语言测试界的项目偏差研究及其基本问题

Fundamental Issues Concerning the Study of Item Bias in the Language Testing Field

项目偏差有损于语言测试的效度和公平性。在我国的大规模高风险外语测试中,考生众多,考生个人特征差异大,避免项目偏差尤其重要。由于我国语言测试界的相关研究甚少,本文拟探讨项目偏差研究的意义,梳理其研究思路,分析国外有关项目偏差研究的贡献和局限,并对未来研究提出建议。

Item bias is detrimental to the validity and fairness of language tests. It is especially important to avoid it in the large-scale high-stakes foreign language tests in China, where there are usually a large number of test-takers with diverse personal characteristics. Due to the lack of item bias studies in China, the paper begins by discussing its signif icance and delineating the general procedure in item bias studies, then comments on the achievements and inadequacies of the related research carried out abroad, and finally recommends several possible research topics for further studies.