The Ethics of Gatekeeping Tests: What Have We Learned in a Hundred Years?.

Spolsky, Bernard

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Peer reviewed

ERIC Number: EJ557042

Record Type: CIJE

Publication Date: 1997

Pages: N/A

Abstractor: N/A

ISBN: N/A

ISSN: ISSN-0265-5322

EISSN: N/A

The Ethics of Gatekeeping Tests: What Have We Learned in a Hundred Years?

Spolsky, Bernard

Language Testing, v14 n3 p242-47 Nov 1997

Argues that tests have always been used as a means of political and social control. Maintains that test results are unreliable, especially at the extremes, that their predictive power is weak and that language testers need to be skeptical and need to insist on complete information on candidates' backgrounds for selection decision making. (10 references) (Author/CK)

Descriptors: Decision Making, Error Analysis (Language), Ethics, Language Proficiency, Language Tests, Predictive Validity, Psychometrics, Second Language Learning, Social Control, Sociolinguistics, Test Results

Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive

Education Level: N/A

Audience: N/A

Language: English

Sponsor: N/A

Authoring Institution: N/A

Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A