Introduction

Abstract

In language testing we are concerned with the extent to which a test can be shown to produce scores that are an accurate reflection of a candidate’s ability in a particular area, e.g., careful reading to extract main ideas from a text, writing an argumentative essay, breadth of vocabulary knowledge, or spoken interaction with peers. It demands an understanding of both trait and method. Trait is concerned with the underlying constructs/abilities we wish to measure in students, the what of language testing. Method deals with the how, the instmments we develop to provide us with the information about these construct(s).