By the end of the course, students will be able to: (1) Define and explain main testing concepts including reliability, validity and washback. (2) Evaluate tests and other assessment tools according to the five principles of language assessment. (3) Design assessment tasks and describe how to utilize them. (4) Discuss current assessment trends, including computer adaptive testing, authentic testing and portfolio evaluationCourse Description: 1. The instructor assists the student in formulating a research topic on the area the student is interested in. 2. The instructor assists the student in searching, assessing, summarizing, integrating, and synthesizing essential reviews of literature on the chosen topic. 3. The instructor assists the student in relating current research to prior related research. 4. The instructor assists the student in designing an appropriate research methodology for the topic. 5. Regular meeting time will be scheduled for the instructor to monitor the student’s progress.

Brown, H. D. (2010). Language Assessment: Principles and Classroom Practices. White Plains, NY: Pearson, Education.