Relation between Order of Completion and Performance on Timed Examinations

Abstract

The relation between order of completion and test performance was examined. Subjects were 116 students in two upper-division psychology courses. Tests were timed and contained both objective and nonobjective items. Contrary to previous suggestions but consistent with prior empirical findings, there was neither a consistent linear nor curvilinear relation between order of completion and performance. In one class, middle finishers tended to score lower and to be more variable in performance than early and late finishers. Results are discussed in the context of previous research on the relation between time (or order) of completion and test performance.