This document discusses issues in foreign language testing research. It introduces the aims of exploring fundamental issues in language test development and uses. It also discusses the relationship between language testing and research in language acquisition and teaching. Key concepts discussed include measurement, evaluation, reliability, validity, and limitations in test specification and quantification. Measurement and testing involve quantifying observations, while evaluation involves decision-making. This summary provides a high-level overview of the main topics and concepts addressed in the document in under 3 sentences.

1. INO 520 ISSUES IN
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
TESTING RESEARCH
2016-2017 Spring Term
Eylül Sözen
M.A in ELT

3. Introduction
The aims of the book
• To provide a discussion of fundamental issues regarding the
development and uses of language tests
• To explore some of the problems raised by the unique
characteristics of language tests (Language is both the
instrument and the object of measurement)
• To relate language testing to the contexts in which it takes
place

4. Research in language acquisition and teaching
• There is a reciprocal relationship
between research and language
testing because testing is both
serves and is served by research
in language acquisition and
teaching.

5. • We use tests to diagnose
students’ strengths and
weaknesses, to assess
their progress.
• Conversely, insights
gained from research
help us shape our ideas
to prepare better
language tests.

6. • Thus, advances in
language testing
does not take
place in a vacuum;
they are
stimulated by
advances in our
understanding of
the process of
language
acquisition.

7. 2. Measurement
• A number of fundamental
measurement terms and
concepts will be presented in this
chapter.

8. Evaluation
• It is the systematic gathering of information for the purpose of
making decisions.
• It is about making judgements on the worth or value of a performance
or an answer to a question “
• It is also the process of obtaining, analyzing and interpreting
information to determine the extent to which students achieve
instructional objectives.

9. Measurement…
• is a quantity
• uses a variety of instruments: test, rating scale.
• It is the process of obtaining numerical description of the degree of
individual possesses.
• Process of quantifying of how much learners learned.

10. Test is…
• the most commonly used method of making measurements
in education.
• It is also an instrument or systematic procedures for
measuring sample of behavior by posing a set of questions
in a uniform manner.
• Designed to measure any quality, ability, skill or knowledge.
• There is right or wrong answers.

11. Essential Measurement Qualities
Reliability
• Consistency of the measures across different times, test forms,
raters and other characteristics.
• Question:
• -If the two raters give different scores to the same writing
exam…
CAN WE THINK THAT BOTH RESULTS ARE
UNRELIABLE?
• YES, YOU ARE RIGHT. 

12. Validity
•
It is being sure that the test measures what it needs
to measure in order for a score obtained from it.
• The inferences we make using the test scores should
be appropriate, meaningful and useful.
• So the test should not be affected by the abilities
other than what we want to measure.

13. Characteristics that
limit measurement
• As test developers and users, we
want the test to be the best
measures possible.
• BUT, we know that our tests are
not the perfect indicator of the
ability we want to measure.

14. • There are two reasons for this.
1. Limitations in specification
2. Limitations in observation and quantification
Let’s talk about the first one a little bit.
We need to specify which language ability we are testing.
• Cognitive, affective or physical abilities can potentially affect
test performance.

15. Limitations in observation and
quantification
• Indirectness: We generalize one performance of the students to the whole
• Incompleteness: We can never assess their total performance
• Impreciseness: We assume that our test tokens are measuring just fine
• Subjectiveness: Tests are subjective since they are human-made
• Relativeness: The presence or absence of language abilities is impossible
to define in an absolute sense.

16. SUMMARY
• ‘Measurement and test’ involve the quantification of
observations, and are thus distinct from qualitative
descriptions.
• ‘Evaluation’ involves decision making and so it is
distinct from measurement, which essentially
provides information.

17. YOU DID JUST WELL BUT…
•Let’s finish with a mini quiz! 
Surprise :)