PIYAPAN KANTISA -
WORRAWARUN THIPAKAEW (Chiang Mai Rajabhat University)

THE QUALITY ANALYSIS OF CMRU-TEST OF ENGLISH PROFICIENCY : LANGUAGE TESTING AND ASSESSMENT

Serving its local community for more than a hundred year, Chiangmai Rajabhat University has been ranked as one of the top community colleges in the north of Thailand. To maintain its reputation and standard, recently, CMRU Language Center has designed and developed a local test entitled CMRU-TEP. All undergraduate and graduate students are required to take this English proficiency test prior to their graduation. Utilizing the quantitative research design, this study aims to analyze the quality of this exit examination test in aspects of difficulty index and discrimination power. In the study, 120 test items were purposively collected from 30 English major students and 30 non-English major students and were statistically analyzed. Through item analysis, the statistical results revealed that the overall difficulty index was at fair level (p=0.40). In addition, the statistical results indicated that the overall discrimination power was at good level (r=0.79). The research results, therefore, indicates that the test items are generally of good quality and suitable for the research’s local context. However, some test items should be re-written and revised concerning the issue of dysfunctional distractors affecting the value of difficulty index and discrimination power. The findings of this study can be beneficial for test designers in terms of designing effective English proficiency test and for instructors in terms of providing washback feedback.

Dr. Piyapan Kantisa is an English instructor in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Thailand. His current research interests cover pragmatics and sociocultural aspects in ELT, web-based instruction, blended learning and assessment. Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Thailand, 50300 Tel: (+66) 841715317 E-mail: jay_avenue@hotmail.com

Miss Worrawarun Thipakeaw is an academic officer in Language Center, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Thailand. Her current research interests cover language testing and assessment. Language Center Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Thailand, 50300 Tel: (+66) 960169409 E-mail: worrawarun.mild@gmail.com