Evaluation of Language Testing: An Applied Linguistic Perspective

Abstract

Background: Over the past few years, researchers started to pay great attention to studies on language testing to improve the methodologies of administering, constructing and evaluating tests.

Aims: The present study aims at providing a new perspective as it contributes a new method based on scientific analysis that does not only diagnose the phenomenon, but also provides solutions and suggestions.

Methods: The study was conducted at the Departments of English both in the College of Education and College of Arts & Linguistics, Thamar University, Yemen. Ten (10) final term tests administered by ten instructors within two colleges were evaluated. The tests were given to freshmen students to test their productive, receptive skills, as well as their language components.

Conclusions: Results show that some tests lack validity, practicality, reliability, discrimination, accountability, and wash back effect. Findings also show that instructors' rubrics were neither clear nor brief. Questions also involved orthographic as well as grammatical mistakes. Finally, in comparison with instructors of College of Education, instructors of College of Arts are found to be better in administering tests.