School of Languages & Linguistics Language Testing Research Centre (LTRC)

Test Research: Validation and Comparability

Test Validation Research

The numerous test research projects undertaken by LTRC staff include:

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - Educational Testing Service, New Jersey, USA.

  1. The effect of changes in the new TOEFL format on the teaching and learning of EFL/ESL: Stage 1: Instrument development and validation. (2002-03) Investigators: Elana Shohamy (Tel Aviv University) and Liz Hamp-Lyons.
  2. Test taker response to integrated reading/writing tasks in TOEFL: Evidence from Writers, Texts, and Raters. (2002-04) Investigators: Tom Lumley, Annie Brown and Bonnie Zhang Wenxia (Tsinghua University, Beijing)
  3. Investigating predictors of task difficulty in the measurement of speaking proficiency. (1999-2000). Investigators: Tim McNamara, Cathie Elder (University of Auskland) and Noriko Iwashita.
  4. Investigating raters' orientations in specific-purpose task-based oral assessment. (2000 - 01) Investigators: Annie Brown, Noriko Iwashita and Tim McNamara.
  5. An examination of rater orientations and test-taker performance on English for academic purposes speaking tasks. (2002 - 03) Investigators: Annie Brown, Noriko Iwashita and Tim McNamara.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) - International Development Program, Canberra, Australia and Cambridge ESOL, University of Cambridge, UK

  1. An examination of candidate discouse in the revised IELTS speaking test. Investigator: Annie Brown.
  2. A cross sectional and longitudinal study of examiner behaviour in the revised IELTS speaking test. (2002) Investigator: Annie Brown.
  3. Legibility and the rating of second language writing: An investigation of the rating of handwritten and word-processed IELTS Task Two essays. (2001) Investigator: Annie Brown.
  4. A comparison of IELTS and TOEFL as predictors of academic success. (1999) Investigators: Kathryn Hill, Neomy Storch and Brian Lynch.
  5. An investigation of raters' orientations in awarding scores in the IELTS oral interview. (1997) Investigator: Annie Brown.
  6. Interviewer style and candidate performance in the IELTS oral interview. (1997) Investigators: Annie Brown and Kathryn Hill
  7. Interviewer variability in oral interviews. (1996) Investigator: Annie Brown.

Examination for the Certificate of Competency in English (ECCE) - English National Institute, University of Michigan

  1. Task and interviewer factors in assesments of spoken interaction in a second language. (2003) Investigators: Noriko Iwashita and Tim McNamara.

Occupational English Test for Health Professionals (OET) - Language Australia & National Office for Overseas Skills Recognition

  1. Analysis of rating patterns. (2002) Investigators: Noriko Iwashita and Elisabeth Grove.
  2. Development of level descriotions for the OET Speaking Test. (2002) Investigator: Elisabeth Grove.
  3. Recalibration of the pass standard for the Occupational English Test. (1994) Investigators: Tom Lumley, Brian Lynch and Tim McNamara. Test Comparability Research

A range of projects have examined the statistical relationship of scores on different tests or reporting systems.

top of page