An empirical study into the effects of Iranian test takers' personal attributes on their TOEFL scores: Reading, writing, and listening in focus

Abstract

TOEFL iBT is widely used as a certificating device, and is strongly claimed accountable by the people who utilize it. However, there are indications of the vulnerability of TOEFL iBT scores to the test takers’ characteristics. The purpose of the present study is to provide empirical evidence to see if there is a relation between test anxiety, motivation and intelligence of test takers and their scores on TOEFL iBT reading, listening and writing sections. To carry out the present study, a Multiple Intelligences Development Assessment Scales (MIDAS) questionnaire, a Test Anxiety Scale, a Motivation Test Battery (MTB) and a survey question detecting test anxiety provoking factors were given to 60 subjects attending TOEFL iBT classes at ACECR. Then the relation between their scores on TOEFL iBT test and their responses to the above-mentioned questionnaires were measured. The results revealed that first, there was a relation between test takers' scores on TOEFL iBT writing section and test anxiety and kinesthetic intelligence, and between listening and musical intelligence and second, some factors like time limitation and test length provoked test anxiety.