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ERIC Number: EJ862643
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Dec
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
Reference Count: 0
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0346-251X
The On-Line Yes/No Test as a Placement Tool
Harrington, Michael; Carey, Michael
System: An International Journal of Educational Technology and Applied Linguistics, v37 n4 p614-626 Dec 2009
This study evaluates the concurrent validity of an on-line Yes/No test of recognition vocabulary as a placement tool at an Australian English language school. Newly entering students (n = 88) completed a Yes/No test, which measured accuracy and speed of response, and a school placement battery consisting of grammar, writing, speaking and listening measures. Yes/No test accuracy performance approximated that of the listening and grammar placement tests, discriminating between placement levels and correlating with overall placement decisions. Placement level decisions correlated with Yes/No accuracy (r = 0.6) and the discrete-point placement measures listening (0.7) and grammar (0.8). Yes/No test accuracy showed a consistently strong correlation (0.6) across all test measures, indicating that recognition vocabulary knowledge is a fundamental element in all tests. Response time as an independent measure followed the same pattern as the accuracy results but was less sensitive to differences in placement levels. A hierarchical regression analysis showed that when combined with accuracy, response times account for an additional amount of unique variance in the placement decision. The usefulness the on-line Yes/No test format in placement testing is discussed. (Contains 7 tables and 1 figure.)
Elsevier. 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, FL 32887-4800. Tel: 877-839-7126; Tel: 407-345-4020; Fax: 407-363-1354; e-mail: usjcs@elsevier.com; Web site: http://www.elsevier.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers: Australia