Assessing writing: Are we bound by only one method?

Abstract

The present study describes the way one institution operationalized the notion of process-oriented writing assessment in its entry placement testing context. In an attempt to enhance how it assesses academic writing ability, a workshop-based essay test was proposed in place of the existing, traditional timed essay test. The study looked at how the tests from the two different approaches in writing assessment (product-oriented and process-oriented) affected examinees’ test performance by comparing both the textual quality of the test essays and the placement results. Content-area faculty evaluations of the examinees’ writing ability and the examinees’ view on the tests were also used in evaluating the quality of the tests. The results suggested that assessment methods have an impact on the examinees’ test performance. Even though further evidence is needed for a better understanding of the result, a traditional method of direct writing assessment seemed to put examinees at a disadvantage. The new test was implemented in the given research context and implications of writing assessment in general are discussed.