The Effects of Knowledge of Item Arrangement, Gender, and Statistical and Cognitive Item Difficulty on Test Performance

Abstract

In two experiments the writers investigated the effects of statistical and cognitive difficulty ordering of test items, gender, and explicit labeling of item type on test performance of college students. Students were given tests with items written on various statistical and cognitive difficulty levels. In addition, some students received tests on which the items were explicitly labeled as to the cognitive difficulty (knowledge, comprehension, application) of the item. Analysis of the results indicated significant effects for gender and use of labels. Item ordering effects were not consistent across the two studies.