A Qualitative Analysis of the Michigan English Placement Test-Form C

概要

論文の詳細を見る
There is a trend toward using commercially available English language proficiency tests in Japanese universities, to assess the language proficiency and development of individual students, and to assist language program evaluation. The Michigan English Placement Test (MEPT) is one such test. It is a commercially available 100 discrete item, multiple-choice, receptive English language placement test. It is composed of four sections-Listening (L), Grammar (G), Vocabulary (V), and Reading (R) ; there is no oral communication or speaking section. It is used in a number of universities in Japan. This paper assesses the appropriateness of the MEPT from a quantitative viewpoint ; the accompanying paper is a qualitative analysis. Qualitatively, the MEPT-C was found to have a narrow, repetitive item format that tests a limited number of discrete receptive skills only, with a limited content domain. In a theoretical discussion of issues, it was concluded that the MEPT-C tests only a narrow set of abilities that could be considered part of communicative competence, and the limitations of a multiple-choice format explored. The MEPT-C has little validity as a test instrument of communicative competence. Not only does it have little construct validity and content validity, but also little face validity, from the perspective of both test content and item format.
愛知学院大学の論文
1998-11-25