Measuring vocabulary by free expression and recognition tasks: Implications for assessing children, adolescents, and young adults.

Vocabulary tests are commonly used for assessing verbal ability. Most vocabulary tests employ the free expressive format that taps both verbal knowledge and expressive ability. The recognition format, which requires less expressive ability, has been suggested to be more sensitive in assessing the fund of verbal knowledge.

The effects of competition on achievement motivation in Chinese classrooms.

Background: Laboratory studies have consistently found that competition induces performance goals and affects learning motivation. However, the ecological validity of these results is yet to be established. There is a need for investigation of whether the results hold in both the classroom context and non-Western culture.