Chapter 8: Common Test Techniques
1. Techniques used in testing, particularly when referring to general aspects of test structure
such as the interview, are frequently preferred over the term __________.
2. A significant drawback of YES/NO and TRUE/FALSE items is that the candidate has a
__________ chance of selecting the correct response by chance alone.
3. The main advantage of short-answer items, compared to multiple-choice items, is that the
amount that guessing contributes to the test score is __________ significantly.
4. One potential disadvantage of short-answer items is that scoring may take longer and
thereby __________ the possible number of items that can be included in the test.
5. Short-answer items work best when there is __________ possible correct response, for
instance, in certain reading comprehension items.
6. The Gap Filling item type demands that the test taker must __________ language, which
increases test validity compared to multiple-choice items.
7. Gap filling items often work well for testing specific points of __________ or
vocabulary.
Chapter 9: Testing Writing
8. The first of the three criteria required to test writing ability directly is that the writing
tasks set must be __________ of the population of tasks the students are expected to be
able to perform.
9. The second major criterion is that the tasks must be set so they __________ valid
samples of the students' actual writing ability.
10. The third essential criterion for a direct writing test is that the samples of writing must be
able to be scored __________ and reliably.
11. A requirement for eliciting a valid sample of writing ability is to set as many __________
tasks as is feasible.
12. One specific __________ of text used in setting writing tasks is a report.
13. Eliciting a __________ by using a series of pictures is one technique for stimulating a
writing response.
14. Scoring writing based on an overall impression, assigning a single score to a piece of
writing, is known as __________ scoring.
15. Holistic scoring is also sometimes referred to as __________ scoring.
16. Analytic scoring is highly useful because it provides __________ information by
assigning separate scores to different components of the writing ability.
17. In analytic scoring, distinct scores are given to components such as grammar,
__________, organization, and mechanics.
18. The overall impression a scorer has of a script sometimes dictates the score they give for
individual components, which is known as the __________ effect.
Chapter 10: Testing Oral Ability
19. The traditional oral testing interview often fails to elicit a natural sample of oral ability
because the relationship between the tester and candidate frequently places the candidate
in a __________ role.
20. In an oral interview, a request such as "What exactly do you mean?" serves as a
__________ for elaboration.
21. An effective elicitation technique to test a candidate's communication repair strategies is
for the interviewer to appear __________.
22. One technique to elicit a valid sample of oral ability is __________, where candidates
may interact with each other while the tester observes.
23. The format of using responses to audio- or video-recordings provides uniformity of
elicitation procedures, often leading to high reliability, but lacks __________.
24. To maximize the sample of oral ability demonstrated, the test should be structured to give
the candidate as many __________ as possible.
25. It is advised that an oral test should be carefully planned and structured to avoid revealing
__________ that might give candidates an unfair advantage.
Chapter 11: Testing Reading & Listening
26. When selecting texts, it is important to avoid passages made up of information that might
be part of candidates' __________ knowledge, as this tests knowledge, not reading skill.
27. Texts chosen for expeditious reading should typically be of a length up to __________
words or more.
28. When testing reading skill, texts should be selected to have both acceptable __________
and acceptable reliability.
29. For the purpose of testing listening, the great advantage of using recordings is the high
degree of __________ provided by administering a test in this format.
30. The technique called __________ dictation requires candidates to fill in blanks in a
spoken passage and is effective for measuring short-term memory alongside
comprehension.
This response provides 30 True/False questions and 30 Matching questions, based solely on the
theories, key terms, and concepts found in the provided source material relating to Chapters 8, 9,
10, and 11.
Part I: 30 True/False Questions (Chapters 8, 9, 10, 11)
Chapter 8: Common Test Techniques
1. The term 'format' is preferred over 'technique' when discussing general aspects of test
structure, such as the interview. (F)
2. A significant disadvantage of YES/NO and TRUE/FALSE items is that candidates have a
50% chance of getting the correct response simply by guessing. (T)
3. Short-answer items reduce the chance of guessing significantly compared to multiple-
choice items. (T)
4. Scoring short-answer items typically takes less time than scoring multiple-choice items.
(F)
5. Short-answer items work best when there is only one possible correct response. (T)
6. The technique of Gap Filling demands that the test taker produce language, which
contributes to higher test validity than multiple-choice items. (T)
7. Multiple-choice questions are generally favored over gap-filling questions when testing
specific grammar or vocabulary points because they offer greater construction flexibility.
(F)
Chapter 9: Testing Writing
8. One of the three essential criteria for testing writing ability directly is ensuring the
writing tasks set are representative of the population of tasks students are expected to
perform. (T)
9. To elicit a valid sample of writing ability, test makers should generally set one extensive
task rather than many separate tasks. (F)
10. Writing tasks are defined partly by the types of operations required, such as expressing
thanks, advising, or persuading. (T)
11. Holistic scoring is also referred to as impressionistic scoring. (T)
12. A primary advantage of analytic scoring is that it is rapid and economical compared to
holistic scoring. (F)
13. Analytic scoring provides comprehensive diagnostic information by assigning separate
scores to different components of writing ability. (T)
14. The "halo effect" is a term used to describe when the overall impression of a piece of
writing dictates the scores given to individual components. (T)
15. A writing task can successfully elicit a narrative by utilizing a series of pictures as a
stimulus. (T)
Chapter 10: Testing Oral Ability
16. The traditional oral interview is considered the most appropriate format for eliciting a
natural sample of oral ability because it makes the candidate feel relaxed. (F)
17. Asking the candidate to clarify or rephrase a statement by appearing not to understand
tests their communication repair strategies. (T)
18. Oral tests using responses to recorded stimuli are highly flexible, allowing the tester to
easily follow up on candidate responses. (F)
19. Role play is an oral testing technique that may involve two candidates, with the tester
acting only as an observer. (T)
20. To improve reliability and ensure a valid sample, oral tests should generally be planned to
be not less than 15 minutes long. (T)
21. When planning an oral test, the procedure should be varied enough that the pattern is not
revealed, preventing candidates from gaining an unfair advantage. (T)
22. The ability of a candidate to use a wide variety of language is measured under the
criterion of 'Accuracy' in oral scoring. (F)
Chapter 11: Testing Reading & Listening
23. The selection of texts for reading tests is a subjective process relying heavily on
experience, judgment, and common sense. (T)
24. When selecting reading texts, it is important to include content that may be part of the
candidates' general knowledge to ensure familiarity and motivation. (F)
25. Skimming is the reading operation defined as quickly finding specific words, figures, or
percentages in a text. (F)
26. Distinguishing fact from rumor or hearsay is listed as a potential operation in careful
reading. (T)
27. The most significant advantage of administering a listening test via recordings is the high
degree of uniformity provided, which aids reliability. (T)
28. Information transfer is a technique commonly used in both reading and listening tests,
requiring candidates to transfer extracted information into a non-verbal format. (T)
29. Partial dictation measures only comprehension, not the candidate's short-term memory.
(F)
30. Expedient reading passages should ideally be kept to less than 1,000 words. (F)
Part II: 30 Matching Questions (Chapters 8, 9, 10, 11)
Match the term/concept in Column A with its correct description in Column B.
Column A
Column B (Description/Characteristic) Citation(s)
(Term/Concept)
A. Assigns a single overall score based on an
1. Technique (Format)
impressionistic evaluation.
2. Short-answer item
B. Finding specific words or figures in a text quickly.
limitation
3. True/False item C. Test item format that is ineffective if multiple alternative
limitation correct responses are possible.
D. The ability to use a wide range of vocabulary and
4. Gap Filling
grammatical structures.
5. Representative E. A core requirement for the tasks set in a direct writing
Tasks test.
F. An interview technique used to force the candidate to
6. Analytic Scoring
rephrase or clarify.
G. Probability of getting the correct response by chance is
7. Holistic Scoring
50%.
H. Reading operations focusing on obtaining main ideas
8. Halo Effect
and discourse topic quickly.
9. Writing Operations I. Assigns separate scores to specific components like
grammar, vocabulary, and organization.
J. Operations include directing, instructing, persuading, or
10. Role Play
advising.
K. Occurs when the overall impression dictates the scores
11. Subordinate Role
given to individual writing components.
12. Appearing not to L. Causes the candidate difficulty in a traditional oral
understand interview setting.
13. Request for M. Elicitation technique achieved by asking questions like
elaboration "What exactly do you mean?".
14. Recorded Stimuli N. Oral format often involving two candidates with the
Drawback tester as an observer.
15. Oral Test O. Must be carefully planned so the procedure does not
Structure reveal patterns to candidates.
16. Accuracy (Oral P. Pronunciation must be clearly intelligible even with
Score) some L1 influence.
17. Range (Oral Q. The lack of opportunity for follow-up questions from the
Score) tester.
R. Item type where the candidate fills a gap in a sentence or
18. Skimming
text with an appropriate word.
S. The amount of scoring time required reduces the possible
19. Scanning
number of test items.
20. Information T. Text length for this type of reading can be 2,000 words
Transfer (Reading) or more.
21. Expedient Reading U. Used for comprehension by requiring candidates to label
Text Length a map or chart from text information.
22. Uniformity V. The great advantage provided by administering a
(Listening) listening test using recordings.
23. Phoneme W. A lower-level listening skill that can be tested
Discrimination effectively using multiple choice.
24. Partial Dictation X. Requires candidates to write down information from an
oral passage, testing comprehension and short-term
memory.
25. Role of General Y. Avoid texts whose content may be known to candidates
Knowledge regardless of reading skill.
26. Criterion- Z. Tests designed to classify people according to whether
Referenced Tests they have met a specific standard or set of tasks.
AA. A test criterion ensuring the test content is a
27. Content Validity
representative sample of the relevant language structures.
BB. Consistency in test measurements across different
28. Reliability
occasions or markers.
29. Writing Task CC. Technique achieved by presenting graphic information
Elicitation (e.g., charts) to prompt a report or comparison.
DD. Maximizing the sample of oral ability by giving
30. Fresh Starts candidates as many opportunities as possible to begin new
topics/tasks.
The following 20 True/False questions and 20 Matching questions are designed to review the key
theories and terminology found in Chapters 7, 12, and 13 of the provided source material.
Part I: 20 True/False Questions (Chapters 7, 12, 13)
Chapter 7: Stages of Test Development
1. Writing explicit specifications for the content of the test should be the first necessary
stage in test development.
2. During the test validation stage, concurrent validation measures test performance against
tutors’ subjective ratings of the students.
3. The final stage of test development involves checking the validity against the list of
structures and criteria defined in the specifications.
4. Item analysis typically includes finding the item facility, which is the percentage of
candidates who correctly answer an item.
5. A high discrimination index (close to 1.0) indicates that the item does a poor job of
distinguishing between strong and weak candidates.
Chapter 12: Testing Listening
6. The primary advantage of using audio recordings for a listening test is the high degree of
uniformity provided in administering the test, which aids reliability.
7. A major drawback of using recorded stimuli in a listening test is its inflexibility, as there
is no way to follow up on a candidate's responses.
8. Multiple-choice questions are suitable for testing lower-level listening skills, such as
phoneme discrimination.
9. The technique known as Transcription, where candidates write down exactly what they
hear, is generally considered the most appropriate method for scoring overall listening
comprehension.
10. The speed of speech in broadcast radio monologues is generally faster than the speed of
speech found in interviews.
11. Information transfer items in listening require candidates to extract information and
record it into a non-verbal format, like labeling a map or chart.
12. Partial dictation tests both comprehension and the candidate’s short-term memory.
Chapter 13: Testing Grammar and Vocabulary
13. Grammar proficiency tests should contain a representative sample of all possible
grammatical elements.
14. One reason to test grammar is for diagnostic purposes, to identify a learner's strengths
and weaknesses.
15. Paraphrase items require the student to write an equivalent sentence to the one given,
primarily testing vocabulary knowledge.
16. The testing of vocabulary productively is highly recommended and practical for large-
scale language proficiency tests.
17. Asking candidates to choose a definition that matches a given word tests vocabulary
recognition.
18. When choosing items for vocabulary tests, the distractors for a word should generally be
words that have a less frequent usage than the word being tested.
19. If grammar tests are administered in isolation, it is argued that they cannot accurately
predict ability in integrated skills like writing or speaking.
20. Using pictures to elicit responses is a useful technique for testing productive vocabulary.
Part II: 20 Matching Questions (Chapters 7, 12, 13)
Match the term/concept in Column A with its correct description in Column B.
Column A (Term/Concept) Column B (Description/Characteristic)
A. Assigns scores based on fixed correct answers, such as in
1. Content Validity
multiple-choice questions.
B. Identifying the sounds of the target language, often tested via
2. Predictive Validation
multiple choice items.
3. Reliability C. Ensures that the test is a representative sample of the relevant
language structures and skills.
4. Trialling D. The proportion of candidates who answer an item correctly.
E. A method of testing grammar and structural knowledge by
5. Item Facility
requiring the writing of an equivalent sentence.
F. Checks are carried out against students’ performance in their
6. Discrimination Index
future course of study.
G. The consistency of test measurements across different
7. Objective Scoring
administrations or markers.
H. A measure of how well an item distinguishes between high-
8. Subjective Scoring
scoring and low-scoring candidates.
I. Tests designed primarily to find out a student's strengths and
9. Uniformity (Listening)
weaknesses.
10. Phoneme J. Involves students extracting information from the recording and
Discrimination placing it onto a table, map, or chart.
11. Information Transfer K. The main advantage of administering a listening test using
(Listening) recorded materials.
L. Scoring relies on human judgment and interpretation, resulting
12. Partial Dictation
in potential score variance.
13. Transcription M. Requires candidates to write down the spoken input exactly,
(Listening) word-for-word, which can be time-consuming.
14. Speed of Speech
N. Recommended text length for expeditious reading passages.
(Interviews)
O. An early stage of test development where items are
15. Paraphrase Items
administered to a group of non-native speakers for analysis.
16. Vocabulary P. The speed of spoken material in wpm, often higher than
Recognition monologues.
17. Vocabulary Production Q. Measures grammar ability to classify learners into appropriate
(Proficiency) courses or levels.
18. Grammar Placement
R. Generally impractical to test in proficiency examinations.
Test
19. Grammar Diagnostic S. Involves selecting the correct definition or synonym for a given
Tests word.
20. Expeditious Reading T. Requires candidates to fill in gaps in a spoken passage, testing
Text Length memory and comprehension.
Chapter 7: Stages of Test Development
1. The first necessary stage in test development is the writing of explicit __________ for the
content of the test.
2. __________ is the process of administering test items to a group of non-native speakers
for analysis before the test is officially administered.
3. __________ validation is assessed by comparing a student's test performance against
subjective ratings, such as those provided by tutors.
4. The __________ is the percentage of candidates who answer a specific test item
correctly.
5. An item's __________ index measures how well that item distinguishes between high-
scoring and low-scoring candidates.
6. When an item is either extremely easy or extremely difficult, its discrimination index is
often close to __________.
7. The final step in test development, __________, involves checking the test content
against the structures and criteria defined in the specifications.
Chapter 12: Testing Listening
8. The great advantage of using __________ when administering a listening test is the high
degree of uniformity provided, which aids reliability.
9. A major drawback of using recorded stimuli in a listening test is its __________, as there
is no provision for follow-up questions from the tester.
10. Multiple-choice questions are frequently used to test lower-level listening skills, such as
__________ discrimination.
11. The speech rate in __________ (210 words per minute) is reported to be generally faster
than that found in radio monologues (160 words per minute).
12. __________ transfer items require candidates to extract information from a listening
passage and represent it in a non-verbal format, like a map or table.
13. The listening technique known as __________ dictation requires candidates to fill in gaps
in a spoken passage and tests both comprehension and short-term memory.
14. Writing down the spoken input exactly, word for word, is known as __________.
Chapter 13: Testing Grammar and Vocabulary
15. Tests designed primarily to identify a learner's strengths and weaknesses in grammar are
known as __________ tests.
16. If grammar tests are administered in __________, critics argue that they cannot
accurately predict ability in integrated skills like speaking or writing.
17. The testing technique that requires students to write a sentence equivalent in meaning to a
given sentence, focusing on structural knowledge, is called __________.
18. The testing of __________ vocabulary is considered practically never attempted in large-
scale language proficiency tests due to its difficulty.
19. In vocabulary tests, asking candidates to select the correct definition or synonym for a
word tests their __________.
20. When developing vocabulary items, the __________ for the target word should generally
be words that have more frequent usage.