Reading comprehension questions of the TOEFL, IELTS and TOEIC preparation books

Sulistyaningsih, . (2005) Reading comprehension questions of the TOEFL, IELTS and TOEIC preparation books. Masters thesis, Widya Mandala Catholic University Surabaya.

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Abstract

This research concerns investigating the reading comprehension questions of the TOEFL, IELT, and TOEIC Preparation Books. The general problem of this study is what reading subskills, and what cognitive domains of Barrett Taxonomy are tested in the reading comprehension questions of the TOEFL, IELT, and TOEIC Preparation Books. In order to have of more detailed answers, the general problem is divided into two specific questions asking: (1) what reading subskills are tested in the reading comprehension questions of the TOEFL, IELTS, and TOEIC Preparation Books.? (2) What cognitive domains of Barrett Taxonomy are tested in the reading comprehension questions of the TOEFL, IELTS and TOEIC Preparation Books? In relation to the general question, the main objective of this study is to examine the occurrence of reading subskills in the reading tests. Specifically, this study aims at (1) identifying the reading subskills in the reading comprehension questions of the TOEFL, IELTS and TOEIC Preparation Books. (2) Identifying cognitive domains of Barrett Taxonomy tested in the reading comprehension questions of the TOEFL, IELTS and TOEIC Preparation Books. The reading Comprehension Questions were taken from the TOEFL, IELT, and TOEIC Preparation Books. Two sets of reading section were randomly taken from each book for investigation. In line with the objectives of this study, a descriptive research was conducted. The first process analysis of reading subskills used Phillips theory. The results of the data analysis of reading subskills revealed the following points. There were mainly eight reading subskills in the TOEFL-reading tests: (1) the ability to identify stated details 24%, (2) the ability to identify unstated details 4%, and (3) the ability to identify main ideas 8%, (4) The ability to identify implied details 14%, (5) The ability to interpret meanings of particular words in contexts 39%, and (6) The ability to find pronoun referents 2% (7) The ability to identify where specific information is found 5% (8) The ability to identify the transition 4%. In the IELTS reading test, four reading subskills were employed: (1) the ability to identify stated details 44%, (2) the ability to identify unstated details 15%, and (3) the ability to identify main ideas 25%, (4) The ability to identify implied details 16%. Whereas the TOEIC reading tests employed five reading subskills: (1) the ability to identify stated details 67.5%, (2) the ability to identify unstated details 7.5%, and (3) the ability to identify main ideas 11.%, (4) The ability to identify implied details 7.5%, (5) The ability to identify the organization of ideas 6.5%. From those findings, it can be inferred that all the reading tests in the TOEFL, IELTS, and TOEIC preparation books employed 4(four) similar categories of reading subskills, they were: (1) the ability to identify stated details, (2) the ability to identify unstated details, and (3) the ability to identify main ideas, (4) the ability to identify implied detail. Except in the TOEFL reading comprehension questions, four more reading subskills were found; they were: a) The ability to interpret meanings of particular words in contexts, and (b) The ability to find pronoun referent, (c) The ability to identify where specific information is found, (d) The ability to identify the transition, and in the TOEIC reading comprehension questions were found one more subskill of the ability to identify the organization of ideas. While in the IELTS reading comprehension questions were found four similar categories of subskills above. In the TOEFL reading comprehension questions it was found that there were frequency of reading subskills of the ability to interpret meaning of particular words in contexts 39% in the highest place. While in the IELTS and TOEIC reading comprehension questions, subskills of the ability to identify stated details occupied the highest place 44% and 67.5%. For answering the second problem, based on cognitive domain of Barrett Taxonomy Theory, the findings showed that in the TOEFL reading comprehension questions, two major levels of the cognitive domain were the literal comprehension and inferential comprehension. The literal comprehension in reading tests employed 79% portions of 100 questions. These portions involved category of recognition 43% and recall 36%, whereas the Inferential Comprehension in reading tests employed 21 % portions. The IELTS-reading tests consist of 80 questions. Reading comprehension questions in the category of Literal Comprehension employed 65% portions; these portions involved category of recognition 43.5% and recall 2i.5%, and the inferential Comprehension employed 35% portions. The last tests were TOEIC reading tests. The biggest portions of the questions in reading tests were Literal Comprehension (81.25%). These portions involved category of recognition 77.5% and recall 3. 75%. The Inferential Comprehension was found (18.75%). It can be inferred that based on cognitive domain of Barrett Taxonomy, among the reading comprehension questions of the TOEFL, IELTS and TOEIC preparation books were classified in the literal comprehension and inferential comprehension categories. None of the questions was in the reorganization stage. Hopefully, the findings of present study will be worthwhile for the researcher herself, and the future researchers as a recommendation for conducting further study in the same field; teachers, students, test developers, or anyone who needs inputs about Reading subskills and cognitive domain in reading comprehension questions.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Department:	["eprint_fieldopt_department_Graduate School" not defined]
Subjects:	English Education
Divisions:	Graduate School > Master Program in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Depositing User:	Sri Kusuma Dewi
Date Deposited:	29 Aug 2016 09:53
Last Modified:	29 Aug 2016 09:53
URI:	http://repository.ukwms.ac.id/id/eprint/6568

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