77 International Journal of Science and Engineering Investigations vol. 1, issue 7, August 2012 ISSN: 2251-8843 Studying the Relationship between Students' Performance in Scientific Examination and Their Academic Achievement in Third Year of High School Sohrab Sadeghi 1 , Mohammad Sharifi Bohlouli 2 , Bahram Esmaeili 3 1,2 Farhangian University: Rajaee Teacher Training University of Shiraz,Iran. 3 Farhangian University: Rajaee Teacher Training University of Shiraz,Iran/Education Organization of Fars Province,Iran. ( 1 sohrab369@yahoo.com, 2 sharifibm@yahoo.co.uk, 3 esmaeili_ba@yahoo.com) Abstract - Every year, large amount of money is spent on production and application of academic advancement and entrance exams to special schools. They have both negative and positive impacts. The purpose of the current research is to study relationship between students' performance in scientific exam and their academic achievement in third year of high school in Shiraz, Iran. The statistical population for this study includes the entire students, both male and female, who have been graduated from high school in 2010-2011 academic years in Mathematics and Physics (MP), Experimental Science (SE) and Human Science (HS) from district two of Shiraz Education Organization. The number of students in our sample was 2151 including 1145 students in the field of MP, 779 in SE, and 218 in HS. Of the whole population, 1533 were females and the remaining (618) were male. Keywords- Performance; Academic Achievement; Scientific Examination. I. INTRODUCTION The fulfillment of all education goals including general, specific, and behavioral goals is done only through a dynamic educational system. Every textbook is of the definite objectives. Both teachers and students together share activities to get those objectives. One of the main duties of an educational system is to measure the students’ achievement to see whether they are of enough knowledge to pass the course or they should repeat it. Teachers are always looking for the best way to evaluate the students learning process. Based on literature, about 4000 years ago Chinese officials examined applicants through a test to select their employees. According to reliable documents, the test was used in the ancient Persia as well. For example, in Jondishapoor, some exams were held for the students of medicine at the time of Shahpur, Sassanid King. In the seventh century in Mostansaryhe school applicants were also tested to be chosen. In the late Zandieh and early Qajar period, some orally and individual test were held in the presence of scientists to investigate whether children had learned the religious instructions or not. According to [2] evaluation is a process in which one tries to collect information about a phenomenon and the gathered information is applied to verify phenomenon. Evaluation measures how much a phenomenon owns a certain feature. Test is the means of measurement which is defined by [1] as a systematic method or means to measure a sample of behavior. Nowadays, in most high schools the officials hold exams to prepare students for university entrance exams and improving their scientific achievement. Every year, a large amount of money is spent on holding the educational progress tests and entrance exams of special schools which accompanies some positive and negative effects. These tests are important based on two criteria: Firstly, degree of closeness to the standard test and secondly, their capability to evaluate students’ achievements. Since the reliability of the results depends on the method of performing a test, it may have negative influence on the main objectives of the test. Therefore, in this research, the main principles of multiple choice exams as a performing method and the differences between an ordinary test and a standard test will be discussed. II. STATING THE PROBLEM Based on the way a test is prepared, one can divide all the different types of tests used in the ministry of education into two types: 1) Teacher-made test, 2) Standard test. They are explained as follows: - Teacher-made tests: Teachers prepare these tests to evaluate students’ educational achievement both during and at the end of the courses and they are designed to determine students’ success in reaching to the defined educational goals. - Standardized: Standard tests are prepared and distributed by experts in different governmental and private test design institutes or education centers to evaluate the students’ achievement or their intelligence. In this type of test, relative criterion of measurement is used .