布朗教授基于多年的教学和研究经验，在《英语项目中的测试：英语语言测评综合指南》中充分考虑到了语言测试的使用目的，从决策角度和教学角度将语言项目中的测试分为常模参照(norm-referenced)和标准参照(criterion-referenced)两种主要类型，旨在为语言项目决策者和语言教师提供实用、有效的工具和方法，以便他们各司其职，根据需求运用不同的测试手段，使更多的学生受益。

布朗编著的这本《英语项目中的测试：英语语言测评综合指南》主要介绍了语言测试中的基本概念，以及如何选用和设计测试类型和题型。介绍测试结果的量化分析和解读。讨论语言测试中的两大基本要素：测试信度和效度。

《英语项目中的测试：英语语言测评综合指南》的主要框架分为前言、章节内容(1-11章)、答案、术语表、索引、参考文献六个部分。每章内容的基本结构：先介绍相关理论和概念，进而阐述和讨论其在不同情境时中的实践和运用，接着运用Excel工作表针对本章节的数据分析进行操作指导，然后以问题方式对本章节进行总结和回顾，最后是应用练习。

《英语项目中的测试：英语语言测评综合指南》将理论和实际相结合，紧扣课堂实际和教师需求，针对性强。每章的数据分析都有手把手的实际操作指导，每章后的总结和思考题便于读者梳理和消化所学知识，设计的练习和所附答案有助于巩固加强对已学内容的掌握和应用，有助于自学。《英语项目中的测试：英语语言测评综合指南》适用面广，读者群体可包括教育决策者、教学主管、语言教师、测试命题人员、测试研究人员以及相关学科研究生等。

丛书总序(王守仁)

中文导读(张文霞)

Preface

Chapter 1 Types and Uses of Language Tests

 Two Families of Language Tests

 Norm-Referenced Tests

 Criterion-Referenced Tests

 Type of Interpretation

 Type of Measurement

 Purpose of the Testing

 Distributions of Scores

 Test Structure

 Matching Tests to Decision Purposes

 Program-Level Proficiency Decisions

 Program-Level Placement Decisions

 Classroom-Level Achievement Decisions

 Classroom-Level Diagnostic Decisions

 Why a Single Test Cannot Fulfill All Four Functions

 Differences in Ranges of Ability

 Differences in Variety of Content

 Using Spreadsheet Programs in Language Testing

 What Is a Spreadsheet Program?

 How Will You Personally Benefit from Using a Spreadsheet Program in This Book?

 Review Questions

 Application Exercises

Chapter 2 Adopting, Adapting,and Developing Language Tests

 Theoretical Issues

 Language Teaching Methodology Issues

 An Exceptionally Short History of Language Testing

 Why Knowing about These Movements Is Important

 The Competence/Performance Issue

 The Discrete-Point/Integrative Issue

 Practical Issues

 The Fairness Issue

 The Cost Issues

 Ease of Test Construction

 Ease of Test Administration

 Ease of Test Scoring

 Interactions of Theoretical Issues

 Adopt, Adapt, or Develop?

 Adopting Language Tests

 Adapting Language Tests

 Developing Language Tests

 Putting Sound Tests in Place

 Getting Started with Your Spreadsheet Program

 Moving Around the Spreadsheet

 Creating a Sample Spreadsheet

 Entering Test Score Data to Create a Spreadsheet

 Review Questions

 Application Exercises

Chapter 3 Developing Good Quality Language Test Items

 What is a Test Item?

 Guidelines for Item Format Analysis

 General Guidelines

 Receptive Response Items

 Productive Response Items

 Personal Response Items

 Why Bother with Item Format Analysis?

 Review Questions

 Application Exercises

Chapter 4 Item Analysis in Language Testing

 Norm-Referenced Item Analysis

 Item Facility Analysis

 Item Discrimination Analysis

 Calculating Item Facility and Discrimination with Your Spreadsheet

 NRT Development and Improvement Projects

 Criterion-Referenced Item Analysis

 Item Quality Analysis

 CRT Development and Improvement Projects

 Role of Item Facility

 Difference Index

 The B-Index

 CRT Item Selection

 Review Questions

 Application Exercises

Chapter 5 Describing Language Test Results

 Displaying Data

 Graphic Display of Frequencies

 Creating Graphs in ExcelTM

 Scales of Measurement

 Nominal Scales

 Ordinal Scales

 Continuous Scales

 Descriptive Statistics

 Central Tendency

 Mean

 Mode

 Median

 Midpoint

 Dispersion

 Range

 High and Low

 Standard Deviation

 Variance

 The Spreadsheet Approach to Descriptive Statistics

 Reporting Descriptive Statistics

 What Should Be Included?

 How Should Descriptive Test Statistics be Displayed?

 Review Questions

 Application Exercises

Chapter 6 Interpreting Language Test Scores

 Probability Distributions

 Normal Distribution

 Characteristics of Normal Distributions

 Central Tendency

 Dispersion

 Percents/Percentages

 Learning from Distributions

 Using Percents/Percentages

 Percentiles

 Standardized Scores

 z Scores

 T Scores

 CEEB Scores

 Computer-based TOEFL Scores

 Standardized and Percentile Scores

 The Importance of Standardized Scores

 Skewed Distributions

 Skewedness

 Peaked Distributions

 NRT and CRT Distributions

 The Spreadsheet Approach to Standardized Scores

 Review Questions

 Application Exercises

Chapter 7 Correlation in Language Testing

 Preliminary Definitions

 Calculating the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient

 Assumptions of the Pearson-Moment Correlation Coefficient

 Calculating the Pearson Correlation Coefficient with a Spreadsheet

 Interpreting Correlation Coefficients

 Statistical Significance

 Meaningfulness

 Correlation Matrixes

 Potential Problems with Correlational Analysis

 Restriction of Range

 Skewedness

 Causality

 Another Useful Type of Correlational Analysis

 Point-Biserial Correlation Coefficient

 Calculating the Point-Biserial Correlation Coefficient with a Spreadsheet

 Review Questions

 Application Exercises

Chapter 8 Language Test Reliability

 Sources of Variance

 Measurement Error

 Variance Due to Environment

 Variance Due to Adminstration Procedures

 Variance Attributable to Examinees

 Variance Due to Scoring Procedures

 Variance Attributable to the Test and Test Items

 Reliability of NRTs

 Test-Retest Reliability

 Equivalent-Forms Reliability

 Internal-Consistency Reliability

 Split-Half Reliability

 Cronbach Alpha

 Kuder-Richardson Formulas

 Reliability of Rater Judgments

 Interpreting Reliability Estimates

 Standard Error of Measurement

 Using a Spreadsheet to Calculate NRT Reliability

 Split-Half (Adjusted) and Cronbach Alpha

 Kuder-Richardson Formulas 20 and 21, and the SEM

 Factors Affecting the Reliability of NRTs

 Review Questions

 Application Exercises

Chapter 9 Language Test Dependability

 Threshold Loss Agreement Approaches

 Agreement Coefficient

 Kappa Coefficient

 Estimating Threshold Loss Agreement from a Single Test Administration

 Squared-Error Loss Agreement Approaches

 Domain Score Dependability

 Relationships

 Cautions

 Confidence Intervals

 Using a Spreadsheet to Calculate CRT Reliability

 Agreement and Kappa Estimates (Using the Subkoviak Method)

 The Phi(lambda) Coefficient

 The Phi Coefficient and Confidence Interval

 Factors Affecting the Consistency of CRTs

 Review Questions

 Application Exercises

Chapter 10 Language Test Validity

 Traditional Validity Strategies of Both NRTs and CRTs

 Content Validity

 Overall Strategy for Establishing Content Validity

 An Example of the Importance of Item Planning in Regards to Content Validity

 Content Validity and Other Types of Validity

 Construct Validity

 Differential-Groups Studies

 Intervention Studies

 Criterion-Related Validity: A Traditional Strategy for NRTs

 Restrictions of Range and NRT Validity

 Standard Setting

 Reliability, Validity, and Standard Setting

 Standards and Test Consistency

 Standards and Test Validity

 Other Issues Related to Validity

 The Washback Effect

 Factors Affecting the Impact of Washback

 Negative Effects of Washback

 Promoting Positive Washback

 Testing Bias

 Review Questions

 Application Exercises

Chapter 11 Language Testing in Reality

 The Place of Tests in Curriculum Planning

 The ELI Language Program

 Four Decision-Making Steps

 Initial Screening Procedures

 Placement Procedures

 Second-Week Diagnostic Procedures

 Achievement Procedures

 Testing as an Integrated System

 Review Questions

 Application Exercises

Answer Keys

Glossary

Index

References