The Test of English for International
Communication (TOEIC): necessity,
proficiency levels, test score
utilization and accuracy.
Author: Paul Moritoshi
Group 1
林佳佩(Alice)
郭晨亞(Yaco)
林祉含(Iris)
黃俐雯(Ruby)
1. Introduction
Whether the test is necessary in principle and/or
practice is approached from 3 perspectives.
 Since it relates to the workplace context, what
should be the required proficiency level for any
given work position?
 Do test-users apply policy relating to these
required proficiency levels consistently, or do
other factors intervene? If so, what are those
other considerations?
 How accurate a test is it, not only in terms of its
validity and reliability but also with respect to its
fairness?

2. Background and overview

Developed by the Educational Testing
Service (ETS)
Establish: 1979

This study: 2001
New TOEIC: 2008
(Speaking & Writing)
The test uses a multiple-choice format
and includes two sections, listening and
reading, and takes about two hours.
3. Necessity

The author talked about the test’s
necessity by examining 3 perspectives:
★those of the skeptic,
★the test-user and
★the test-taker,
2.1 A Skeptic's View

A skeptic might argue that the test is
unnecessary.

Because they think that the test’s
managers’ only motivation for providing
the test is to make a profit.
3.2 The Test-users’ Standpoint
Corporate use

Test-user:
Language education

The test-users might think that the test is
necessary because:
3.2.1 Corporate Use

For the purpose of hiring

Determining placement within English
language-training programs

Companies recognize that English
language proficiency is central to their
success in the international marketplace
3.2.2 Language Education
The four purposes:
(1) Placement testing.
(2) End-of-course assessment.
(3) Pre-/post-testing.
(4) Helping students to find suitable employment.
Therefore, it is also necessary for the test-takers.
3.3 Necessity from the test-taker’s standpoint
(1) Verify your current level of English proficiency.
(2) Qualify for a new position or promotion in your company.
(3) Enhance your professional credentials.
(4) Set your own learning goals
(5) Monitor your progress in English
4. Proficiency levels

The Educational Testing Service (1997)
provides an advisory proficiency scale.

When deciding proficiency levels for a
particular position, 52.5% of the 758
companies use this scale as the basis for
setting English proficiency standards.
Proficiency Scale
5. Consistent Application of Proficiency Levels

Except for making admission or personal
decisions, professional and social
consideration are also important.
6. Accuracy
6.1.1 Construct
6.1.2 Face
Concurrent
6.1 Validity
6.1.3 Criterion-related
Predictive
6.1.4 Content
6. Accuracy
6.2 Reliability
6.3 Fairness
6.1.1 Construct validity

A measurement that reflects the model of
tests

The abilities that testers need to possess
in order to handle the items of target
language.
6.1.2 Face validity

The listening and reading parts of TOEIC tests
listening and reading ability, so it has face validity.

There are no speaking and writing parts of
TOEIC in 2001. Therefore, it does not have face
validity.
Validity
Listening
Reading
Speaking
Writing
Face
ˇ
ˇ
X
X
6.1.3 Criterion-related validity-1
Validity
Listening
Reading
Speaking
Writing
Criterion
ˇ
ˇ
X
X
6.1.3 Criterion-related validity-2
Validity
Listening
Reading
Speaking
Writing
(Concurrent)
(Predictive)
X
No evidence
X
X
No evidence
X
ˇ
No evidence
X
X
No evidence
X
Construct
Validity
Listening
Reading
Speaking
Writing
Construct
X
X
X
X
Face
ˇ
ˇ
X
X
Criterion-related
(Concurrent)
(Predictive)
ˇ
X
No evidence
ˇ
X
No evidence
X
ˇ
No evidence
X
X
No evidence
Content
ˇ
ˇ
X
X
6.1.4 Content validity
6.2 Reliability
1. If all other variables remained constant, would
examinees re-taking the same test obtain the
same or similar scores?
The higher this estimate, expressed as a
reliability coefficient of between 0-1, the more
reliable the test.
2. Given that an individual's scores may vary slightly,
how large is the score band within which his/her
'true score' will fall?
The smaller Standard Error of Measurement (SE)
value, the closer test scores , the more reliable
the test results are.
6.2 Reliability

The reliability appears to be acceptably high
because anything above 0.9 is considered
“adequate for reporting and usage”.
6.3 Fairness

The TOEIC test is very careful to:
(1) Avoid language that is specific to U.S. English
(2) Avoid contexts that may be foreign to test-takers from some
cultures
(3) Ensure the balanced use of names from different nationalities
(4) Avoid the use of locations, people, or events that would be
known in only certain regions or countries.
(5) Avoid situations that are too specific to one occupational area
(6) Ensure that different cultures are adequately represented
◆ So the finished test undergoes a stringent “fairness review”.