The effects of native language and test format on test performance

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of Native Language (English as a native language vs. German as a native language) and test format (minimal language demand: multiple-choice vs. maximal language demand: short-answer) on reading comprehension. A total of 12 German-English bilinguals and 13 native English speakers were asked to read a short passage and answer either multiple-choice or short-answer questions about the passage. Results showed no significant interaction effect or main effects for native language and test format, meaning that neither native language nor test format had a significant effect on the participants' test performance. Given the results of previous research combined with results of this study, it is likely that overall English proficiency is more important in determining test performance than whether English is one's native language.