"Do not write lists or bullet points": Developing a test of academic English.

Abstract

This final Master's project describes the development process of the RATEr (Radboud Academic Test of English), a diagnostic test of academic English. More specifically, this text elaborates on the drafting, editing and pretesting stages of test items for the productive language skills of speaking and writing. The designed test items are discussed in terms of their positioning within the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) as well as their compliance with language testing theory. Key theoretical terms in language test development that similarly play a major role in the discussion include (construct) validity, reliability and authenticity.