Examining Writing: Research and Practice in Assessing Second Language Writing

by Stuart D. Shaw , Cyril J. Weir

• ISBN13: 9780521692939
• ISBN10: 0521692938
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-09-24
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Test developers need to provide a clear explication of the language ability constructs that underpin the tests they offer in the public domain; such an explication is essential for supporting claims about the validity - or usefulness - of test scores. This volume describes the theory and practice of Cambridge ESOL's approach to assessing second language writing ability. A comprehensive test validation framework is used to examine the tasks in Cambridge ESOL writing tests from a number of different validity perspectives that reflect the socio-cognitive nature of any assessment event. The authors show how an understanding and analysis of the framework and its components can assist test developers to operationalise their tests more effectively, especially in relation to the key criteria that differentiate one proficiency level from another. The book provides: an up-to-date review of relevant literature on assessing writing, an accessible and systematic description of the different proficiency levels in second language writing, a comprehensive and coherent basis for validating tests of writing. This volume is a rich source of information on all aspects of examining writing ability. As such, it will be of considerable interest to examination boards who wish to validate their own writing tests in a systematic and coherent manner, as well as to academic researchers and students in the field of language assessment more generally. Book jacket.

Table of Contents

List of abbreviations	p. vi
Series Editors' note	p. ix
Acknowledgements	p. xiii
Introduction	p. 1
Test-taker characteristics	p. 17
Cognitive validity	p. 34
Context validity	p. 63
Scoring validity	p. 143
Consequential validity	p. 218
Criterion-related validity	p. 229
Conclusions and recommendations	p. 241
Appendices
Sample Writing tasks from Main Suite examinations	p. 258
Candidate Information Sheet	p. 272
Revised method of assessment for IELTS Writing	p. 274
Current Cambridge ESOL rating procedures and marking models	p. 275
Standard procedures for the production of Writing examination materials	p. 284
Minimum Professional Requirements for examiners of ESOL Writing tests	p. 289
Computer-based (CB) exam versions: Issues and directions	p. 294
Electronic Script Management in Cambridge ESOL: Issues and directions	p. 300
References	p. 315
Index	p. 339
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