Is there a better way to test writing proficiency?

[hhggj6643]

Writing proficiency is one of the most important components of language proficiency.People have realized the critical importance of the search for excellence in developing writing assessment instruments that provide the best possible information about student proficiency,which is quite difficult to realize. the direct topic approach has high validity, but while quite typical, this method has a serious drawback: It will be compressed into a smaller score range that might occur if writers were able to find their own level by writing on topics they feel comfortable with. The indirect objective approach(maily refers to multiple choice) is not easily affected by scorers,but the validity of this method has been doubted. May your sirs or ladies give me some advice on what testing method to use to assess the testees' real writing proficiecy? Many thanks:)

[harmony]

If you have a relatively small program, then providing the students with writing prompts for pieces of writing that you hope for them to be able to do is more probably better than giving them a multiple choice type objective test. This requires a grading criteria that all graders agree on and are familiar with.

If your program is large, then grading actual papers can quickly become a impractical. There is research that supports the validity of well designed objective tests such as the IELTS or TOEFL. designing such a test well requires a good deal of expertise, however.

[george31]

The most common way of testing students'writing proficiency is to make them write an essay. The essay is the writing test required by many universities all around the world. Of course,writing essays works with advanced students in English. If students are highschool, then making them write a short story which comprises three parts(introduction,body and conclusion) is also a useful way of testing writing.

[george31]

Several criteria of assessing writing can be taken into account when grading a written piece of work: cohesion, coherence, originality, grammar, vocabulary, syntax. A percentage can be given for each criterium.

[jessica woods]

normally, we set a limited time for students to finish a composition concerning a certain topic. though some expert argue that a limited time would restrict students' writing ability, or perhaps the topic is not a familiar one for the students, we can not test their writing ability effectively. but as far as i'm concerned, writing in a set time about a certain topic is most efficient and practical way to assess students' wriitng.
however, we should also bear in mind that some student with gifted writing talent, they probably would't like this way. it's onlysuitable for the majority. so give those talent students some space.