A Descriptive Study on Test-Taking Strategies Used in the Listening Section of the English Proficiency Test

Abstract

This study aimed to describe the test-taking strategies employed by English Department students at State University of Padang in the listening section of the English Proficiency Test (EPT). The EPT was an essential requirement for students to graduate. One of its section was the listening section, where students often faced challenges and difficulties. Therefore, structured preparation and strategies were necessary for each part of the listening section to achieve a better score. The study categorized strategies into three stages: pre- listening, while listening, and post-listening. The population of this study consisted of English Department students who have taken the EPT test, and a sample of 50 students was selected to participate in the research. Data were collected through a questionnaire measuring students’ frequency of strategy use and analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings indicated that pre-listening strategies were the most frequently used, with 54% of students always preparing themselves mentally before listening. While listening strategies, such as focusing on key words and taking mental notes, were also commonly employed, with 40% of students actively engaging during listening. However, post-listening strategies, including self-reflection and reviewing answers, were the least utilized, with only 16% of students frequently evaluating their comprehension after listening. These results suggested a need for greater emphasis on post-listening strategies in training programs to develop a tailored approach for tackling questions in the EPT listening section.