Analysis of testwiseness components: A quasi-experimental approach

The primary purpose of this study was to assess the specific effects of the four test-independent components of testwiseness (TW), namely, time-using, error-avoidance, guessing, and deductive reasoning on test performance. Four research questions were examined in the study: (1) Are there any significant differences among the four test-independent components of TW? (2) Could training in only one component affect test performance? (3) If training in one component is not enough, how many are needed? (4) What is the most effective order of the four components? The study used a counterbalanced design. The sample consisted of 126 high school graduates who were assigned to one of the four treatment or control groups. Results suggested that there are no significant differences among the four components; that training in only one component cannot improve test performance; that the training should include at least two of the components; and that the order of the components, as produced by the design of this study, does not make a significant difference with respect to test performance