ESL University Students' Testing Preferences

Abstract

This descriptive study examined university ESL students’ testing preferences in content-area courses. Thirty-eight ESL students participated by completing a survey. They used a semantic differential scale of ten adjective pairs to rate their preferences regarding five test formats: true/false, short answer/completion, multiple choice, restricted response, and extended essay. Statistical analyses revealed statistically significant differences in testing preferences by test format, productive vs. recognition items, gender, and language groups. Furthermore, ESL students indicate that their testing preferences are largely consistent for their first and second languages. Practical implications for content-area faculty and future directions for research are provided.