Blurb:

In this monograph we have summarised the latest knowledge-base on scoring L2 performance assessments. Essentially, this text is about validation and the various factors that influence the quality of the scores we report to learners and the inferences that can be made about learners based on these scores. We have presented a complex picture, which is bound to evolve in future years as research in this area is likely to continue to proliferate. More work in the various areas we have introduced is clearly needed. It is likely that, in particular, the focus on automated scoring systems will increase in the future, and we as researchers and practitioners need to ensure that the emphasis on producing and reporting valid scores is continued. This view is essentially inward-facing, that is, we are focusing attention on the test and how scores are produced.