Beyond the Bubble: Unveiling the Multifaceted Landscape of Test Wiseness and Their Operationalization Among English-Language Majors
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1406.14Keywords:
test-wiseness, test-unwiseness, test-deviousness, EFL learners' strategiesAbstract
Test wiseness is viewed as learner tactics applied in a test situation without processing the test construct. Existing studies often on test-taking strategies attribute a single function to them, despite some acknowledging their multifunctionality. This study aims to provide a new reflection of test-taking strategies and test wisenss based on their multifunctionality and how they are operationalized. Forty male English-language majors at King Faisal University participated in a longitudinal study over two years. Think-aloud protocols and retrospective interviews were used for the qualitative analysis. The results showed that students used different test-taking strategies in chains and clusters, with various functions (cognitive, metacognitive, affective, and social. The study also analyzed these strategies in terms of how they were operationalized. The study concludes that these strategies may work at cross-purposes with the goal if they are operationalized poorly, or if the choice of strategies is inappropriate for the task. In addition to theoretical and pedagogical implications for test-taking strategies, this study suggests recommendations for future studies.
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