Computer or Paper?

Abstract

The publication compares university students' compulsory English achievement tests written in two modes of administration, i.e. pencil and paper and computer-based tests. The analysis of the three stages of the project, Pilot, Study 1 and Study 2, forms the focus of the work. The central research question investigated is whether the usage of computer-based language testing is justified in such a context. A convergent parallel mixed methods design is employed, where quantitative test data is used to measure the equivalency of the two modes and qualitative self-report feedback form data explores the main advantages and disadvantages of these.