Effects of Frequent Testing of Secondary Algebra Students

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of frequent testing on the performance of high school algebra students. A counterbalanced ABAB design in which two classes of Grade 11 algebra students were administered tests on a weekly and biweekly schedule was used. Each testing condition lasted for 2 months, and data were collected for a total of 8 months. The results indicated a definite improvement in performance during the weekly versus biweekly testing. This outcome was replicated each time that more frequent testing was in effect. Low- and middle-achieving students generated the higher gains. A questionnaire given to the students at the end of the study indicated a preference by the students for weekly testing conditions.