This study comparatively analyzes the impacts of practicing new test questions and reviewing old test questions on the exam scores of sophomore students in English-Chinese translation courses, aiming to provide empirical evidence for optimizing teaching strategies. A quasi-experimental design was adopted, with 90 sophomore students from two parallel classes randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 45, practicing new questions) and a control group (n = 45, reviewing old questions). Both groups received 16 weeks of practice, with pre-test and post-test scores collected to measure learning gains. Statistical analyses included paired t -tests (to assess intra-group pre-post improvements), Welch’s t -test, and one-way ANOVA, supplemented by effect size calculations (Cohen’s d, η 2) to evaluate practical significance. Results showed that both strategies significantly improved translation scores, and the experimental group showed a larger gain. Baseline equivalence was confirmed (t = −0. 574, df = 88, p =. 5676, Cohen’s d = 0. 121). Post-test comparisons revealed the experimental group outperformed the control group (t = −4. 162, df = 78. 55, p <. 001, Cohen’s d = 0. 877). Pedagogically, we recommend a 16-week schedule—the rationale for this schedule is grounded in the study’s core findings: (1) new question practice is more effective for skill expansion, and (2) old question review is more effective for skill consolidation, while balancing constraints of Chinese higher education. The schedule is as follows: allocate 70% of class time to new questions in Weeks 1 to 4, a 50% new and 50% old mix in Weeks 5 to 8 (competence expansion), 30% new and 70% old questions in Weeks 9 to 12 (consolidation), and 40% new and 60% old questions in Weeks 13 to 16 (final review).
Wan et al. (Thu,) studied this question.