Predictive validity of TOEFL scores on first term’s GPA as the criterion for international exchange students
department or school: Education, Faculty of
department or school: Language and Literacy Education (LLED), Department of
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCV
creator: Yan, Zheng
issued: 2009-01-26T18:34:02Z
issued: 1995
related degree: Master of Arts - MA
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) has been used in making admission decisions for over 30 years; however, the predictive validity of the test has been uncertain. The present study was intended to investigate the predictive validity of TOEFL scores on first term's grade point average (GPA). Participants were 97 second-year university students, 46 male and 52 female, in an international academic exchange program. Most majored in Humanities and Social Sciences. The predictor variables in the study included TOEFL total scores, TOEFL section I scores, TOEFL section II scores, TOEFL section III scores, oral proficiency interview scores, writing sample scores, and gender. First term's GPA was the criterion variable. The data were analyzed by multiple regression analysis with a hierarchical procedure. The results were interpreted on the basis of Cohen's (1988) conventional definitions on the effect size of R². The main findings of the study indicate that: (a) TOEFL total scores have a medium level of predictive validity on GPA (ΔR²=.142, ϱ<.001); (b) TOEFL section I scores have a medium level of predictive validity (ΔR²=.044, ϱ<.05); (c) TOEFL section II scores have a medium level of predictive validity (ΔR²=.112, ϱ<.001); (d) TOEFL section III scores have a negligible level of predictive validity (ΔR² =.005, ϱ>.05); (e) Oral proficiency interviews scores have a negligible level of predictive validity (ΔR² =.010, ϱ>.05); (f) Writing samples scores have a small level of predictive validity (ΔR² =.047, ϱ<.05); And (g) gender has a medium level of predictive validity (ΔR² =.130, ϱ<.001). The findings of the study thus validate the use of TOEFL scores as one of the requirements for admission in the international exchange program and provide new empirical evidence for investigation of the relationship between language proficiency and academic achievement.
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/3901
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note: PREDICTIVE VALIDITY. OF TOEFL SCORES ON FIRST TERM'S GPA AS THE CRITERION FOR INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE STUDENTS by ZHENG YAN M.Ed.., N o r t h e a s t Normal U n i v e r s i t y , 1986 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS i n THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES Depa r t m e n t o f Language E d u c a t i o n We a c c e p t t h i s t h e s i s a s c o n f o r m i n g t o t h e r e q u i r e d s t a n d a r d THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA March, 1995 © Zheng Yan, 1995 In presenting t h i s thesis i n p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t of the requirements f o r an advanced degree at the University of B r i t i s h Columbia, I agree that the Library s h a l l make i t f r e e l y available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of t h i s thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the Head of my Department or by h i s or her representatives. I t i s understood that copying or publication of t h i s t h e s i s f o r f i n a n c i a l gain s h a l l not be allowed without written permission. L Department of The University of B r i t i s h Columbia Vancouver, Canada Date Abstract The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) has been used i n making admission decisions for over 30 years; however, the predictive v a l i d i t y of the t e s t has been uncertain. The present study was intended to investigate the pred i c t i v e v a l i d i t y of TOEFL scores on f i r s t term's grade point average (GPA). Participants were 97 second-year un i v e r s i t y students, 46 male and 52 female, i n an international academic exchange program. Most majored i n Humanities and Social Sciences. The predictor variables i n the study included TOEFL t o t a l scores, TOEFL section I scores, TOEFL section II scores, TOEFL section III scores, oral p r o f i c i e n c y interview scores, writing sample scores, and gender. F i r s t term's GPA was the c r i t e r i o n variable. The da…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 1995-11
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0078086
language: eng
degree discipline: Language and Literacy Education
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
scholar level: Graduate
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/3901