Test takers' perspectives on an English language test in Iranian higher education: A washback study (original) (raw)

Over the last three decades, the study of test preparation and test washback has emerged as an indispensable area of inquiry in language assessment. Yet, how test takers' motivation and perceptions of test design and content might mediate test preparation has not been given sufficient attention. Taking the general English module of a high stakes university admission test as its focus, this study explored how test takers’ motivation and perceptions of test uses and design are related to their test preparation practices. To this end, 110 test takers responded to two questionnaires: one on test takers’ motivation and perceptions, and the other on their preparation practices. The collected data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLSSEM) to assess the postulated washback models, informed by expectancy value (EV) motivation theory. It was found that positive perceptions of test content were associated with more intensive test preparation. Also, tes...