Problems in Assessing EFL Writing on High-stakes Tests : A Guide to the Research

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論文 (Article)The research on writing assessment shows that testing writing is a difficult task. This paper reviews this literature, focusing on validity, reliability, and scoring methods. Problems concerning validity include theoretical issues such as the definition of the construct "writing" as well as practical issues such as task authenticity. The main problem concerning reliability is whether or not holistic scoring, the most common scoring method for high-stakes assessments, gives the score user a reliable estimate of the test taker's writing ability; this problem becomes more serious with ESL/EFL writers whose writing and language abilities may differ markedly. A related issue is the training of the raters who produce the scores. The conclusion, while emphasizing that the present method of assessing writing in high-stakes examinations is producing dubious and unreliable results, also presents some lessons from the research to help EFL writing instructors prepare their students for these important tests.