A study of Test-Taking strategies of Iranian IELTS repeaters: Any change in the strategy use?

Abstract

This study used Latent Growth Curve Modeling (LGCM) to examine the overtime patterns of the score and test-taking strategy changes in an international high-stakes standardized proficiency test. To this end, the test records of 178 Iranian IELTS repeaters were analyzed, using close- and open-ended questionnaires to measure test scores as a function of construct-relevant and construct-irrelevant test-taking strategy changes. Additionally, this study explored the accountable factors for the changes in the repeaters’ strategies. Results indicated a small and gradual increase in the test scores following an overall augmented use of test-management (TM) and a decreased employment of test-wiseness (TW) strategies. Along with contributing to IELTS validity evidence based on the repeaters’ scores, this study found multiple sources to account for the changes in repeaters’ test-taking strategies. Consideration of changes in repeaters’ test-taking strategies by IELTS instructors and test users may add to the validity of interpretation of test scores to the intended purposes of the tests.

Keywords:

• IELTS
• test-taking strategies
• test-management strategies
• test-wiseness strategies
• test repeaters
• validation
• word

Acknowledgements

The authors highly appreciate the insightful comments suggested by the editor and anonymous reviewers.

Data availability statement

The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest for this unfunded research study.

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.