IELTS Research Reports

Tim Moore, Janne Morton and Steve PriceLEVEL of EngagementType of EngagementMore literalFigure 9. Suggested principle for modifications to reading testSeveral samples are provided for each extension; some additional samples are shown in Appendix 3. Inthe construction of these tasks, we have attempted to incorporate some of the specific differences notedbetween reading in the two domains (see section 5.2) with a focus on such dimensions as: authorialstance; specific academic entities (eg arguments); reading–writing connections; information literacyskills; genre readings of texts; text evaluation; and so on. In some of these tasks, there has also been aneffort to structure tasks around the idea of relating tasks to specific study scenarios (see section 5.2).It will be noted that all of the sample tasks provided follow a multiple choice format. This is for thereason noted earlier – namely that the multiple choice tasks of their nature, appear to have a greaterversatility than some of the other task types currently used in the test, and on the face of it, seem betterable to incorporate these more ‘global’ and ‘interpretative’ engagements with material. This is not tosuggest however, that one would necessarily want to see a greater use of multiple choice items on thetest. Following Alderson (2000, pp 211-214), we recognize that multiple choice tasks have a numberof limitations, including the potential effect of candidates guessing the correct response. We wouldargue in fact that it is a major challenge for the test’s designers to develop certain conventionalisedtechniques that are able to test some of the more ‘interpretative’ and more ‘global’ dimensions ofreading we have identified.252 www.ielts.org