Could different Items arrangements affect 10th grade students' performance in multiple-choice tests in Maths, Science, and English language final exams

Abstract

The present study investigated the effect of the order of the subjects and tests of mathematics, science and English language tests on the performance and achievement of the tenth grade students in Jordan. The study sample consisted of 764 students selected from twenty regular government schools. The study adopted quasi-experimental design. The study instrument used was a multi-choice type of 48 subjects for mathematics, science and English. The test items were arranged according to their difficulty for three processors (RDM), Easy -to-Hard (ETH) and Hard-to-Easy (THE). The data collected were analyzed statistically using the analysis of mono-variance at the statistical significance level of 0.01.

The results of the analysis indicated that for mathematics, science and English courses, and in the order of items, the change in performance was statistically and morally significant, and it was found that the proposal to rearrange the test items for final achievement tests to control the penetration and misbehavior of the test rules and controls may not be optimal, The study of the English language, which did not show significant differences and suggests the use of other methods such as random model and parallel and split- half tests and further studies of other levels of study.

Keywords: Multiple-choice, Item-position, Student Performance