The Study Of Extravert And Introvert Rater Effects On Test Performance In Direct And Tape-mediated Oral Tests

The test takers' score is to reflect the test takers' ability to use language in oral test. But the score can be influenced by many elements other than language ability.The present study aims to investigate the interaction effects between extravert and introvert raters and the types of oral test on test taker's performance. The quantitative analysis concerns the following questions: 1) Whether extravert and introvert raters have significant effects on testees' oral performance in direct and tape-mediated oral tests? 2) Whether the types of oral test have significant effects on testees' oral performance? 3) Whether the types of oral test and extravert and introvert raters have interaction effects on testees' oral performance? Qualitative analysis discusses the rating process of raters, interpretation of the rating scale and test takers' post-study questionnaire.The subjects of the present study included extravert and introvert raters and two types of oral test. Six raters finished the EPQ and the results show that 3 could be categorized as more extroverted, while 3 could be categorized as more introverted. They have participated in rating NMET Oral Test every year. The selection of extravert and introvert raters was based on the questionnaire on personality.The instrument of the present study was test takers. Forty students were selected at random from three classes in Grade 3, including males and females, who ranged in age from 16 to 18 years. The 40 students were divided into four groups and each group had 10 students.The present study adopted a combination of quantitative and qualitative analyses. The quantitative analysis employed two-way ANOVA analysis. It tested whether two factors had any effect on test takers' performance, respectively and whether two factors had interaction effects on test takers' performance. The qualitative analysis discussed the raters' written reports during the tape-mediated oral test and raters' revisiting the rating procedures and discussing the interpretation of the rating scale after the direct oral test. It also concerned the test takers' post-study questionnaire.The results show that extravert and introvert raters had no significant effects on test performance. The types of oral test had no significant effects on test performance. The interaction effects between extravert and introvert raters and the types of oral test had no significant effects on test taker's performance. However, rater behavior was different from each other in terms of scoring scale interpretation. It reveals that extravert and introvert raters interpreted the scoring scale differently whereas there was little effect on test taker's performance.Based on the findings, implications of the present study were discussed and limitations and further research directions were suggested.