Standards in testing: a study of the practice of UK examination boards in EFL/ESL testing

Abstract

It is often asserted that the UK tradition in language testing is different from the North American tradition. Whereas in North America it is considered normal practice to examine the psychometric properties of tests, in the UK more emphasis is thought to be placed on test content. However, there has been no systematic study of this stereotypical view. The research reported in this article aimed to investigate the issue by examining the practices of UK EFL/ESL examination boards. A survey was carried out in two phases, using an open-ended instrument in phase one and a detailed questionnaire in phase two. The results, presented and discussed in some detail, show that no accepted standards exist which UK boards adhere to, that current practice and procedures followed by the boards vary greatly, but that information appears to exist within some boards which could attest to the quality of their examinations. However, that information is not publicly or easily available. The article argues that the time is ripe for the development of a set of standards boards should follow, and for a public discussion of those procedures that would be most appropriate to ensure that standards were met.

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