Analysis of Winke`s article

Analysisof Winke’s article

Analysisof Winke’s article

1.What was the purpose of the reported study? What research questionsguided the study?

Theproject’s goal was to evaluate the supposed effectiveness of ELPA(English Language Proficiency Assessment). ELPA was supposed toensure that no student is left behind. The project was also supposedto assess whether these perceptions would contribute to test’svalidity concept (Winke, 2011).

Openended questions aimed at establishing the way students were preparedfor ALPA, factors that affected ELPA administration, the way ELPAaffect the school instruction, effects of ELPA to the learners, andthe teacher’s sentiment(s) concerning Michigan’s ELPA.

2. What data were collected for the study? How were the data analyzed?

Thedata which was collected from the study involved the ELPAadministration effectiveness and the impacts that ELPA makes onstakeholders and curriculum. The other type of data that wascollected was the ELPA subsections’ listening appropriateness andthe instrument’s overall validity.

Thedata analysis was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively.Quantitatively, a likert-scale was used to code data on a 10 pointscale. The point for strongly disagreeing was – 4.5 while that ofstrongly agreeing was +4.5 with a margin of 0.5 increments in betweenthe neutral responses which were coded zero (Winke, 2011).Qualitatively, data was analyzed via an inductive approach wherepatterns and themes emerged from data.

3.What were the main results of the study?


Mostof the factors received a negative result. The aspects which receivedan overall negative score include reading and writing section,effective administration, the speaking section and listening section.Impacts on the learning and curriculum, however, received a positivescore.


Theeducators wrote negative comments about the appropriateness of theexam claiming it was long and difficult. Comments on ELPA’s impactswere both positive and negative. Out of the entire 257 educators,only 5 stated that ELPA’s administration went well (Winke, 2011).

4.What new insight does this study provide into the nature of testvalidity?

Thetest sheds a light that establishment of a validity argument wouldimprove the assessment instrument. Although it is difficult to changea test when it is operational ELPA can be improved (Winke, 2011).Collection of qualitative data from stakeholders offers rich andinformation about the testing program’s validity.


Winke,P., (2011). Evaluating the Validity of a High-Stakes ESL Test: WhyTeachers’ perceptions Matter. MichiganState University, Vol. 45, No. 4. Pp. 628-660