List of Acronyms
Tables and Figures
Table of Contents
Chapter One Introduction
1.1 Rationale for the study
1.2 Research background
1.2.1 The TEM general introduction
1,2,2 The TEM-8 and its writing component
1.2.3 Studies on the TEM-8 essay rating
1.3 Brief description of the research
1.4 Significance of the research
1.5 Outline of the research
Chapter Two Literature Review
2.1 Studies on raters and rating
2.1.1 Rating in writing assessment
2.1.2 Factors influencing rating process
2.1.3 Process of rating
2.2 Problem-solving and cognitive constructivism
2.2.1 Problem-solving
2.2.2 Piaget's cognitive constructivism
2.2.3 Rating process: a problem-solving process
2.2.4 Raters' cognitive construction
2.2.5 Summary
2.3 Research hypothesis and research questions
2.3.1 Research hypothesis
2.3.2 Research questions
Chapter Three Research Methodology
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Data collection
3.2.1 Scores assigned to 25 essays by 17 raters
3.2.2 Questionnaire data
3.2.3 Think-aloud Protocols: 6 raters' rating 10 essays
3.2.4 Interview data
3.3 Data analysis
3.3.1 MFRM analysis of rating performance
3.3.2 Factor analysis of questionnaire data
3.3.3 TAPs data analysis
3.3.4 Interview data analysis
3.3.5 Instruments
3.4 Summary
Chapter Four Results
4.1 Rating quality: MFRM analysis
4.1.1 The vertical rulers
4.1.2 Examinee measurement report
4.1.3 Raters' rating quality
4.1.4 Bias/Interaction analysis specified by examinee and rater
4.1.5 Summary
4.2 Factors affecting rating: questionnaire data analysis ..
4.2.1 Frequencies
4.2.2 Exploratory factor analysis
4.2.3 Confirmatory factor analysis
4.2.4 Frequencies of the six factors
4.2.5 Interaction among factors
4.2.6 Summary
4.3 The writing structure
4.3.1 Aspects of the writing structure
4.3.2 Aspects elaboration
4.3.3 The framework of the writing structure
4.4 The contextual structure
4.4.1 Aspects of the contextual structure
4.4.2 Aspects elaboration
4.4.3 The contextual structure
4.4.4 Summary
4.5 TAPs usefulness and the rating structure
4.5.1 TAPs performance
4.5.2 The rating structure
4.6 Summary of the chapter
Chapter Five Discussion
5.1 Construction of the writing structure
5.1.1 Factors contributing to the construction
5.1.2 Defining the construction
5.2 Construction of the rating structure
5.2.1 Orientation of the writing structure
5.2.2 Contribution of other factors
5.2.3 Summarizing the construction
5.3 Construction of the contextual structure
5.3.1 Factors contributing to the construction
5.3.2 Summarizing the construction
5.4 Nature of human essay rating
5.5 Summary
Chapter Six Implications
6.1 Construct of essay assessment
6.2 Validity and reliability and rater characteristics
6.3 Rule of rating scale and its development
6.4 Purpose and methods of rater training
6.5 Rating supervision and feedback
6.6 TAPs in cognitive process research
6.7 Future research
Chapter Seven Conclusion and Limitations
7.1 Answer to research Question One
7.2 Answer to research Question Two
7.3 Answer to research Question Three
7.4 Limitations
References
Appendix
