Assessing EFL University Learners’ Writing Performance

Öz

The assessment of learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) relies on a set of procedures and methods. However, it may be characterized by certain difficulties in designing and scoring examination questions. The following article provides information about testing EFL university students by focusing mainly on the learners’ writing performance. To study the factors that affect the tests’ results, a set of examination topics and a sample of learners’ scores were analysed in order to highlight the issue of the topic effect and its position within the process of assessment. The results obtained led to the conclusion that the subject of the examination plays a role in determining the quality of the learners’ achievement

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Testing, Topic Effect, Performance

Kaynakça

1. Acheson, Katherine. (2010). Writing Essays about Literature: A Brief Guide for University and College Students. Canada: Broadview Press.
2. Bloom, Benjamin. (1956). Taxonomy of Education Objectives. New York: Longman.
3. Cohen, Louis, Manion, Lawrence, & Morrisson, Keith. (2007). Research Methods in Education. London: Rutledge.
4. Colburn, Alan. (2003). The Lingo of Learning: 88 Education Terms Every Science Teacher Should Know. USA: National Science Teachers Association.
5. Hoffman, Banesh. (2003). The Tyranny of Testing. New York: Dover Publications.
6. Kozma, Robert, Belle, Lawrence, & Williams, George Warner. (1978). Instructional Techniques in Higher Education. New Jersey: Educational Technology Publications.
7. Latash, Mark. (2008). Neurophysiological Basis of Movement. USA: Human Kinetics.
8. Leo, Ruth, & Murphy, Sandra. (1988). Designing Writing Tasks for the Assessment of Writing. New Jersey: Greenwood Publishing Group.

9. Luongo-Orlando, Katherine. (2003). Authentic Assessment: Designing Performance-Based Tasks. Canada: Pembroke Publishers.
10. Lynch, Brian. (2003). Language Assessment and Programme Evaluation. UK: Edinburgh University Press.
11. Pollack Day, Jeni, Spiegel, Dixie Lee, Mclellan, Janet, & Brown, Valerie. (2002). Moving Forward with Literature Circles: How to Plan, Manage and Evaluate Literature Circles that Deepen Understanding and Foster a Love of Reading. New York: Scholastic Inc.
12. Wainer, Howard, Bradlow, Eric, & Wang, Xiaohui. (2007). Testlet Response Theory and its Applications. Cambridge: CUP.