ERIC Number: EJ1293945
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1755-6031
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Available Date: N/A
Using Corpus Linguistics Tools to Identify Instances of Low Linguistic Accessibility in Tests
Beauchamp, David; Constantinou, Filio
Research Matters, n29 p10-16 Spr 2020
Assessment is a useful process as it provides various stakeholders (e.g., teachers, parents, government, employers) with information about students' competence in a particular subject area. However, for the information generated by assessment to be useful, it needs to support valid inferences. One factor that can undermine the validity of inferences from assessment outcomes is the language of the assessment material. For example, the use of excessively complex grammar and difficult vocabulary in the formulation of test questions may prevent students from displaying their true knowledge and skills (e.g., students who are not native speakers of the target language). In an attempt to support teachers and test developers in designing linguistically accessible assessment material, this study explored practical ways of investigating the linguistic complexity of test questions both at the level of vocabulary (lexical complexity) and grammar (syntactic complexity). The study compiled three corpora of examination questions and undertook automated lexical and syntactic analyses of these questions using software packages that are typically employed in the field of corpus linguistics.
Descriptors: Computational Linguistics, Inferences, Validity, Language Usage, Vocabulary, Grammar, Difficulty Level, Test Construction, Culture Fair Tests, Test Items, Item Analysis, Syntax, Computer Software, Evaluation Methods, Biology, Business Administration, History, Achievement Tests, Foreign Countries, Secondary School Students
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (England)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A