Examining Factors Affecting EFL Learners’ Writing Ability

The present study attempted to explore factors affecting EFL writing assessment scores with generalizability theory (G-theory) to investigate improvement of assessment methods. To this purpose, one hundred and twenty students participated in both independent and integrated writing tests. Then their performances were scored by six different raters namely: self, three peers, and two instructors using the TOFEL scoring rubric. The relative and absolute contributions of different facets such as student(S), rater(R), task (T), method of scoring (M), and background of education (B) were investigated by implementation of G-theory using EduG, a G-theory software package

Keywords:

Writing Assessment , Generalizability theory , Classical test theory , Decision- making study