Developing an Integrated Diagnostic Test of Vocabulary Size and Depth

Abstract

■ Following growing interest in vocabulary acquisition, a number of researchers have proposed how learners' vocabulary knowledge can be measured both in terms of how many words they know (vocabulary size) and how well they know those words (depth of knowledge). However, most of the depth measures have addressed only a single depth aspect (often for research purposes), and not many researchers have investigated how size and depth approaches can be combined in a test battery suitable for pedagogical purposes. Furthermore, there is little advice available on how the scores of size and depth measures can be appropriately interpreted. This article describes how one size-depth vocabulary test battery was developed for a specific student group (Japanese university students), and proposes a scoring scheme that combines size and depth scores in a principled way. It also suggests a method of making the resulting scores accessible to the students. It is hoped that the test battery and procedure described can act as a useful guide for teachers and test writers in other countries and contexts who wish to develop a more comprehensive vocabulary assessment approach.