THE INFLUENCE OF A CONCEPT MAPPING-BASED EXAM ON STUDENTS' EXAM PERFORMANCE

The aim of the study was to explore the effect of Concept Mapping (CM) exam on students' retention and students' exam performance. Two sets of exams were to be developed: a regular format exam and a Concept Mapping-Based Exam.The Concept Mapping-Based Exam contained a blank concept map similar to the ones in the 7th-grade student's science book.Both exams have the same number of questions.Seventy students from grade 7th at Al-Arqam Ibn-Abil-Arqam School, one of the Basic Education schools in Oman, where the sample of the study was taught in two units from the 7thgrade students' science book by the regular teaching method and by the same teacher. Thirty students participated in taking the exam, 16 were to do the regular exam and 16 were to do the Concept Mapping-Based Exam. The exams were distributed to them randomly. The study showed that the students who took the Concept Mapping-Based Exam outscored those who took the regular one.It is interesting that the study showed there was a positive correlation between recalling information and the presence of Concept Maps in the 7thgrade student's science book as the exams showed.