1 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FALCUTY OF POST- GRADUATE STUDIES NGUYỄN THỊ HOA CONCURRENT VALIDITY OF THE ENGLISH TESTS IN THE NATIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOL LEAVING EXAMINATION, SCHOOL YEARS 2008-2009, 2009-2010 (Tính giá trị so sánh thi tốt nghiệp trung học phổ thông (THPT) môn tiếng Anh năm học 2008-2009 năm học 2009-2010) M.A Minor Programme Thesis Major: Methodology Code : 601410 HANOI, 2010 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FALCUTY OF POST- GRADUATE STUDIES NGUYỄN THỊ HOA CONCURRENT VALIDITY OF THE ENGLISH TESTS IN THE NATIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOL LEAVING EXAMINATION, SCHOOL YEARS 2008-2009, 2009-2010 (Tính giá trị so sánh thi tốt nghiệp trung học phổ thông (THPT) môn tiếng Anh năm học 2008-2009 năm học 2009-2010) M.A Minor Programme Thesis Major : Methodology Code : 601410 Supervisor: HOÀNG THỊ XUÂN HOA, Ph.D HANOI, 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration i Acknowledgements ii Abstract iii Table of contents iv List of abbreviations viii List of tables and charts ix PART A: INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale Scope of study Aims of study Methods of study Research questions Design of study PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Achievement tests 1.1.1 Definition 1.1.2 Kinds of achievement tests 1.1.3 Benefits of achievement testing 1.2 Quality of a good test 1.2.1 Test reliability 1.2.2 Practicality 1.2.3 Comparison and Discrimination 10 1.2.4 Test validity 11 1.2.4.1 Types of test validity 11 1.2.4.1.1 Face validity 12 1.2.4.1.2 Construct validity 13 1.2.4.1.3 Content validity 14 1.2.4.1.4 Criterion – related validity 15 1.2.4.1.4.1 Concurrent validity 15 1.2.4.1.4.2 Predictive validity 16 1.2.4.2 Reasons for giving more emphasis to concurrent validity 16 1.3 Statistical analysis of test results 17 1.3.1 Correlation 17 1.3.2 Descriptive statistics 18 1.3.2.1 The mean 18 1.3.2.2 The mode 19 1.3.2.3 The median 19 1.3.2.4 The range 19 1.3.2.5 The standard deviation 19 1.3.3 Classical item analysis 20 1.3.3.1 Item facility 20 1.3.3.2 Item discrimination 20 CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 22 2.1 Setting of the study 22 2.1.1 Education in Vietnam 22 2.1.2 Cao Ba Quat Gia Lam High School 22 2.1.3 Nguyen Gia Thieu High School 23 2.1.4 The National secondary school leaving examination 24 2.1.4.1 Objectives 24 2.1.4.2 Test specification 24 2.2 Research methodology 25 2.2.1 Participants 25 2.2.2 Data collection 26 2.2.3 Procedures 26 2.2.4 Data Analysis 27 CHAPTER 3: DISCUSSION AND FINDINGS 28 3.1 Analysis of data 28 3.1.1 Correlation coefficient 28 3.1.2 Descriptive statistics 29 3.2 Interpretation of data 34 PART C: CONCLUSIONS 35 Conclusions 35 Implications for improvement of the English test in the NSSLE 36 Limitations and suggestions for future research 37 REFERENCES 39 APPENDIXES I Appendix 1: The English test in the NSSLE school year 2008-2009 I Appendix 2: The English test in the NSSLE school year 2009-2010 VII Appendix 3: Example of calculating correlation coefficient XIII Appendix 4: Example of calculating the mean XIV Appendix 5: Example of calculating the mode XIV Appendix 6: Example of calculating the median XIV Appendix 7: Example of calculating the range XV Appendix 8: Example of calculating the standard deviation XV 10 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS EFL: English as a foreign language ELT: English language teaching L2: Second language: in the context of this study, it usually refers to English NSSLE: National Secondary School Leaving Examination 11 LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES TABLES Table 1.1: Correlations 17 Table 2.1: Test specification 25 Table 2.2: Students‘ grade in English, school year 2009-2010 26 Table 3.1: Descriptive statistics of the two tests 29 FIGURES Figure 1.1: Factors that affect language test scores Figure 1.2: Practicality Figure 1.3: Construct validity of score interpretations 13 Figure 3.1 Correlation = +0.977 28 Figure 3.2: Desctiptive statatistics of test one (2008-2009) 30 Figure 3.3: Desctiptive statatistics of test two (2009-2010) 30 Figure 3.4: Distribution of scores on test one 32 Figure 3.5: Distribution of scores on test two 33 12 PART A: INTRODUCTION Rationale Education has always played an important part in people‘s life Now, in the conditions of the world economic crisis, solid knowledge and skills will help people to save their present job or will make it easier to find a new one However, it is said that effective education is impossible without an effective management and that knowledge and skills must be checked and controlled effectively Therefore, testing in education, an attempt to measure a person‘s knowledge, intelligence, or other characteristics in a systematic way, is of great significance Ever since the English language began to be taught in formal settings, the development of tests to assess learner‘s performance has been an integral part of the language learning and teaching process Language testing, then, is central to language teaching It provides goals for language teaching and monitors success in reaching those goals In Vietnam, the English test in the National Secondary School Leaving Examination (NSSLE) plays an important role in English language teaching (ELT): it stimulates student progress and evaluates students‘ achievement in acquiring English throughout years from junior to upper secondary school Failure or pass this test is a matter of great concerns as it decides whether a student can proceed to higher education or not Besides, through this test teachers can also evaluate the effectiveness of a new teaching method or of new materials (Valette, 1977) The English tests in the NSSLE school years 2008-2009, 2009-2010 were particularly significant because high school English teachers had chance to look back at their success as well as their failure in implementing the new English textbook series: 13 English 10, English 11, and English 12 which ran officially in 2004; therefore, they can make necessary amendments in the school years after This paper is the writer‘s attempt to evaluate the Concurrent Validity of the English Tests in the NSSLE school years 2008-2009, 2009-2010 by establishing the correlation between the scores of the two tests, showing how widely the scores are spread out, presenting how closely they cluster and illustrating how well the tests have separated students from each other It is hoped that the results of the study can raise the awareness of English teachers in general and those interested in making better English Tests in the NSSLE in particular Scope of the study This research will focus on the concurrent validity of the English Tests in the NSSLE, school years 2008-2009, 2009-2010 only Therefore, other aspects in evaluating an achievement language test will be beyond the scope of this study Also, due to the fact that the English tests in the NSSLE school years 2008-2009, 20092010 were multiple choice tests marked by a scoring machine which only gives out final test scores, a careful analysis of score patterns on each of the test items is out of the question In addition, due to limitations in time, ability and conditions, it is impossible for the author to take a sample population that includes representatives from different geographical areas (e.i urban, rural, island and mountainous) as well as those from a variety of ethnic groups (Kinh, Cham, H‘Mong, Kh‘Me ) Therefore, this study investigates the concurrent validity of the English Tests in the NSSLE, school years 2008-2009, 2009-2010 in Gia Lam – Long Bien Districts, where the writer is currently working only Aims of the study This study is intended to examine the concurrent validity of the English tests in the NSSLE school years 2008-2009, 2009-2010 It places high emphasis on investigating and analyzing test scores in order to set up the correlation coefficient between the two sets of test results reveal the spread of score and determine the tests‘ ability to discriminate students 52 APPENDIX 1: The English test in the NSSLE school year 2008-2009 BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO KỲ THI TỐT NGHIỆP TRUNG HỌC PHỔ THƠNG NĂM 2009 ĐỀ THI CHÍNH THỨC Mơn thi: TIẾNG ANH ─ Chương trình Chuẩn Nâng cao (Đề thi có 04 trang) Thời gian làm bài: 60 phút Mã đề thi 139 Họ, tên thí sinh: Số báo danh: Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions Question 1: , we couldn't have continued with the project A Unless we had your contribution B Provided your contribution wouldn't come C Even if you didn't like to contribute D If you hadn't contributed positively Question 2: Alex did not very well in class A therefore he was a good student B because he failed to study properly C although he was not hard-working D as long as he had studied badly Question 3: The more you talk about the situation, A it seems the worse B the worse it seems C it seems worse D the worse does it seem Question 4: Those boys took a long ladder A so they will get the ball from the roof B and then get the ball from the roof C in order to get the ball from the roof D so that the ball from the roof can be gotten Question 5: She regretted to tell him that A she was leaving the tickets at home B the tickets at home would be left C she would have left the tickets at home D she had left the tickets at home Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from to 10 By adopting a few simple techniques, parents who read to their children can considerably increase their children's language development It is surprising, but true How parents talk to their children makes a big difference in the children's language development If a parent 53 encourages the child to actively respond to what the parent is reading, the child's language skills increase A study was done with two or three-year-old children and their parents Half of the thirty children participants were in the experimental study; the other half acted as the control group In the experimental group, the parents were given a two-hour training session in which they were taught to ask open-ended questions rather than yes-no questions For example, the parent should ask, "What is the doggy doing?" rather than, "Is the doggy running away?" Experimental parents were also instructed how to expand on their children's answer, how to suggest alternative possibilities, and how to praise correct answers At the beginning of the study, the children did not differ on levels of language development, but at the end of one month, the children in the experimental group were 5.5 months ahead of the control group on a test of verbal expression and vocabulary Nine months later, the children in the experimental group still showed an advance of months over the children in the control group Question 6: Parents can give great help to their children's language development by _ them A adopting B responding to C experimenting D reading to Question 7: What does the word "they" in the second paragraph refer to? A Participants B Questions C Children D Parents Question 8: During the training session, experimental parents were taught to _ A study many experiments B use yes-no questions C give correct answers D ask open-ended questions Question 9: What was the major difference between the control group and the experimental one in the study? A The training that parents received B The books that were read C The age of the children D The number of participants Question 10: What conclusion can be drawn from this passage? A Children who read actively always act six months earlier than those who don't B Children's language skills increase when they are required to respond actively C Two or three-year-old children can be taught to read actively D The more children read, the more intelligent they become 54 Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to show the underlined part that needs correction Question 11: She (A) brought a lot of money (B) with her so that she (C) needed buy some (D) duty-free goods Question 12: I (A) have been working (B) hardly for two weeks (C) and now I feel like (D) a rest Question 13: Tom likes (A) taking part sports, (B) so he (C) will join the football team (D) of his school Question 14: Many young people (A) lack skills, good education, and (B) financial to settle in the (C) urban areas where many jobs (D) are found Question 15: We (A) are going to visit (B) our grandparents (C) when we (D) will finish our final exams Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions Question 16: They are not to take part in this program of the World Health Organization A as old B enough old C old enough D so old Question 17: I'm going for a few days so don‘t send me any more work A in B after C over D away Question 18: A scientist who studies living things is a A biologist B biologically C biology D biological Question 19: The football match was postponed the bad weather A because B in spite C despite D because of Question 20: Yesterday I met your brother, had taken us to the Headquarters of the United Nations in New York before A who B whose C whom D that Question 21: students attended the meeting that there weren't enough chairs for all of them A Too many B So many C So few D So much Question 22: Peter doesn't like scuba-diving does his brother A Too B Neither C Either D So 55 Question 23: Endangered species by the World Wildlife Fund A will protect B would protect C be protected D are protected Question 24: Maria: "Thanks for the lovely evening." Diana: " ." A Oh, that's right B I'm glad you enjoyed it C No, it's not good D Yes, it's really great Question 25: High school students should be for their future jobs before leaving school A ill-spoken B ill-prepared C well-prepared D well-spoken Question 26: The government initiated the programme of reform in the 1980s A economically B economic C economised D economist Question 27: Kim: "What this weekend?" Sally: "Oh, we're going windsurfing It's fantastic!" A are you doing B you go C would you D are you going Question 28: She didn't want to go she knew all her friends would be there A wherever B so that C therefore D even though Question 29: If I had the map now, I a short-cut across the desert A could have taken B take C can take D could take Question 30: Kevin: "How far is it from here to the nearest post office?" Lan: " ." A Two kilometers at least B Turn left and then turn right C No, it's rather far D Yes, it's quite near here Question 31: Pat: "Would you like something to eat?" Kathy: " I'm not hungry now." A Yes, it is B No, thanks C Yes, I would D No, no problem Question 32: I first met her two years ago when we at Oxford University A have been studying B had been studying C were studying D are studying Question 33: David: "Could you bring me some water?" Waiter: " ." A I don't want to B Yes, I can C No, I can't D Certainly, sir Question 34: The recycling of waste paper save a great amount of wood pulp A had better B need C can D dare 56 Question 35: If I were you, I would advise her the new teaching method A trying B try C to try D tries Question 36: He went back to work in his country after he his course on Advanced Engineering in London A finishes B has finished C had finished D was finishing Question 37: Ellen: " ?" Tom: "He's tall and thin with blue eyes." A What does John look like B Who does John look like C How is John doing D What does John like Question 38: Could you fill out this form? A applying B applicable C application D applicant Question 39: My father decided to smoking after he had been smoking for ten years A give up B get over C put away D take up Question 40: My father is very busy , he is always willing to give a hand with the housework A However B Despite C Therefore D Although Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the rest in each of the following questions Question 41: A thought B laugh C eight D high Question 42: A promise B despite C economize D enterprise Question 43: A already B ease C appeal D team Question 44: A scholar B aching C chemist D approach Question 45: A decided B engaged C expected D attracted Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word for each of the blanks from 46 to 50 It can be shown in facts and figures that cycling is the cheapest, most convenient, and most environmentally desirable form of transport (46) towns, but such cold calculations not mean much on a frosty winter morning The real appeal of cycling is that it is so 57 (47) It has none of the difficulties and tensions of other ways of travelling so you are more cheerful after a ride, even through the rush hour The first thing a non-cyclist says to you is: "But isn't it (48) dangerous?" It would be foolish to deny the danger of sharing the road with motor vehicles and it must be admitted that there are an alarming (49) of accidents involving cyclists However, although police records (50) that the car driver is often to blame, the answer lies with the cyclist It is possible to ride in such a way as to reduce risks to a minimum Question 46: A to B at C in D on Question 47: A boring B careful C enjoyable D excited Question 48: A expectedly B strangely C comfortably D terribly Question 49: A number B deal C size D digit Question 50: A point B exhibit C indicate D display THE END 58 APPENDIX 2: The English test in the NSSLE school year 2009-2010 BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO KỲ THI TỐT NGHIỆP TRUNG HỌC PHỔ THÔNG NĂM 2009 ĐỀ THI CHÍNH THỨC Mơn thi: TIẾNG ANH ─ Chương trình Chuẩn Nâng cao (Đề thi có 04 trang) Thời gian làm bài: 60 phút Mã đề thi 139 Họ, tên thí sinh: Số báo danh: Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions Question 1: In general, my father doesn't mind the housework, but he hates to the cooking A to B C doing D done Question 2: Because of the economic crisis, many workers are now in _ of losing their jobs A worry B danger C warning D threat Question 3: We are talking about the writer _ latest book is one of the best-sellers this year A who B whom C which D whose Question 4: He is disappointed at not being offered the job, but I think he will it A turn off B get over C fill in D take after Question 5: Tom: ―You‘ve got a lovely singing voice, Mary!‖ Mary: ― ‖ A Don‘t mention it B Congratulations! C It‘s all right D Thank you Question 6: ―Don‘t forget to take _ your shoes when you are in a Japanese house.‖ A off B apart C in D up Question 7: My younger sister is not to study overseas A old enough B so old C enough old D very old Question 8: Robert in three important water polo games so far 59 A had played B is playing C has played D played Question 9: My grandmother takes for keeping house A probability B ability C possibility D responsibility Question 10: Many people homeless after the earthquake in Haiti a few months ago A become B will become C became D are becoming Question 11: He has made so many mistakes in his essay that he it all again A needs B ought C used to D has to Question 12: Unless we can find new sources of energy, our life will certainly A affected B be affecting C affect D be affected Question 13: the salary meets my expectations, I will accept the job offer A So B Therefore C If D Although Question 14: Despite its successful reforms, this country is still a developing one A economic B economics C economizing D economical Question 15: The police ordered people to leave the building a bomb threat A in case B because of C because D since Question 16: The government has _ measures to promote the development of the economy A achieved B made C carried D taken Question 17: Mr Minh wearing a crash helmet when he goes somewhere on his motorbike A is used to B is using C used to D used Question 18: ― you lend me your calculator for some minutes, please?‖ A Should B Must C Will D Need Question 19: The Internet is a very fast and convenient way for people to information A achieve B get C D make Question 20: The World Health Organization in 1948 in order to carry out medical research and improve international health care A was established B established C had been established D had established 60 Question 21: Many young people want to work for a humanitarian organization, ? A doesn‘t it B didn‘t they C don‘t they D does it Question 22: Some fish can survive only in salt water, _ others can live only in fresh water A whereas B even if C so that D since Question 23: Henry: ―Do you find it very interesting to travel alone?‖ Maria: ― ‖ A Yes, you‘re welcome B Never mind C What a pity! D No, not at all Question 24: John: ―Will you be able to come to the meeting?‖ Jack: ― .‖ A Of course you will B I‘m afraid not C I‘m sorry not D You must be kidding Question 25: It was being able to fly space that attracted Sally Ride to the job of an astronaut A to B towards C on D into Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions Question 26: , you aren't allowed to go sailing on this lake A Although be able to swim B Unless you can swim C If you weren‘t able to swim D Despite of your swimming Question 27: Winning a place at university for most students A is becoming more and more difficult B has become as difficult C will become more difficultly D becomes the most difficultly Question 28: The more you study, A the more knowledge you gain B you are the more knowledgeable C the more knowledge you gain D you will gain more knowledge Question 29: Jack asked his sister A where you have gone tomorrow B where she would go the following day C where would she go the following day D where you will go tomorrow Question 30: Peter apologised 61 A me for phoning not earlier B not to phone me earlier C for not phoning me earlier D not for phoning me earlier Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 31 to 35 Will people still read books 100 years from now? A few years ago, many people would have said no It seemed likely that computers and the Internet would replace books Now, however, most experts think that books are here to stay There are a number of reasons why computers will not replace books entirely One reason is that books on paper are much cheaper than computers And books not need a power source You can read a book for as long as you want and wherever you want You never have to worry about losing power Also, many people feel more comfortable reading words in a book than reading words on a computer screen because it is less tiring to the eyes Will books in the future be exactly the same as the books you can buy today? The answer to that question is no In the future, you may only need to buy one book With this one book, you will be able to read novels, plays, and newspapers It will look like today's books, but it will be electronic One of the people working on the book of the future is Professor Joseph Jacobson from Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Jacobson's electronic book will have a small button on the side When you press the button, words will instantly appear on the page When you want to read a different story, you can push the button again and a new story will quickly appear Question 31: The phrase ―are here to stay‖ in the first paragraph mostly means A ―won‘t come‖ B ―are nearby‖ C ―won't disappear‖ D ―are useless‖ Question 32: Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A Reading today‘s books needs a power source B Reading words on computer screens is tiring to the eyes C In the future, computers will replace paper books completely D Books will disappear completely sooner or later Question 33: What will the book of the future look like? A It will look like a book you buy today B It will look like a computer 62 C It will look different from today's books D We don't know what it will look like Question 34: The button on the side of the electronic book is used A to turn a light on and off B to change what you read C to turn the power on and off D to make the book more beautiful Question 35: What is the main topic of the passage? A The decline of today's books B How to use an electronic book C The book of the future D Why a power source is important Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the rest in each of the following questions Question 36: A accompany B simplify C supply D qualify Question 37: A reformed B appointed C stayed D installed Question 38: A initiate B contain C domestic D attentive Question 39: A household B associate C colony D enclose Question 40: A cough B weight C might D though Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to show the underlined part that needs correction Question 41: People (A) respected him (B) because he was (C) a honest (D) man Question 42: Today (A) the number of people (B) whom enjoy winter sports (C) is almost double (D) that of twenty years ago Question 43: My uncle has (A) just bought some (B) expensive (C) furnitures for (D) his new house Question 44: (A) Have you ever (B) read (C) any novels (D) writing by Jack London? Question 45: He (A) studied very (B) hard, (C) so he passed the exam (D) easy Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word(s) for each of the blanks from 46 to 50 There are several things to remember if you are applying for a new job Most companies (46) their vacancies in the newspapers, and there are normally a lot of applicants for each post (47) , a good letter of application is very important You should enclose with it your curriculum vitae so that the employer knows about your (48) 63 and experience If you are applying (49) a large company, address your letter to the personnel manager, who deals with appointing new staff If you are invited to an interview, make (50) you are suitably dressed One of the people working on the book of the future is Professor Joseph Jacobson from Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Jacobson's electronic book will have a small button on the side When you press the button, words will instantly appear on the page When you want to read a different story, you can push the button again and a new story will quickly appear Question 46: A write B market C make D advertise Question 47: A So that B Therefore C Nevertheless D So as Question 48: A schools B forms C licences D Question 49: A in B with C to D for Question 50: A sure B clear C good D right qualifications THE END 64 APPENDIX 3: Example of calculating correlation coefficient The following formula is used to measure correlation: rho = 1- 6 D N ( N  1) rho: correlation coefficient D: difference between ranks; N: Number of students ∑: the sum of - List the students‘ score on each test as in the table opposite Make sure both of a student‘s score are opposite one another So, for example, student A‘s scores are 20 and 12, and student G‘s scores are 13 and - Rank students on each test according to their score on that test For example, student A came 1st on Test 1, and 3rd on Test Student G is 8th on Test and also 8th on Test (If you have tied scores, give the students the average of the ranks concerned For example; Student C and student D would have been ranked rd and 4th on test so their average rank is 3.5 Students G, H,I would have been th, 8th, 9th, so their average rank is 8) - Find the differences between each student‘s two ranks (D), taking the smaller number from the bigger The difference between student A two ranks is 3-1 = - square these differences - Add together these squared differences This gives you ∑D2 Score Score Rank on Rank on on test on test test test A 20 12 B 18 11 C 17 D D D2 4 3.5 3.5 12.25 17 15 3.5 2.5 6.25 E 16 14 F 14 6 9 G 13 8 0 H 13 10 Student 65 I 13 J 10 10 0 N = 10; ∑D2 =57.50; rho = 65 APPENDIX 4: Example of calculating the mean ∑X M = _ N M = mean; ∑= the sum of; X = the score; N= the number of students Imagine eight students got the following scores: 12 28 19 15 15 35 14 15 M = 12+28+19+15+15+35+14+15 = 19.125 APPENDIX 5: Example of calculating the mode Example: Imagine eight students got the following scores: 12 28 19 15 15 35 14 15 In this example, there are three 15s, and only one of each of the other scores The mode is therefore 15 APPENDIX 6: Example of calculating the median Example: Imagine eight students got the following scores: 12 28 19 15 15 35 14 15 15 15 15 14 First, put the scores in order: 35 28 19 12 Then count along the mid-point of the scores There are eight students, so mid-point comes between the fourth and the fifth scores (There are four scores above this point, and four scores below it) Since the fourth and the fifth scores are both 15, the mid-point is 15 The median is therefore 15 If the scores had been 35-28-19-17-15-15-14-12, the mid-point would have been between 17 and 15 so the median would have been 16 If there had been an uneven number of scores, the median would have been the middle score For example, if the scores were 35-28-19-17-15 the median would be 19 66 APPENDIX 7: Example of calculating the range Imagine eight students got the following scores: 12 28 19 15 15 35 14 15 The range is 35-12=23 APPENDIX 8: Example of calculating the standard deviation S.D = (X  M ) N 1 S.D = Standard deviation; M= the mean of the scores; ∑= the sum of X = the score; N= the number of students Example: Imagine eight students got the following scores: 12 28 19 15 15 35 14 15 Step 1: list score under X Step 2: List the differences between each score and the mean under (X-M) Notes: - use the exact mean; not correct to one or two decimal places - the numbers under (X-M) should add up to Step 3: Square all the numbers listed under (X-M) and list under (X-M)² Step 4: add up the (X-M)² column The resulting total is ∑ (X-M)² X (X-M) (X-M)² 35 15.875 252.02 28 8.875 78.77 19 -.125 02 15 -4.125 17.02 15 -4.125 17.02 15 -4.125 17.02 14 -5125 26.67 12 -7.125 50.77 ∑ (X-M)² = 458.91; SD = 8.1 ... are not examining the validity of the test content or of event the test scores themselves, but rather the validity of the way we interpret or use the information gathered through the testing procedure... deviation The findings of the study stated in this chapter reveal that there exists concurrent validity of the English tests in the National School Leaving Examinations, school years 2008-2009, 2009-2010. .. reliability of a test: the extent of the sample of material selected for testing and the administration of the test He also suggested readministering the same test after a lapse of time or administering