IELTS Research Reports

Guoxing Yu, Pauline Rea-Dickins and Richard Kielytakers’ performance. The validity of AWT1 tasks should be investigated not only by analysing thewritten scripts of the tasks but also test takers’ cognitive processes when doing the tasks. This, then,has both informed and shaped the focus of this research.6 RESEARCH AIMS AND QUESTIONS2.1 Research aimsThe overall aim of this study is to explore the cognitive processes of intending IELTS test takerscompleting AWT1 that uses graphs as test prompts. It aims to understand the validity of AWT1 in adynamic, rather than “one-off” approach. In other words, this validation study aims to explore thecognitive processes at different time points - before and after test preparation activities. As such, thisstudy will thus also develop insights into the impact of test preparation practice on task performance,so as to explore the validity and fairness issues of intensive preparation for AWT1 tasks. In addition,the possible differential effects of test preparation activities on test takers’ cognitive processes willprovide invaluable information for understanding the dynamics of the cognitive processes involved(Carpenter and Shah 1998).2.2 Research questionsThe study addressed the following research questions (RQ):RQ1: To what extent are there differences in the candidates’ cognitive processes due todifferent AWT1 prompts?RQ2: To what extent are the candidates’ cognitive processes affected by their graphicacy?RQ3: To what extent are the candidates’ cognitive processes related to their writing abilities?RQ4: To what extent are the candidates’ cognitive processes influenced by test preparationopportunities offered to them by the research team?7 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY3.1 ApproachWe employed a case study and grounded approach to this research, as this was congruent with thefocus of the study and the importance of gaining in-depth understandings of the cognitive processes oftaking AWT1. We consider the ‘case study’ approach to be a strength, not a limitation, as it affordedthe opportunity, on the one hand, to collect rich and in-depth data on the cognitive processes that largescale product-oriented quantitative studies may not be able to provide, and on the other, to develophypotheses for further research in a wider number of contexts (e.g., with participants whose firstlanguage is not Chinese, or/and who have different graph familiarity level). We also notice that themajority of studies investigating test-taking processes in the field of language testing have used a “oneoff”approach, and has not – as we proposed – collected data from the same participants at differenttime points. This last design feature is what is unique about the current research to understand thecognitive processes of taking AWT1 tasks.380 www.ielts.org