From: huss8397@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.china
Subject: Release data TOEFL/TSE, GRE Physics
Date: 22 Dec 92 11:37:22 -0600
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

In article <Bzn7qH.1A5@cs.mcgill.ca>, haiying@cs.mcgill.ca (Haiying ZHANG) writes:
> 
>    The following is a forward without permission from NAFSA mailing
> list. Standard net disclaimer applies.
> 
> ------------------------- Forward Begins ---------------------------
> 
> Dear Colleagues:
> 
>         Because of serious breaches in test security in the People's
> Republic of China, the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) program and
> the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) program have found
> it necessary to cancel the GRE Physics and the TOEFL/TSE test scores
> of all candidates tested in the PRC in October.  The scores from
> these test administrations in China will not be released.  The
> decision to cancel scores for the entire People's Republic of China
> was based on the results of detailed analyses of examinee performance
> and other information.

        I heard something about this.  Apparently the TOEFL scores in China
( I heard that it was just Bejing) were much higher than expected with many
of the wrong questions answered the same way, so the test examiners reasoned
that their was something funny going on.  This does not mean anything, as their
is a precedent for things like this happening.
        About five years ago about fifteen students from an LA high school took
a AP (Advanced Placement exam for college credit) in Calculus.  Their scores
were all thrown out for the same reason (the same answers on incorrect
questions and higher than expected scores).  They were granted a restest and
still did very well.  Later it was said that the same teaching method
drilled into a large amount of students could account for the same wrong
answers.  The higher than average scores being due to hard work.
        I really don't see how all the test results in a entire country could
be jeopardized.  It does not seem right that every score in China should be
tossed out.  Something smells fishy in the test administration also.  I would
like to see the test administrators release the test scores and allow others to
scrutinize them.


>         We realize that many will be inconvenienced by this action.
> It is our intent to retest these candidates at future dates.  The TOEFL
> program, in cooperation with  the China International Examinations
> Coordination Bureau (CIECB) in Beijing, is working to establish a
> retest administration as early as possible.  This free retest will
> be open to all those who appeared for the October 24 TOEFL.  All
> examinees in China whose GRE Physics scores were canceled will be
> given a test fee voucher to take the GRE Physics test free of charge
> at the April, 1993 administration.
       
      Unfortuanately the people who took the test in October were looking to
get into foreign Universities by the Spring Semester in January.  I would say
that it more than just Inconveniences people.

>         Educational Testing Service (ETS) reserves the right to cancel
> scores for tests it administers whenever there is substantial basis
> for questioning the validity of test scores.  Although we recognize
> that not all examinees at the test centers in question were involved,
> ETS has decided to cancel the scores of all examinees in China in
> order to ensure the valildity of all GRE and TOEFL scores and the
> fair treatment of all examinees.  It is ETS policy to do so when
> individuals with questionable scores may be indistiguishable from
> others whose scores are valid.

        If believe that this is an American company.  They should have to give
a detailed and written explanantion complete with test data to the public.
 
>                                         Sincerely,
> 
> 
>                 Charlotte V. Kuh                Russell Webster
>                 Executive Director              Executive Director
>                 Graduate Record                 International Testing
>                  Examination Program            and Training Programs
>                                                 bitnet:  AMM5501@Rosedale

        Merry X'mas,
        Mark D Huss
        University of Northern Iowa