本书是第一部全面、系统地阐述语言测试效度的专著。

全书分为4部分，共12章。第1部分(1—4章)在理论层面论证效度的本质及效度验证的证据，第2部分(5—10章)从听说读写四个角度全面阐述测试开发和效验的新框架，第3部分(11章)详细探讨收集效度证据的具体方法，第4部分(12章)介绍语言测试研究的资料来源。

本书作者Weir教授是世界著名的语言测试专家，撰写了很多在语言测试方面影响较大的著作。本书是第一部全面、系统地阐述语言测试效度的专著。书中吸收了效度研究的最新成果，提出了基于证据的效度验证的理论框架，并列举了大量研究实例，堪称语言测试效度理论与实践的里程碑之作。

General Editors' Preface

Acknowledgements

Abbreviations

Introduction

Part I Testing as Validity

 1 Language Testing Past and Present

1.1 The Cambridge Proficiency Examination 191'3-1945:'The Garden of Eden', 'the pre-scientific era'

1.2 Developments in the 1960s:'themove towards a language-based examination

1.3 The 1975 and 1984 revisions: 'The Promised Land'?

 2 The Nature of Test Validity

 3 Before the Test Event: A Priori Validity Evidence

3.1 Theory-based validity

3.2 Context validity

 4 After the Test Event: A Posteriori Validity Evidence

4.1 Scoring validity

4.2 Criterion-related validity

4.3 Consequential validity

Part 2 New Frameworks for Developing and Validating Tests of Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing Introduction

 5 Test Takers

5.1 Physical/physiological characteristics: making accommodations

5.2 Psychological characteristics: affective schemata

5.3 Experiential characteristics: familiarity

 6 Context Validity in Action

6.1 Task setting

6.2 Task demands

6.3 Setting and test administration

 7 Theory-based Validity in Action

 7.1 Reading

 7.2 Listening

 7.3 Speaking

 7.4 Writing

 8 Response Formats

 8.1 Techniques for testing reading comprehension

 8.2 Techniques for testing listening comprehension

 8.3 Techniques for testing speaking

 8.4 Techniques for testing written production

 9 Scoring Validity in Action

 9.1 Scoring written production

 9.2 Scoring speaking tests

 9.3 Internal reliability of receptive tests

 9.4 Scores, grading, and post-exam validation procedures

 10 External Validities in Action

10.1 Criterion-related validity

10.2 Consequential validity

Part 3 Generating Validity Evidence Introduction

 11 Research Methodologies for Exploring the Validity of a Test

11.1 An introductory note on research

11.2 A priori validation: investigating the specification of,the, construct and the operationalization of t.he test

11.3 Establishing context validity

11.4 Establishing theory-based validity evidence

11.5 Establishing scoring validity evidence

11.6 Establishing evidence on a posteriori validities

Part 4 Further Resources in Language Testing

 12 Key Sources

12.1 Books

12.2 Journals

12.3 Professional associations

12.4 Principal testing conferences

12.5 Email lists and bulletin boards

12.6 lnternet sites

12.7 Databases

12.8 Statistical packages

Postscript

References

Index