THE METAPHORICAL PERCEPTIONS OF THE 8TH GRADE STUDENTS FOR PT
This study has been prepared to determine how the 8th grade students perceive the Placement Test (PT) in metaphor-size which is organized under different names by Ministry of Education within the process and measure the level of the acquirements that are defined in the curriculum of that year. The study has been applied in B center of a medium scaled A city in our country on 92 8th grade students who study at a middle size school in 2011-2012 school year. They have been given the concepts relating to PT and asked to write a metaphor. The data have been acquired and evaluated with content analysis which is one of the qualitative research methods. At the end of the study, it has been seen that the 8th grade students form metaphors as a factor relating if the "PT" has a positive image on their minds, which are both positive and negative metaphors relating "course and studying" in the process of PT preparation, which are negative and worrying metaphors relating the fear of "being successful and unsuccessful in PT" and which are important and mativator metaphors relating "teachers and parents" in the process of PT preparation. According to the results of the research, the suggestions have also been made about the exam which is applied under the name of "Transition From Basic Education to Secondary Education" today.

Keywords
Placement Test, metaphor, perception of course, perception of exam.