Correlations in the new TOEFL era: an investigation of the statistical relationships between iBT scores, placement test performance, and academic success of international students at Iowa State University

dc.contributor.advisor Barbara S. Schwarte
dc.contributor.author Manganello, Marc
dc.contributor.department English
dc.date 2018-08-11T16:25:11.000
dc.date.accessioned 2020-06-30T02:26:56Z
dc.date.available 2020-06-30T02:26:56Z
dc.date.copyright Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 UTC 2011
dc.date.embargo 2013-06-05
dc.date.issued 2011-01-01
dc.description.abstract <p>Using data on international students at Iowa State University, this correlation study investigates the statistical relationship between scores on the new iBT version of the TOEFL and academic performance in other capacities. While many correlation studies were carried out in the 20th century to test the strength of the relationship between scores on the PBT version of the TOEFL and academic performance, there has been a curious dearth of similar inquiry concerning the iBT. By correlating the iBT scores of international students admitted to ISU with performance on the English Placement Test and grades in English classes, this study sought to evaluate the usefulness of iBT scores to the university as indicators of proficiency levels and potential for success. Correlations of iBT scores with EPT scores and class placement revealed positive but not strong relationships between performance on the two tests. During correlations of iBT composite scores and grades in English classes, highly unpredictable relationships were noted that were sometimes strongly positive, sometimes negative, and often very weak. Finally, in correlations of scores on individual sections of the iBT with grades in the same English classes, relationships were also highly variable, but sections of the iBT involving the production of language (writing and speaking) were demonstrated to usually correlate the most positively with academic performance. Overall, the results of this study suggest that, despite that iBT scores now reflect performance on integrated tasks and both speaking and writing ability, TOEFL scores remain unreliable indicators of how well students will perform on other tests and in their coursework.</p>
dc.format.mimetype application/pdf
dc.identifier archive/lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/10219/
dc.identifier.articleid 1147
dc.identifier.contextkey 2736244
dc.identifier.doi https://doi.org/10.31274/etd-180810-2163
dc.identifier.s3bucket isulib-bepress-aws-west
dc.identifier.submissionpath etd/10219
dc.identifier.uri https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/handle/20.500.12876/24443
dc.language.iso en
dc.source.bitstream archive/lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/10219/Manganello_iastate_0097M_12197.pdf|||Fri Jan 14 18:16:30 UTC 2022
dc.subject.disciplines English Language and Literature
dc.subject.disciplines Rhetoric and Composition
dc.subject.keywords assessment
dc.subject.keywords correlation
dc.subject.keywords ept
dc.subject.keywords ibt
dc.subject.keywords testing
dc.subject.keywords toefl
dc.title Correlations in the new TOEFL era: an investigation of the statistical relationships between iBT scores, placement test performance, and academic success of international students at Iowa State University
dc.type article
dc.type.genre thesis
dspace.entity.type Publication
relation.isOrgUnitOfPublication a7f2ac65-89b1-4c12-b0c2-b9bb01dd641b
thesis.degree.level thesis
thesis.degree.name Master of Arts
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