The Mode Effect: A Literature Review of Human and Technological Issues in Computerized Testing

Abstract

In addition to the potential that computer-based testing (CBT) offers, empirical evidence has found that identical computerized and paper-and-pencil tests have not produced equivalent test-taker performance. Referred to as the "mode effect," previous literature has identified many factors that may be responsible for such differential performance. The aim of this review was to explore these factors, which typically fit into two categories, participant and technological issues, and highlight their potential impact on performance.