A range of online resources now exist which can assist in analyzing the features of written texts. One example of this is a tool which identifies frequently occurring academic vocabulary, as drawn from a particular corpus, when a text is pasted into a search screen. Another example is the analysis of text using assessments of readability, such as Flesch–Kincaid, which evaluates a text and allocates a numerical scale to categorize the text’s readability level.


Whilst neither of these tools represent a solution to the complex task of text selection, they provide additional insights which EAP test designers can draw on in the process of their quest.


Task 7


• Identify some of the tools available on the internet which analyze texts using academic word lists or the Flesch–Kincaid readability index. These can be found by typing ‘Flesch–Kincaid‘ or ‘Academic word list’ into a search engine.


• Look at one of your former EAP tests and select a written text. Paste an excerpt from this text into one of the online tools and consider what the


results show in terms of concordance with the academic word lists and the level of readability.


• Consider building in benchmarks to your own test specifications which refer to levels of vocabulary as listed in academic word lists or through


Flesch–Kincaid. This could help you to select texts which have similar properties for future test versions.


Remember, however, that professional judgement is still a key factor in text selection, so despite what readability scores might indicate, your views and those of colleagues on a text’s suitability are always extremely important.


Chapter 8: Text selection, authenticity and specificity


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