Using Tests as Learning Opportunities

The present study assessed the value of test-taking as a means of increasing, rather than simply monitoring, learning. One hundred and five college students read a short essay about the American Civil War and were then given either an initial test or no test about the text material. The form of the initial test was either fill-in or multiple-choice; and the knowledge examined was either directly stated in the original text (verbatim) or could be logically derived (inferential) from the text. A common final test, containing all of the above item types, was given to all students two days later. Scores on the final test indicated that in general, those students who did the initial test performed better than the control students, which indicates the potential value of tests as learning experiences. Furthermore, the enhancement provided by the initial test varied with the different test techniques: It was greater for fill-in than for multiple-choice forms and greater for inferential than for verbatim knowledge. It is suggested that teachers make use of the learning potential of tests and construct them so as to maximize the kind of learning desired.