Integrating reading and writing in a competency test for non-native speakers of English

This paper reports on a test that is being used to fulfill a university writing examination requirement for non-native speakers of English. The test, which requires students to read two passages, write short-answer comprehension and synthesis questions, and write an argument essay on a topic related to the passages, replaces a test that was based on a choice among several short prompts. In the paper, three aspects of test validation are...