FEEDBACK, TEST ANXIETY AND PERFORMANCE IN A COLLEGE-COURSE

The effects of three forms of test feedback and text anxiety on test p erformance were examined within the context of a self-paced, criterion -based course in educational psychology. 73 undergraduate students com pleted seven units of work and were evaluated by computer-administered unit tests. Students mere randomly assigned to one of three test feed back forms: (1) item-by-item knowledge of responses, (2) answer-until- correct, and (3) delayed feedback. Students received their assigned fe edback during the first two units, after which they were allowed to ch oose. Test anxiety was measured prior to testing on Sarason's Test Anx iety Scale and during resting on an item administered by the computer program. Students who reported high test anxiety on the Test Anxiety S cale experienced more anxiety during testing than students reporting l ow test anxiety. Anxiety during testing was not related to type of fee dback, and the two variables were not related to course performance on the second unit. Data collected at the conclusion of the semester ind icated that students who reported higher test anxiety required more at tempts to pass unit rests than those reporting lower test anxiety. Giv en a choice, students preferred answer-until-correct feedback. This pr eference was not related to Test Anxiety Scale scores. Anxiety during testing was not related to being allowed to choose forms of feedback.