A Contextualized Meaning-Recall Vocabulary Testing Platform

Abstract

In contextualized vocabulary assessment, target words appear in extended context. Compared to tests employing single-word or limited-context prompts, research suggests that contextualized assessment is more reliable and demonstrates better concurrent validity. In meaning-recall vocabulary assessment, examinees retrieve target-word meaning from memory and typically demonstrate knowledge via a written L2-to-L1 translation. Compared to multiple-choice formats, meaning-recall yields more reliable data, correlates more strongly with reading comprehension, and is less influenced by guessing and test strategies. To facilitate these approaches to vocabulary assessment, this article introduces a resource for teachers and researchers to create, administer, and mark contextualized meaning-recall tests. Users input a passage, select target items, and share the test URL with examinees. Examinees then provide L1 translations or L2 synonyms, definitions, or explanations of target words in input boxes below the lines of text. Raters mark responses online, and these judgments can be saved for partial automatic marking in future test use.