The Contribution of a Response-Production Component to a Free-Response Synonym Task |
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| Authors: | Rianne Janssen Paul De Boeck |
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| Institution: | University o f Leuven, Belgium |
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| Abstract: | A cognitive approach to the study of format differences is illustrated using synonym tasks. By means of a multiple regression analysis with latent variables, it is shown that both a response-production component and an evaluation component are involved in answering a free-response synonym task. Given the results of Janssen, De Boeck, and Vander Steene (1996), the format differences between the multiple-choice evaluation task and the free-response synonym task can be explained in terms of the kinds of verbal abilities measured. The evaluation task is a pure measure of verbal comprehension, while the free-response synonym task is affected by verbal comprehension and verbal fluency, as well. The design used to study format differences controls both for content effects and for the effects of repeating item stems across formats. |
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