• School Mathematics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.503-526
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• 2016

The study aimed at determining the identity of mathematics essay test in the university entrance examination. For this purpose, a document research was conducted for higher order thinking and mathematics essay ability and it analyzed the goal of assessment and the tendency of problem settings and looked into mathematics essay problems of twenty-five universities. As a result, the study found out that evaluation factors of mathematics essay test requires higher order thinking ability including mathematical knowledge and essay ability such as mathematical knowledge, understanding, problem solving, logical and critical thinking, creative ability, power of expression, argument skills. Also, problems from previous mathematics essay tests were set mainly to assess mathematical knowledge, understanding and problem solving. Based on the findings, the past mathematics essay tests in university entrance examination in Korea that require logical and critical thinking, creative ability, power of expression, argument skills were a rather small percentage of questions.