Issues in the Development of Standardized Proficiency Tests for Academic
Purposes: Language Skills and Components
By: Agus Eko Cahyono and Jumariati

Proficiency tests have been used widely to measure test-takers ability in using English for education purposes like the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The TOEFL is designed by the Education Testing Service (ETS) with the Headquarter is in Princeton, New Jersey. In its item development, TOEFL had gone through careful construction and revision. Previously, it contained some test-wiseness items as studies found (Allan, 1992; Yang, 2000) which then make the items revised. This is seen as the effort to ensure the validity of the TOEFL.

Parallel Tests & Equating: Theory, Principles, and Practice

Summarized by:

Marwa & Erlik Widiyani Styati

Parallel test is multiple test type. It refers to the same objective one another as possible in terms of test form, content, and item analysis in testing. It also refers to multiple test form to be equivalent in term of content, cognitive, demand and test item format. It is an important issue in testing. Multiple test forms should be designed very well to ensure the fairness of the test-taker. Parallel test should be stable and tried out. Then, parallel test is administered. After paralell test is administered, the test is scored which is commonly called equating test.

           

Parallel Tests & Equating: Theory, Principles, and Practice

Parallel Tests & Equating: Theory, Principles, and Practice

By Rojab Siti R. & Muhammad Yunus

Score equating is essential for any testing program that continually produces new editions of a test and for which the expectation is that scores from these editions have the same meaning over time. Different editions may be built to a common blueprint and be designed to measure the same constructs, but they almost invariably differ somewhat in their psychometric properties.

STANDARDIZED PROFICIENCY TEST (PART II) : BULATS, TOEIC, TOEP By: I.G.A. Lokita Purnamika Utami Rina sari

STANDARDIZED PROFICIENCY TEST (PART II) : BULATS, TOEIC, TOEP

By: I.G.A. Lokita Purnamika Utami

Rina sari

This summary is the continuation of the previous summary about developing standardized test with elaboration on TOEFL and IELTS. However, this summary is now focusing on the other standardized test: BULATS, TOEIC, and TOEP which are related to job or business purposes. The last one can be also considered for academic purposes. 

Test wiseness: Definition, Types, and Implications, as well as Studies related with Test Wiseness

Test wiseness: Definition, Types, and Implications, as well as Studies related with Test Wiseness

By Rojab Siti R., & Muhammad Yunus

Gibb (1964) defined test-wiseness as the ability to respond advantageously to item clues in a multiple-choice setting and therefore to obtain credit without knowledge of the subject matter being tested. Test wiseness is also called test familiarity or test wisdom by Thorndike (1951: 569). It can lead to lower validity.

Types of test wiseness:

Issues in the Development of Non-Test Instruments

Issues in the Development of Non-Test Instruments
 (Rating scales, semantic differential scales, checklists, questionnaires and others)

by: I.G.A. Lokita Purnamika Utami and Rina Sari

For the purpose of collecting new relevant data for a research study, the investigator needs to select proper instruments termed as tools and techniques. The major tools of research can be classified into broad categories of inquiry form, observation, interview, social measures and Psychological tests.

Among the inquiry forms, there are Rating scale, attitude scale, opinionnaire, questionnaire checklist and semantic differential scale.  Observation and Interview are explained as the techniques of data collection.  In psychological tests, Aptitude tests and inventories are discussed.

TEST WISENESS : DEFINITION, TYPES AND IMPLICATION AS WELL AS SOME STUDIES RELATED WITH TEST WISENESS

Marwa & Erlik Widiyani Styati

Defining Test-wiseness

Test-wiseness (TW hereafter) is a skill that permits a test-taker to utilize the characteristics and forms of tests and/ or test-taking situation to receive a high score. Some researchers (e.g., Benson, 1988; Rogers and Bateson, 1991) believe that TW is a cognitive ability or a set of test-taking strategies that a test taker can use to improve a test score no matter what the content area of a test. Bond (1981) distinguishes between test-wiseness and test-coaching. TW is independent of content areas whereas test-coaching refers to: “sustained instruction in the domain presumably being measured”.