Careful reading versus expeditious reading: Investigating the construct validity of a multiple-choice reading test

Abstract

The paper investigates the validity of a multiple-choice reading test using Weir and Khalifa's (2008) model of reading. Fifty (50) multiple-choice reading items taken from the 2011 English state examination were administered to 496 Grade 12 secondary school students. A concurrent strategies questionnaire was used to elicit information on participants' use of strategies during test writing. The results indicate that there are more items that target careful reading than those that target expeditious reading. This is to suggest that the ESE tasks appear to be inappropriate and may need some modifications to more closely reflect the actual test context. © 2013 ACADEMY PUBLISHER Manufactured in Finland.