Michigan State University Extension
Diversity and Pluralism - 11180218
12/95/
ERIC TITLE NUMBER: ED323771 AUTHOR: Hamp Lyons, Liz
TITLE: Essay Test Strategies and Cultural Diversity:
Pragmatic Failure, Pragmatic Accommodation, and the
Definition of Excellence.
YEAR PUBLISHED: (1990)
NOTE: 24 p.
ABSTRACT: A study examined the responses of five university
students from linguistically diverse backgrounds to an
unfamiliar essay examination task to be performed in
English. Subjects were an East Indian educated entirely in
English, a Korean-English bilingual, a Norwegian fluent in
English, a black middle-class American, and an urban
American. Data were drawn from interviews and think-aloud
protocols collected from the undergraduates taking real
essay exams. Results are presented in case-study style,
with discussion addressing the differential learning and
writing strategies used by each student. The findings cast
doubt on some common assumptions about the essay exam
strategies of culturally and linguistically diverse
students, and suggest that while the essay test has value
for some forms of assessment, the student's test
preparation practice, understanding, and feelings of
membership may contribute to making essay tests as
inequitable a form of assessment as any other test type.
Sample essay questions are appended.
(MSE)
KEY DESCRIPTORS: College-Students; Higher-Education;
Interviews-; Testing-
KEY DESCRIPTORS: *Bilingualism-; *Cultural-Pluralism;
*English-Second-Language; *Essay-Tests; *Test-Format; *Test
Wiseness
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