An Exploration of the Reliability and Validity of Peer Assessment of Writing in Secondary Education

Abstract

The current study investigates the reliability and validity of peer assessment (PA) of writing in secondary education in Cyprus since recent research provides few and mixed findings in this area (Sung, Chang, Chang & Yu 2010). Forty EFL students were involved in the PA of writing after receiving training. The results showed that the correlation between teacher and student marks was very high and that: (a) clear student-generated criteria, (b) adaptation of the instruments to meet the specific students' needs, (c) careful training, (d) guidance and continuous support can enhance the reliability and validity of PA of writing in the state school sector.