How PTE Academic supports its test outcomes

Pearson recently published an Efficacy report looking at PTE Academic.

The purpose of Pearson’s Efficacy Reporting is to be as open and transparent as possible about how it designs, develops, and evaluates the impact of its products on learners.

Sarah Hughes, Research & Analysis Manager, helped pull the PTE Academic report together. Below she sets out its key findings:

“The PTE Academic Assessment Efficacy Report explains how our research relates to three key indicators of assessment quality: validity, reliability, and fairness.

• Validity evidence demonstrates that test scores can be used and interpreted for the defined purpose of the test. For PTE Academic, it is important that the test scores provide a meaningful reflection of a test taker’s language proficiency that can be understood around the world and used to help them make the next step in their journey.

• Reliability is a measurement concept, which means that scoring is consistent over time, across multiple test forms, and/or over multiple administrations. Any time a candidate takes the test, they should be presented with the same opportunity for consistent measurement.

• Fairness in assessment means that the test is not systematically biased and that scores can be interpreted in the same way for all test takers. PTE Academic’s research into fairness and automated scoring ensure that test-takers are given the same opportunity to demonstrate their language proficiency regardless of gender, race/ethnicity, for instance.”

Read the PTE Academic Assessment Efficacy Report (PDF 940KB).

View the full range of research conducted on PTE Academic.