The use of cloze tests is beset with problems. The C-Test represents an attempt to develop a measure of general language competence which will avoid these problems. A large number of studies, involving children and adults learning a variety of languages, point to its being a reliable and valid measure of overall language ability. Construct validation has now begun. The principal usefulness of the C-Test is seen to be in selection and placement procedures. It is essential that the test should not be used to make significant decisions without prior statistical evaluation.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Alderson, J.C.1979: The cloze procedure and proficiency in English as a foreign language. TESOL Quarterly13, 219-26.
2.
Bernstein, B.1962: Social class, linguistic code and grammatical elements . Language and Speech5, 221-40.
3.
Bickerton, D., 1981: Roots of language. Ann Arbor : Karoma Publishers Inc.
4.
Carroll, J.B.1983: Psychometric theory and language testing. In Oller, J.W. Jr, editor, Issues in language testing research, Rowley, Massachusetts: Newbury House, 80-104.
5.
Cronbach, L.J. and Meehl, P.E.1955: Construct validity in psychological tests. Psychological Bulletin52, 281-302.
6.
Hull, C.H. and Nie, N.H.1981: SPSS update 7-9. New York: McGraw-Hill.
7.
Klein-Braley, C.1979: Test analysis with SPSS. IUS Workpapers No. 2, Duisburg and Essen: Interuniversitare Sprachtestgruppe.
8.
1981 : Empirical investigations of cloze tests: an examination of the validity of cloze tests as tests of general language proficiency in English for German university students. Duisburg, doctoral dissertation.
9.
1984 a: Advance prediction of difficulty with C-Tests. In Culhane, T., Klein-Braley, C. and Stevenson, D.K., editors, Practice and problems in language testing 7, Colchester : University of Essex.
10.
1984 b: A cloze-up on the C-Test. Paper presented at the 5th meeting of ACROLT, Israel.
11.
Moosbrugger, H. and Müller, H.1982: A classical latent additive test model (CLA model) . German Journal of Psychology6, 145-49.
12.
Oller, J.W. Jr1979: Language tests at school. London: Longman.
13.
Pugh, A.K. and Blenkhorn, P.1984: Computer analysis of cloze responses; a comprehensive system and some findings from its application. Paper presented at the 11th ALLC Conference, Louvain-1a-Neuve .
14.
Raatz, U.1982: Language theory and factor analysis. In Lutjeharms, M. and Culhane, T., editors, Practice and problems in language testing 3 , Brussels: Studiereeks van het tijdschrift van de Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Nieuwe serie nr. 10, 30-56.
15.
1984 a: The factorial validity of C-Tests. In Culhane, T., Klein-Braley, C. and Stevenson, D.K., editors, Practice and problems in language testing 7, Colchester : University of Essex.
16.
1984 b: Better theory for better tests? Paper presented at the 5th meeting of ACROLT: Israel.
17.
Klein-Braley, C. and Raatz, U.1982: Der C.- Test: Ein neuer Ansatz zur Messung von allgemeiner Sprachbeherrschung. AKS Rundbrief4, 23—37.
18.
Raatz, U. and Klein-Braley, C.1982: The C-Test: a modification of the cloze procedure. In Colhane, T., Klein-Braley, C. and Stevenson, D.K., editors, Practice and problems in language testing 7, Colchester: University of Essex , 113-38.
19.
1984: C-Tests zur Sprachstandsmessung im Fremdsprachenunterricht . Germanistische Mitteilungen19, 47-56.
20.
editors, forthcoming: C-Tests in der Praxis. AKS Rundbrief Special Issue. (In spite of its German title large parts of the text will be in English. It can be obtained from the AKS Clearing-Stelle. Ruhr Universität Bochum. Postf. 10 21 48, D-4630 Bochum.)
