the study employed the Reading test and as the instruments. The data were analyzed by using descriptive analysis. The finding revealed that there was only one student getting high score (above the standard score), while 19 students got low score (under the standard score). Furthermore, the Reading comprehension ability between the students of group A and B was not significantly different and their constraints were relatively similar.Keywords: constraints, descriptive text, reading comprehension

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