Investigating the construct of academic writing in TOEFL-iBT: implications for the explanation inference in the validity argument

The qualitative study reported in this chapter investigated the construct of academic writing as it relates to the explanation inference in the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) interpretive argument. Based on an interactionalist model of construct definition, data were collected through face-to-face interview sessions with 19 postgraduate students, who reported on their use of metacognitive strategies. During the interview the participants were prompted to reflect on the strategies they used when completing the writing component of the Test of English as Foreign Language-Internet-based Test (TOEFL-iBT). In order to examine the participant’s consistency in using metacognitive strategies across writing tasks in test vs. real-life academic situations, data were also collected from the same participants after the completion of one of their academic assignments. The data showed that time constraints restricted participants’ full employment of metacognitive strategies in test situations. Results are presented and discussed, and the implications for the explanation inference in the validity argument for TOEFL are considered.