Being able to speak and write clearly is a valuable skill in school, work, and everyday life. That’s why these skills are often tested when learning a second or foreign language. But scoring speaking and writing tests isn’t easy – it’s a complex process that’s been studied for years, both in first and second language learning contexts. With more tests now using automated scoring systems, things have become even more complicated.

Surprisingly, there is no book that clearly explains how second-language speaking and writing are scored. This monograph fills that gap. It brings together the latest research on how these tests are scored, whether by human raters or automated systems, and highlights the key issues involved. It’s a helpful guide for graduate students, researchers, teachers, test developers, and anyone interested in how language tests are evaluated.