PSYCHOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPUTER-ADAPTIVE AND SELF-ADAPTIVE VOCABULARY TESTS - THE ROLE OF ANSWER FEEDBACK AND TEST ANXIETY

This study focused on the effects of administration mode (computer-ada ptive test [CAT] versus self-adaptive test [SAT]), item-by-item answer feedback (present versus absent), and rest anxiety on results obtaine d from computerized vocabulary tests. Examinees were assigned at rando m to four testing conditions (CAT with feedback, CAT without feedback, SAT with feedback, SAT without feedback). Examinees completed the Tes t Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, 1980) before taking their assigned c omputerized rests. Results showed that the CATs were more reliable and took less time to complete than the SATs. Administration time for bot h the CATs and SATs was shorter when feedback was provided than when i t was not, and this difference was most pronounced for examinees at me dium to high levels of test anxiety. These results replicate prior fin dings regarding the precision and administrative efficiency of CATs an d SATs but point to new possible benefits of including answer feedback on such tests.