Research in validity suggests that stakeholders' interpretation and use of test results should be an aspect of validity. Claims about the meaningfulness of test score interpretations and consequences of test use should be backed by evidence that stakeholders understand the definition of the construct assessed and the score report information. The…

Multiple uses of the same assessment may present challenges for both the design and use of an assessment. Little advice, however, has been given to assessment developers as to how to understand the phenomena of multiple assessment use and meet the challenges these present. Particularly problematic is the case in which an assessment is used for…

Although the primary use of the speaking section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language™ Internet-based test (TOEFL® iBT Speaking test) is to inform admissions decisions at English medium universities, it may also be useful as an initial screening measure for international teaching assistants (ITAs). This study provides criterion-related…

Because testing comprehension of long (5- to 10-page) second-language texts is more complex than testing shorter texts, an alternative form of second language reading comprehension test is needed. In a guided summary completion test, students are presented with a greatly shortened version of the text (e.g., one-paragraph summary), containing…

The purpose of this study was to align verbal descriptions of test takers' language performance with distributions of the numerical scores they received on the three sections (Listening Comprehension, Structure and Written Expression, and Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary) of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The descriptors of…

This study investigates the strength of relationships between direct measures (holistic scores for free writing samples) and indirect measures (the Test of Ability to Subordinate) of attained writing proficiency in English as a second language. Subjects were 67 undergraduate foreign language students enrolled in Basic Composition for Foreign…

Placement tests determine whether a student has mastered certain skills and content for a particular job or course of study and also help to identify students' weaknesses, which can then be targeted for improvement. Placement test objectives should be clearly defined, and design and administration are also crucial. If students are misclassified,…

A survey of 105 institutions concerning their use of 3 standardized English tests with foreign graduate students investigated the differences in use and variance among test scores established by different institutions. Overall, results indicate the language proficiency of international graduate students is not examined very carefully before…

A new dean describes his use of proficiency tests to assess the educational status of entering students and to initiate changes in the instructional program in English as a second language. (MSE)

It is noted that while language proficiency tests are not an ideal method for predicting student performance, they are commonly used as admission criteria. A methodology for comparing college tests of English as a Second Language (ESL) that are used for program admission is offered. The procedure imposes certain constraints on data collection,…

A survey of 100 universities revealed test types, cut-off scores, and processes for testing language proficiency and performance of international teaching assistants. Results indicated the tests are complicated, time-consuming, and politically sensitive. Issues emerging include department role, use of adjustment period before teaching, and…

One teacher's experience with traditional language tests suggested that the tests did not reflect the kind of communicative language learning going on in the classroom and might be counterproductive. As a result, an experiment in oral testing was undertaken in which examinees were required to process natural discourse and to relate language to…

Limited-English-speaking students (N=198), taking college admissions tests, were studied in terms of reading, writing, and listening test scores and their university performance (grade point average, dropped classes, etc.). Results indicate that the English language test scores are not always related to the students' academic achievement. (CB)

The differences between the testing practices at the University General Requirements Unit (UGRU) of United Arab Emirates University and the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) were studied, focusing on the differences in styles of grading written English examinations. The UGRU always uses norm- referenced testing in their 1-year foundations…

A history of the Test of Written English (TWE), a section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), describes its inception and development process. The new test is a thirty-minute essay test providing a measure of a non-native English-speaker's ability to perform academic writing tasks similar to those required of international…