Test-wiseness: ein unterschätztes Konstrukt?: Empirische Befunde zur Überprüfung und Erlernbarkeit von test-wiseness

Test-wiseness is regarded as an important factor influencing the outcome of multiple-choice tests. Findings from existing studies show that people with test-wiseness knowledge get better results in a multiple-choice test than people without this knowledge. Further, it seems that test-wiseness can be trained. Although test-wiseness is highly important for test performance, most of the existing theoretical assumptions and empirical findings on test-wiseness originate from Anglo-American regions. Few findings about test-wiseness exist in Germany. Against this background, a test in German was developed on the basis of an existing test in English to examine peoples’ knowledge about test-wiseness. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of thematic knowledge as well as the impact of a test-wiseness training on the test result of the developed test. N = 252 students answered 24 multiple-choice questions which were developed to determine their knowledge about test-wiseness. A 2 (with vs. without thematic knowledge) x 2 (with vs. without a test-wiseness training) factorial experimental design was realized. The results show that persons with thematic knowledge answer more multiple-choice questions correctly than persons without this knowledge. At the same time the findings point out that test-wiseness can be trained. Overall, the findings indicate that a German version of a test was developed that matches the psychometric quality of existing international tests. Furthermore, they suggest that a stronger focus should be directed to the control of test-wiseness in multiple-choice tests in German-speaking regions in the future.