The Effects of Test Formats on the Performances of Iranian EFL Students

Abstract—This study was an attempt to investigate whether different test formats had any significant effect on the performances of Iranian language students. To fulfill the purpose of this study, 160 male and female language students within the age range of 20 to 34 years studying at three branches of Islamic Azad university-Ahvaz, Dezful, Andimeshk at three different levels of upper-intermediate, intermediate and low were selected based on their performance on Nelson Test (Fowler & Coe, 1976) and assigned to three groups in terms of their proficiency level. Each group of each level of language abilities was given a test consisting of four different formats-MC, T/F, Cloze-Test and C-Test. The results were analyzed based on descriptive statistics and deductive statistics of ANOVA and Scheffe Test. The results proved that the testees of upper-intermediate level had a poorer performance in MC items than they had in other test formats, while the testees of intermediate and low level performed much better in MC items; of course they had a poor performance in Cloze-Test. Due to their limited knowledge of language and limited mental abilities and strategies, testees of intermediate and low level performed very poorly in integrative tests as these test formats take high mental activities. The results proved the use of multi-method theory in testing language abilities, as it will is assumed a suitable measure in order to make judgments about the test construct validity and the testees ’ performance. Index Terms—test formats, testees ’ performances, integrative test items, discrete test items I