Two fundamental approaches to rating language performance, each with distinct trade-offs for validity, reliability, and practical use.
Performance is rated on multiple separate criteria, each with its own scale and descriptors. The total score is typically a sum or weighted combination of subscores.
Example: IELTS Writing: four criteria scored independently on a 0-9 scale:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Performance receives a single global score based on an overall impression against level descriptors.
Example: TOEFL iBT independent writing (0-5 scale), many classroom writing rubrics.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
| Context | Recommended |
|---|---|
| High-stakes proficiency tests | Analytic (IELTS, Cambridge) |
| Large-scale placement / screening | Holistic (speed matters) |
| Classroom formative assessment | Analytic (diagnostic value) |
| Research on specific constructs | Analytic (isolates variables) |
Many testing systems use primary trait scoring as a middle ground: holistic within a single focused criterion (e.g., "task fulfilment" only).