by Wong Tai Yuen. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 112-128). / Acknowledgements --- p.i / Abstract --- p.iii / Contents --- p.v / List of Tables --- p.ix / List of Figures --- p.x / Chapter Chapter I --- Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- The Problem --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Statement of the Problem --- p.7 / Chapter 1.3 --- Hypotheses --- p.7 / Chapter 1.4 --- Limitations --- p.9 / Chapter 1.5 --- Definitions of Terms --- p.10 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Text / Chapter 1.5.2 --- Discourse / Chapter 1.5.3 --- Texture / Chapter 1.5.4 --- Context of Situation / Chapter 1.5.5 --- Cohesion / Chapter 1.5.6 --- Cohesive Ties / Chapter 1.5.7 --- Cohesive Harmony / Chapter 1.5.8 --- Coherence / Chapter 1.5.9 --- T-unit / Chapter 1.5.10 --- Holistic Rating / Chapter 1.6 --- Significance of the Study --- p.16 / Chapter Chapter II --- Review of the Literature / Chapter 2.1 --- "Language, Context and Text" --- p.18 / Chapter 2.2 --- Relationship of the Text to its Context of Situation --- p.18 / Chapter 2.3 --- Cohesion --- p.20 / Chapter 2.4 --- Coherence --- p.21 / Chapter 2.5 --- Cohesion and Coherence --- p.23 / Chapter 2.6 --- Cohesion and Coherence as Defined in this Study --- p.26 / Chapter 2.7 --- "Cohesion, Coherence and Reading Comprehension" --- p.27 / Chapter 2.8 --- "Cohesion, Coherence and Writing" --- p.29 / Chapter 2.9 --- The Connections between Reading and Writing --- p.30 / Chapter 2.10 --- Cohesive Ties --- p.33 / Chapter 2.11 --- How Cohesion Works --- p.41 / Chapter 2.11.1 --- Cohesive Devices as Signals / Chapter 2.11.2 --- How Cohesive Devices Help to Integrate Text / Chapter 2.11.3 --- Cohesion and Processing Efficiency / Chapter 2.11.4 --- The Given-New Contract / Chapter 2.12 --- Measuring Cohesion --- p.44 / Chapter 2.13 --- Measuring Coherence --- p.46 / Chapter 2.14 --- How Cohesion and Coherence Are Measured in this Study --- p.47 / Chapter Chapter III --- Procedure and Design of the Study / Chapter 3.1 --- Sampling --- p.49 / Chapter 3.2 --- Design of the Scale to Measure Students' Control over the Use of Cohesive Devices in Writing --- p.51 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- The Writing Test / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Measure of Cohesion / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Cohesive Errors / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Measure of Coherence / Chapter 3.3 --- Design of the Scale to Measure Students' Ability to Understand and Interpret Text --- p.68 / Chapter 3.4 --- Statistical Design --- p.71 / Chapter Chapter IV --- Results and Discussion / Chapter 4.1 --- Linguistic Competence of the Subjects --- p.73 / Chapter 4.2 --- Analysis of the Reading Test --- p.74 / Chapter 4.3 --- Analysis of the Written Test --- p.78 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Frequency Count of Cohesive Features / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Holistic Rating Scores / Chapter 4.4 --- Multiple Regression Analysis --- p.82 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Line of Regression / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Test of Multicol1inearity / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Test of Autocorrelation / Chapter 4.5 --- Discussion of the Findings of the Multiple Regression Analysis --- p.85 / Chapter Chapter V --- Conclusions and Implications / Chapter 5.1 --- Summing up --- p.98 / Chapter 5.2 --- Further Discussion: Limitations and Possibilities --- p.102 / Chapter 5.3 --- Implications for Instruction --- p.108 / Bibliography --- p.112 / Appendices --- p.129 / Chapter Appendix A --- Reading Test / Chapter Appendix B --- Writing Test

Leung Kwok-wing. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references. / Acknowledgments / Abstract / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- The Problem --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- The Rationale of the Study --- p.3 / Chapter 1.3 --- Significance of the Study --- p.5 / Chapter 1.4 --- Definition of Terms --- p.6 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Review of Related Literature / Chapter 2.1 --- Conventional Skills Approaches in Reading / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Bottom-up Model --- p.9 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Top-down Model --- p.11 / Chapter 2.2 --- The Schema´ؤtheoretic Model in Reading --- p.15 / Chapter 2.3 --- Cultural Knowledge in EFL/ESL Reading --- p.20 / Chapter 2.4 --- Language and Culture --- p.26 / Chapter 2.5 --- Developmental Studies in Reading --- p.31 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- The Hypotheses --- p.39 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Design of the Study / Chapter 4.1 --- Design Characteristics --- p.41 / Chapter 4.2 --- Instrumentation --- p.43 / Chapter 4.3 --- The Pilot Study / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Subjects --- p.46 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Results --- p.47 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Amendments --- p.49 / Chapter 4.4 --- The Main Study / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Subjects --- p.52 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Procedure --- p.53 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Data Analysis --- p.54 / Chapter 4.5 --- Delimitations of the Study --- p.55 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Results / Chapter 5.1 --- Descriptive Data --- p.57 / Chapter 5.2 --- Overall Performances in Different Cultures --- p.59 / Chapter 5.3 --- Comparison of Different Group Performances --- p.64 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Discussion and Implications / Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction --- p.69 / Chapter 6.2 --- Discussion --- p.70 / Chapter 6.3 --- Pedagogical Implications --- p.76 / Chapter 6.4 --- Suggestions for Further Research --- p.85 / References --- p.87 / Appendices / Chapter 1.A. --- Reading Test (English version) for the Pilot Study --- p.102 / Chapter B. --- Reading Test (Chinese version) for the Pilot Study --- p.115 / Chapter 2. --- Test Administration Procedure --- p.128 / Chapter 3. --- Record Form --- p.129 / Chapter 4.A. --- Reading Test (English version) for the Main Study --- p.130 / Chapter B. --- Reading Test (Chinese version) for the Main Study --- p.143 / Chapter 5. --- Reliability of Test Items --- p.155 / Chapter 6. --- Validity of Test Items in Different Forms --- p.156 / Chapter 7. --- Correct Responses of the Reading Test --- p.157

by Chung Sin Ling Jenny. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 173-190). / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.ii / Contents --- p.iii / List of Tables --- p.ix / List of Figures --- p.x / Chapter Chapter1 --- Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Background to the Study --- p.1 / Chapter - --- Related reading research / Chapter - --- Signals and coherence / Chapter - --- Signal types studied in different conditions / Chapter - --- Contradictory findings of signal studies / Chapter - --- Reading comprehension perspectives adopted in this study / Chapter 1.2 --- The Problem --- p.7 / Chapter 1.3 --- Purpose of the Study --- p.8 / Chapter 1.4 --- Significance of the Study --- p.9 / Chapter Chapter2 --- Literature Review / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.11 / Chapter 2.2 --- Analysis and Discussion of Theories and Models of Reading Comprehension --- p.11 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Comparison of van Dijk and Kintsch's Discourse Processing Models and Other Models --- p.11 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Van Dijk and Kintsch's Textbase (Microstructure and Macrostructure) Processing --- p.14 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- The Comprehension Process - from an Information Processing Perspective --- p.20 / Chapter 2.2.3.1 --- Introduction --- p.20 / Chapter 2.2.3.2 --- The Process of Information Processing in van Dijk and Kintsch's Discourse Processing Model --- p.21 / Chapter 2.2.5.3 --- Act theories (An information Processing approach from Cognitive Psychology) --- p.24 / Chapter 2.3 --- Relevance of Theories and Models of Discourse Processing to the Present Study --- p.25 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- "The Relationship Between the Notions of Activation, Strength and Goals During Information Processing" --- p.25 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Automatic Processing and Control Processing and Readers of Different Abilities --- p.28 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- "Meaning, Functions and Types of Strategies" --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.3.1 --- Nature of Strategies --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.3.2 --- Types of Strategies --- p.31 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Mental Representation and Reading Comprehension --- p.38 / Chapter 2.3.4.1 --- The Function of Mental Representation --- p.38 / Chapter 2.3.4.2 --- Levels of Meaning Representation --- p.40 / Chapter 2.3.5 --- Schema Theory and Reading Comprehension --- p.55 / Chapter 2.3.6 --- Inferencing and Reading Comprehension --- p.61 / Chapter 2.4. --- "The Relationship between Signals, Cohesion, Coherence and Reading Comprehension" --- p.52 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- "The Meaning , Types and Functions of Signals" --- p.53 / Chapter - --- An overview of the important notions of signals / Chapter - --- Other related notions of signals identified in this study / Chapter 2.4.2. --- "The Interplay of Signals, Cohesion and Coherence" --- p.64 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Interplay between Signals and Comprehension Process --- p.70 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- Signal Studies --- p.74 / Chapter 2.4.4.1 --- Single signal studies --- p.74 / Chapter - --- Conjunctions / Chapter - --- Lexical and Semantic Cues / Chapter - --- "Headings, Previews & Titles" / Chapter 2.4.4.2 --- Multiple Signal Studies --- p.77 / Chapter 2.5 --- Brief Summary of Literature Review --- p.79 / Chapter Chapter3 --- Research Design / Chapter 3.1 --- Hypotheses and variables --- p.83 / Chapter 3.2 --- Sampling --- p.85 / Chapter 3.3 --- Subjects --- p.85 / Chapter 3.4 --- Materials --- p.86 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Source and Text Content --- p.86 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Simplifying Authentic Text --- p.87 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Topic and Difficulty of the Passage --- p.89 / Chapter 3.5 --- Design of the Test --- p.89 / Chapter 3.6 --- Validity --- p.92 / Chapter 3.6.1 --- Construct Validity --- p.92 / Chapter 3.6.2 --- Construct Validity --- p.94 / Chapter 3.6.3 --- Criterion Validity --- p.95 / Chapter 3.7 --- Measuring Reading Comprehension --- p.98 / Chapter 3.8 --- Preliminary Study and Pilot Studies --- p.101 / Chapter 3.8.1 --- Preliminary Study --- p.101 / Chapter 3.8.2 --- Pilot Study1 --- p.105 / Chapter 3.8.3 --- Pilot Study2 --- p.107 / Chapter 3.9 --- Testing Procedure --- p.108 / Chapter 3.10 --- Scoring --- p.109 / Chapter 3.11 --- Research Design --- p.110 / Chapter 3.11.1 --- Statistical Design / Chapter 3.12 --- Limitations --- p.112 / Chapter Chapter4 --- Results and Discussion / Chapter 4.1 --- Statistical Analysis of Tests Scores --- p.113 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Reliability and Discrimination Index --- p.135 / Chapter - --- The Pilot Studies --- p.113 / Chapter - --- The Main Study --- p.114 / Chapter 4.1.2. --- "The Interaction between ""Versions"" and ""Groups"" Of the Entire Sample" --- p.115 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- The Insignificant Difference of Signalled Versions and the Non-Signalled Version on the Reading Comprehens ion Scores of the High Group and the Medium Group --- p.116 / Chapter 4.1.4 --- The Significant Difference of Signalled Versions and the Non-Signalled Version on the Reading Comprehension Scores of the Low Group --- p.116 / Chapter 4.1.5 --- "The Means and Standard Deviations of the Low Ability Groupin Total Reading Comprehension Scores, Macrostructure Scores and Microstructure Scores of the 4 Versions in the Main Study" --- p.118 / Chapter 4.1.6 --- Results of the Means and Standard Deviations of the Three Kinds of Reading Comprehension Scores on the Entire Sample --- p.122 / Chapter 4.1.7 --- The relationship between Versions and Groups (Ability Group) --- p.122 / Chapter 4.2 --- Discussion --- p.128 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Summary of Research Findings --- p.128 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- The Relationship between Text Relations and Logical Connectives --- p.131 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Coherence Established through Logical Connectives --- p.142 / Chapter 4.3 --- The Roles of Paragraphs in Language Processing --- p.148 / Chapter 4.4 --- Comparison of the Effects of Different Types of Signals on Reading Comprehension --- p.152 / Chapter 4.5 --- Discussion on the Ability Difference in Making Use of Signals --- p.155 / Chapter 4.6 --- Summarization of Text Processing With or Without Making Use of Signals --- p.168 / Chapter Chapter5 --- Conclusions --- p.170 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.173 / "Appendix A (Examination Syllabus of Reading Comprehension Section C, Hong Kong A-Level Examination,1985)" / Appendix B (Skills invovled in Understanding Written Materials in Paper II of Hong Kong Certificate Education1989) / "Appendix C (Passages for the Reading Comprehension Post-Test: Versions 1, 2, 3,4)" / Appendix D (Question Papers for the Reading Comprehension Post-Test) / Appendix E (Pre-test Passages and Question Papers) / Appendix F(Discrimination Index of the 25 Test Questions in Pilot Study 2 Selected for the Main Study) / Appendix G (Discrimination Index of the 25 Test Questions in the Main Study) / "Appendix H (Results of T-Test on the difference among the 4versions of the Total Scores, Macrostructure Scores and the Mocrostructure Scores of the High Ability Group in the Main Study)" / "Appendix I (Results of T-Test on the difference among the 4versions of the Total Scores, Macrostructure Scores and the Microstructure Scores of the Medium Ability Group in the Main Study)"

本博士論文主旨為在漢語作為第二語言（以下簡稱“漢語“）的口語表現評分中連接分數與考生表現。為此，本文設計了三個相互關聯的研究，即：研究一、研究二以及研究三。研究一採用傳統評分法獲取傳統分數，研究二設計自信評分法獲得自信分數，研究三則將傳統評分法與自信評分法進行比較。 / 研究一檢驗了傳統分數與考生表現之間的關係。基於代表漢語口語構念四大維度的七個特徵，研究一分析了66個考生在一次漢語口語測試中的表現（每個考生9分鐘），並採用了相關分析和標準多元回歸作進一步分析。結果表明：第一，七個特徵中的每一個特徵都與傳統分數顯著相關，呈現高等或中等效應量。第二，79%和77%的分數差異可以被兩個回歸分析中相應的特徵所解釋。因此，研究一提供了連接分數與考生表現的實證證據，進而驗證了漢語口語能力評估中的效度問題。 / 然而，研究一採用傳統評分法連接分數與考生表現時，還發現了兩個問題：相鄰等級界限模糊和維度之間的交迭。為解決這兩個問題，研究二提出了一種新的評分方法：自信評分法。然而，自信評分法卻在兩個相鄰等級和三個維度上產生了眾多原始自信分數。這些原始自信分數須轉換成一個準確的自信分數便於分數解釋和使用。為此，研究二採用了隸屬度函數和推理規則，並設計了自信評分演算法。隨後，研究二對自信評分進行了試驗，並對傳統評分法和自信評分法進行了初步比較。分數可靠性和關鍵資訊點相關係數結果表明，與傳統評分法相比，自信評分法具有優越性。 / 研究三採用混合研究法對傳統評分法和自信評分法進行比較，便於我們更為全面的理解這兩種方法的異同。量化分數資料包括五名評分員的傳統分數和自信分數。質化訪談資料則包括這五名評分員對傳統評分法和自信評分法評分過程的看法。量化分數資料分析表明，與傳統評分法相比，自信評分法能在分數和考生表現之間建立更加緊密的連接。質化訪談資料分析發現，自信評分法基於傳統評分法，並從傳統評分法發展而來。更為重要的是，自信評分法不但包含了傳統評分法，而且還承認並利用了評分員的評分自信對口語表現進行評分。 / 本博士論文旨在驗證漢語口語能力評估的效度問題，主要貢獻在於對連接分數與考生表現這一議題上，提供了概念解釋、實證證據以及方法論創新。 / The major objective of the thesis is to link scores to candidate performance in scoring speaking performance for Chinese as a second language (L2 Chinese). To this end, the thesis has been designed comprising three coordinated studies, namely, Study One, Study Two and Study Three. Study One employs Traditional Scoring for obtaining traditional scores, Study Two develops Confidence Scoring for producing confidence scores and Study Three compares Traditional Scoring and Confidence Scoring. / In Study One, the relationship between traditional scores and candidate performance was examined. Seven features--representing four major categories in the L2 Chinese speaking construct--were employed. Speech samples of 66 candidates on an L2 Chinese speaking test (i.e., 9 minutes’ speech length for each) were analyzed in terms of the seven features, with correlations and standard multiple regression being employed. Results indicated that, first, each of the seven features was significantly correlated to the traditional scores, producing large or medium effect sizes; second, 79% and 77% of the variance in the scores could be explained by the features involved in two regression analyses respectively. Study One therefore provides empirical evidence for linking scores to candidate performance to validate the assessment of L2 Chinese speaking proficiency. / Two problems were, however, identified in Study One when linking scores to candidate performance in using Traditional Scoring--indistinction between adjacent levels and overlap between scales. To address these two problems, Study Two therefore proposed a new approach, Confidence Scoring, leading to raw confidence scores between two adjacent levels applied to three rating scales. Since raw confidence scores had to be transformed to an exact confidence score for score interpretation and use, membership functions and rule bases were applied and a Confidence Scoring Algorithm was developed. A pilot study was subsequently conducted in Study Two to try out Confidence Scoring. An initial comparison was also made in the pilot study between Traditional Scoring and Confidence Scoring. Results of scoring dependabilities and correlations with Key Message Points (KMPs) indicated that Confidence Scoring outperformed Traditional Scoring. / In Study Three, a mixed methods study was conducted to provide a more comprehensive picture in comparing Traditional Scoring and Confidence Scoring. Quantitative score data comprised traditional scores and confidence scores from five raters. Qualitative interview data encompassed five raters’ perceptions on the scoring process using Traditional Scoring and Confidence Scoring. The analysis of quantitative score data indicated that, in relation to Traditional Scoring, a closer link between scores and candidate performance was established through Confidence Scoring. The investigation of qualitative interview data found that Confidence Scoring was based on and developed from Traditional Scoring. More importantly, while Confidence Scoring embraced Traditional Scoring, it provided a more flexible way of acknowledging and incorporating raters’ confidence in scoring speaking performance. / The contribution of the thesis therefore rests on conceptual understanding, empirical evidence as well as methodological innovationin linking scores to candidate performance--in the context of validating the assessment of L2 Chinese speaking proficiency. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Jin, Tan. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 161-175). / Abstract also in Chinese; appendixes includes Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.I / 摘要 --- p.III / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.IV / FIGURES --- p.IX / TABLES --- p.X / ABBREVIATIONS --- p.XI / PUBLICATIONS --- p.XII / Journal articles (podcast) --- p.XII / Conference proceedings --- p.XII / Chapter 1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Context of the research --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Research questions --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Research Question 1 (Study One) --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Research Question 2 (Study Two) --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Research Question 3 (Study Three) --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3 --- Research design overview --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Study One: Traditional Scoring --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Study Two: Confidence Scoring --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- Study Three: Traditional Scoring and Confidence Scoring --- p.8 / Chapter 1.4 --- Potential Contribution --- p.10 / Chapter 2 --- REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE --- p.12 / Chapter 2.1 --- Early Development: Linking scores to expert experience --- p.16 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Expert experience: The “native speaker“ benchmark --- p.16 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Practice perspective: (I)ELTS (1986 & 1989) --- p.17 / Chapter 2.2 --- Major Contribution: Linking scores to rater perception --- p.19 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Teacher/Rater interpretation: “scaling descriptors“ --- p.20 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Rater judgment: “binary comparisons“ --- p.21 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Practice perspective: IELTS revision (1998-2001) --- p.23 / Chapter 2.3 --- Work in Progress: Linking scores to candidate performance --- p.26 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Identifying features from rater perception --- p.28 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Identifying features from documents/rating scales --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Practice perspective: TOEFL iBT and IELTS (operational) --- p.31 / Chapter 2.4 --- The L2 Chinese context and identifying L2 Chinese features --- p.35 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Pronunciation --- p.38 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Fluency --- p.39 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Vocabulary --- p.40 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- Grammar --- p.40 / Chapter 2.5 --- Traditional Scoring and problems of “indistinction“ and “overlap“ --- p.41 / Chapter 2.6 --- Summary --- p.46 / Chapter 3 --- STUDY ONE: TRADITIONAL SCORING --- p.48 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.48 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Traditional Scoring --- p.48 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Research Question 1 --- p.49 / Chapter 3.2 --- Method --- p.50 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Instrument: An L2 Chinese speaking test --- p.50 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Participants --- p.53 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Coding --- p.54 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Statistical analysis --- p.56 / Chapter 3.3 --- Results --- p.58 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Correlations --- p.58 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Standard multiple regression --- p.59 / Chapter 3.4 --- Discussion --- p.61 / Chapter 3.5 --- Summary --- p.74 / Chapter 4 --- STUDY TWO: CONFIDENCE SCORING --- p.76 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.76 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Confidence Scoring --- p.77 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Research Question 2 --- p.80 / Chapter 4.2 --- Confidence Scoring design --- p.82 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Raw confidence scores of adjacent levels --- p.82 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Raw confidence scores from different scales --- p.88 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Raw confidence scores to a confidence score --- p.90 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Score interpretation and use --- p.97 / Chapter 4.3 --- Pilot study --- p.98 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Candidates and instruments --- p.98 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Coding system --- p.99 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Confidence scores and traditional scores --- p.100 / Chapter 4.4 --- Discussion --- p.104 / Chapter 4.5 --- Summary --- p.106 / Chapter 5 --- STUDY THREE: TRADITIONAL SCORING AND CONFIDENCE SCORING --- p.108 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.108 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Mixed methods: The convergent parallel design --- p.109 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Research Question 3 --- p.110 / Chapter 5.2 --- Method --- p.111 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Quantitative score data --- p.111 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Qualitative interview data --- p.112 / Chapter 5.3 --- Analysis --- p.114 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Quantitative data analysis --- p.114 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Qualitative data analysis --- p.121 / Chapter 5.4 --- Results and Findings --- p.123 / Chapter 5.4.1 --- Quantitative results --- p.123 / Chapter 5.4.2 --- Qualitative findings --- p.126 / Chapter 5.5 --- Discussion --- p.141 / Chapter 5.6 --- Summary --- p.145 / Chapter 6 --- GENERAL DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION --- p.147 / Chapter 6.1 --- Study One: Traditional Scoring --- p.147 / Chapter 6.1.1 --- Constructing rating scales based on candidate performance --- p.148 / Chapter 6.1.2 --- Establishing a potential alignment of L2 speaking tests --- p.148 / Chapter 6.2 --- Study Two: Confidence Scoring --- p.151 / Chapter 6.2.1 --- Applying Confidence Scoring in other educational contexts --- p.151 / Chapter 6.2.2 --- Developing computation package for Confidence Scoring --- p.152 / Chapter 6.3 --- Study Three: Traditional Scoring and Confidence Scoring --- p.153 / Chapter 6.4 --- Limitations --- p.154 / Chapter 6.5 --- Conclusion --- p.155 / Chapter 6.6 --- Future agendas: Where are we heading? --- p.157 / Chapter 6.6.1 --- Investigating more features representing the construct --- p.158 / Chapter 6.6.2 --- Applying Confidence Scoring to different contexts --- p.159 / Chapter 6.6.3 --- Combining automated scoring and raters’ scoring --- p.160 / REFERENCES --- p.161 / APPENDICES --- p.176 / Appendix 1 --- p.176 / Appendix 2 --- p.177 / Appendix 3 --- p.184 / Appendix 4 --- p.188 / Appendix 5 --- p.192 / Appendix 6 --- p.193 / Appendix 7 --- p.195 / Appendix 8 --- p.199 / Appendix 9 --- p.203 / Appendix 10 --- p.207

Advancements in technology have greatly influenced how students write, the ways they interact with readers, and the genres they create. In order to reflect real-world writing behaviors in the assessment setting and to be able to generalize test-takers’ performance from the assessment to their true writing ability, the current study investigated test-takers’ use of linguistic tools in second language academic writing assessment. The linguistic tools of interest involved three frequently used tool types: spelling, grammar, and reference tools (i.e., dictionary and thesaurus). Three highly contextualized tasks which reflect the tasks second language learners may encounter in the academic domain of language use (i.e., writing an apologetic email, a negative online review, and an opinion on a discussion board) were used as a way to elicit test-takers’ writing ability. Additionally, as a means of measuring writing performance, writing ability was defined in terms of the accuracy and/or variety of grammatical forms, semantic meanings, and pragmatic meanings produced in the written responses (Purpura, 2004, 2014, 2017). Using a mixed methods design, the current study first analyzed the quantitative data, which included 120 test-takers’ scores on the writing test, based on an analytic rubric through classical test theory, many-facet Rasch measurement, and multivariate generalizability theory. Test-takers’ scores across assessment conditions (i.e., access to no linguistic tools, spelling, grammar, or reference tool), proficiency levels (i.e., intermediate, advanced, and proficient) and three tasks (i.e., email, online review, and discussion board post) were compared. In order to explain the reasons behind the similarities and difference across the assessment conditions, proficiency levels, and tasks found in the quantitative analyses, the qualitative data, which included screen recordings of test-takers’ process of producing text, were analyzed. The results of the study were discussed to provide empirical evidence in supporting the domain description, evaluation, generalizability, explanation, extrapolation, and utilization claims (Kane, 2006, 2013) in regard to providing support in discussing the possibilities of allowing test-takers’ use of linguistic tools in second language writing assessment. Based on Kane’s framework for validation, the findings revealed that allowing linguistic tools—especially spelling and reference tools—in writing assessment contexts could be a possibility.

[Truncated astract] Talent Identification (TI) in sports begins by mass screening individuals' motor abilities. du Randt (2000) wrote that, as test items from one country might not necessarily suit another, appropriate basic motor skill test items are important for developing a TI mass screening instrument. Three hundred and thirty Malaysian adolescents aged from 12-15 years were tested on three motor skill test batteries: the McCarron Assessment of Neuromuscular Development (MAND, McCarron, 1982); the Australian Talent Identification Test (AIS, Australian Sports Commission, 1998); and a Balance and Movement Coordination Test which was specifically developed for this project. In the current research, the motor performance data recorded from the adolescents underwent several types of analyses. Principal Component analyses were conducted on the MAND, AIS and BMC motor skill instruments to understand what the three motor skill instruments were assessing globally in the Malaysian adolescents. Then, first-order and higher-order factor analyses were conducted on the 13 parameters making up the AIS+BMC motor skill instrument to examine the concept of general motor ability (GMA). After descriptive analyses of the adolescents' motor skill performances, age and gender differences were examined using two (gender) by four (age) ANOVAs. Finally, stepwise discriminant function analyses were conducted on a combined AIS+BMC motor skill instrument to determine the best sub-set of motor skills that reliably classified the Malaysian adolescents into three levels of motor performance.... Two stepwise discriminant analyses were undertaken to find the best set of motor skills for classifying Malaysian adolescents into three motor coordination groups based on scores on the MAND and three motor ability groups derived from scores on the motoric 'g'. The ability of a combined AIS+BMC motor skill instrument to classify Malaysian adolescents into the three groups was good for those classified as Normal, not so great for those adolescents classified as High, and poor for those adolescents classified as Low. The motor skills consistently reported across both sets of analyses were Balance-Eyes-Open, Balance-Eyes-Closed, Dynamic Balance, Hopping Speed, Quadrant Jump, Hopping-in-Square, Basketball Throw and Shuttle-Run-with-Object. Hence, motor skills assessing static balance, dynamic balance and postural control appeared to reliably discriminate the Malaysian adolescents into three motor performance groups. Finally, an examination of the misclassifications found in the discriminant analyses revealed two things. Those individuals being predicted into a lower group performed a large number of the motor skills to a lesser standard when compared with their correctly classified cohorts. Conversely, those predicted into a higher group performed a number of motor skills to a standard higher than their correctly classified cohorts. Thus, at a global level, certain individuals could be overlooked for further athletic development and is a concern when developing a rigorous TI program. Therefore, practitioners need to be cautious of any single ability score, and how that represents an individual's athletic potential. These results are discussed, limitations noted, and directions for future research provided.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Student Preparedness for Academic Writing examines perceptions of student preparedness for academic writing in the first-year literary studies course, English 178, located in the English Department at Stellenbosch University. The research was conducted during 2011 and 2012 making use of a survey which was completed by the 2011 first-year English 178 class, and also utilising a series of interviews with students, tutors and lecturers in 2012. Preparedness for English 178 is framed in terms of Pierre Bourdieu’s notion of socially constructed habitus. In addition to the thought of Bourdieu the thesis draws on the writings of Peter Elbow, Arlene Archer and Pamela Nichols, among others, to analyse and frame the quantitative and qualitative information yielded by the study. The dissertation assesses multiple interlocking elements that comprise student preparedness and finds striking discrepancy between student perception of their preparedness and that of the lecturers and tutors. While tutors, lecturers and the report of the National Benchmark Test all suggest that at least half of all first-year students are poorly prepared for academic writing, only about 21% of students perceive themselves to be poorly prepared. Possible reasons for the difference in views between students and other sources are explored. The thesis concludes by asking if the English 178 course at Stellenbosch University truly tests the students’ academic writing abilities and if the course is balancing its “obligations to students [with the]… obligation[s] to knowledge and society” (Elbow 327). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie verhandeling ondersoek persepsies van studentevoorbereidheid vir akademiese skryf in die eerstejaars-letterkundekursus, Engels 178, gesetel in die Departement Engels aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch. Die navorsing is gedurende 2011 en 2012 gedoen deur gebruik te maak van ’n vraelys wat deur 2011 se Engels 178-eerstejaarsklas voltooi is, asook van ’n reeks onderhoude met studente, tutors en lektore in 2012. In hierdie verhandeling word voorbereidheid vir Engels 178 in terme van Pierre Bourdieu se konsep van sosiaal gekonstrueerde habitus beskryf. Benewens Bourdieu se denke word daar ook na die werke van onder andere Peter Elbow, Arlene Archer en Pamela Nichols verwys om die kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe inligting wat uit die studie voortgekom het, te ontleed en te situeer. Die verhandeling assesseer die veelvuldige ineengeskakelde elemente wat studentevoorbereidheid omvat, en bevind ’n opvallende teenstrydigheid tussen studente se persepsie van hulle eie voorbereidheid en lektore en tutors se persepsie van studente se voorbereidheid. Terwyl tutors en lektore se ervaring en die Nasionale Normtoetsverslag alles daarop wys dat ten minste die helfte van alle eerstejaarstudente swak voorbereid is vir akademiese skryf, beskou slegs ongeveer 21% van studente hulself as swak voorbereid. Moontlike redes vir die verskil in beskouings tussen studente en ander bronne word ondersoek. Die verhandeling sluit af met die vraag of die Engels 178-kursus aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch werklik studente se akademiese skryfvaardighede toets, en of die kursus wel ’n ewewig handhaaf tussen verpligtinge teenoor studente en ’n verantwoordelikheid teenoor kennis en die samelewing (Elbow 327).

Given the high-risk nature of military flight operations and the significant resources required to train U.S. Naval Aviation personnel, continual improvement is required in the selection process. In addition to general commissioning requirements and aeromedical standards, the U.S. Navy utilizes the Aviation Selection Test Battery (ASTB) to select commissioned aviation students. Although the ASTB has been a good predictor of aviation student performance in training, it was proposed that incremental improvement could be gained with the introduction of novel, computer administered performancebased measures: Block Rotation (BRT) and a Navy-developed Compensatory Tracking task. This work constituted an initial validation of the BRT, an interactive virtual analog of Shepard-Metzler’s (1971) Mental Rotation task that was developed with the intention of quantifying mental rotation and psychomotor ability. For Compensatory Tracking, this work sought to determine if data gathered concord with results in extant literature, confirming the validity of the task. Data from the BRT were examined to determine task reliability and to formulate relevant quantitative/predictive performance human models. Results showed that the BRT performance is a valid spatial ability predictor whose output can be modeled, and that Compensatory Tracking task data concord with the psychometric properties of tracking tasks that have been previously presented in the literature.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / This study explored the reading strategies employed by Grade 12 learners in Modjadji Circuit, Limpopo Province: Towards developing an intervention reading strategies in English First Additional Language. The research was undertaken in one public secondary school. The researcher focused on Grade 12 learners of the mentioned circuit. The study followed the qualitative approach, and a case study research design was selected. Interviews were conducted with 12 learners and three teachers who were purposively selected from one public school. Document analysis and observations were also used to collect data. The findings of the study showed that learners and educators employ reading strategies during the reading of English text. Learners employ the reading strategies to enhance their reading ability and to improve their reading skills. The following different reading strategies were found to be used, namely, activating background knowledge, main ideas, summarising, visualising, predicting, inferencing, questioning, monitoring-clarifying extensive strategy, intensive strategy, pre-reading, during- reading, post-reading, and peer-assisted strategy. It was also found that most learners experience problem of decoding English words correctly and that teachers always assist them to decode them well during reading. It was found that documents such as subject policy, school policy and school-time-table do not provide guidance on how to teach reading. The documents do not also guide teachers on how to implement reading strategies. The study recommends that the school time-table should consider including reading periods on the time table. All the mentioned policies above should provide guidance on how to implement reading strategies. The Department Of Education should encourage all schools to participate in a “Drop All and Read” competition. The study recommend that teachers employ different reading strategies to teach reading. Learners must also employ various reading strategies to improve their reading skills and to enhance their reading ability.

Thesis (M. Comm.)--University of South Africa, 2002.